Set Free: A Journey Toward Solidarity Against Racism

Racism is a name-caller. It warps self-concept, saps vibrant communities, and atrophies spiritual connection. Although it takes different forms, racism works hard shaping the identities of both white people and people of color. Using anecdote, analysis, and scriptural reflection, Set Free offers language and insight to describe the names racism calls us. Six chapters define, illustrate, and suggest response to internalized racist oppression among communities of color. Three more chapters grapple with issues of internalized racist superiority among white communities. The final four chapters present practical principles and guidelines for working together across racial lines.

This collaborative project by Tobin Miller Shearer, Regina Shands Stoltzfus, and Iris deLeon-Hartshorn brings together decades of mutual experience dismantling racism in the Christian community.

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Tobin Miller Shearer is co-founder with Regina Shands Stoltzfus of the Damascus Road anti-racism process (now Roots of Justice) and an award-winning professor of history and African American studies at the University of Montana. He is the author of five books and more than one hundred articles. His work has appeared in publications such as The Chicago Tribune, Conspire, The Mennonite, and Anabaptist Historians. He blogs at Truth and Grace. Shearer is also the co-founder with Cheryl Miller Shearer of the anti-racism training and consulting nonprofit, Widerstand Consulting (www.widerstandconsulting.org).

Regina Shands Stoltzfus was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and lived there the first half of her life. She currently lives in Goshen, Indiana, and teaches at Goshen College in the religion, justice and society department. Regina is co-founder of the Roots of Justice Anti-Oppression program (formerly Damascus Road Anti-Racism Program) and has worked widely in peace education.  She holds a master of arts degree in biblical studies from Ashland Theological Seminary and a PhD in theology and ethics from Chicago Theological Seminary. She is the author of two previous books and her many articles have appeared in publications such as Sojourners and The Mennonite. She has also written for the Anabaptist Historians blog.

Iris de Leon-Hartshornis the director of the Peace and Justice Ministries Department of Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Iris lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with her husband Leo Hartshorn. They are the parents of three children.