The Image of God & Racial Justice: A Southern Christian's Journey of Learning | Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast S3E44
Jul 26, 2026
Summary
What happens when God calls us to leave behind not only familiar places, but familiar assumptions? In Episode 2 of our four-part Imago Dei 2.0 series, Rev. Dr. Brittany Juliette Hanlin sits down with Kay Gilbert, a longtime member of First UMC San Diego and participant in the church’s Sankofa racial justice pilgrimages. As a self-proclaimed recovering racist, Kay reflects on her childhood in segregated Alabama, the questions she carried for decades, and why she’s dedicated her adult life to confronting history, telling the truth, and growing in understanding.
Detail
What happens when God calls us to leave behind not only familiar places, but familiar assumptions?
In Episode 2 of our four-part Imago Dei 2.0 series, Rev. Dr. Brittany Juliette Hanlin sits down with Kay Gilbert, a longtime member of First UMC San Diego and participant in the church’s Sankofa racial justice pilgrimages. As a self-proclaimed recovering racist, Kay reflects on her childhood in segregated Alabama, the questions she carried for decades, and why she’s dedicated her adult life to confronting history, telling the truth, and growing in understanding.
Inspired by Genesis 12:1–3, where God calls Abram to leave everything familiar and journey into the unknown, this conversation reflects on what can happen when we step outside our comfort zones and allow God to reshape our hearts and understanding.
This episode explores:
- Growing up in segregated Alabama during the Jim and Jane Crow era
- The difference between recognizing race and recognizing racism
- Why silence and euphemisms allow racism to persist
- How the Sankofa racial justice pilgrimage invites Christians to remember forgotten history
- What Genesis 12 teaches about leaving behind familiar assumptions
- How racism continues to shape healthcare and maternal outcomes
- How learning to be uncomfortable can become a spiritual practice
This conversation is for you if you're:
- Wondering how Christians can engage conversations about race faithfully
- Seeking to better understand systemic racism and White privilege
- Interested in racial justice from a Christian perspective
- Learning to sit with discomfort as part of spiritual growth
- Looking for hopeful stories of personal transformation
- Curious about the Sankofa racial justice pilgrimage experience
Reflection Questions
- What is something familiar that you've had to leave behind? And how did that experience shape who you are today?
- What beliefs, assumptions, or perspectives have you had to reconsider in order to grow in your understanding of race and racism?
- What might God be inviting you to learn, unlearn, or discover in this season of your life?
Continue the Conversation
This episode accompanies our sermon series, Imago Dei 2.0, exploring the many ways God's image is reflected in the people of our church community. Whether you're deconstructing your faith, pursuing racial justice, seeking a more inclusive Christianity, or simply curious about these conversations, we'd love to continue the journey with you.
First United Methodist Church of San Diego is an LGBTQ-affirming, progressive Christian congregation committed to justice, inclusion, and spiritual growth.
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Timestamps
00:00 God calls us beyond what is familiar
01:00 Genesis 12 & introducing Kay Gilbert
03:19 Growing up in segregated Alabama
10:14 "I could have been them" — recognizing race and privilege
18:40 Racism and disparities in healthcare
25:03 Why Kay joined the Sankofa Pilgrimage
28:20 "I'm a recovering racist"
29:27 Visiting Bryan Stevenson's Legacy Museum to confront America’s history
33:44 How the pilgrimage deepened Kay's faith
38:11 Using our social capital for justice
40:06 Reflection questions
