Dr. Christine Jeske | Learning to Hope Differently: Racial Justice for the Long Haul

What kind of hope can actually sustain racial justice work over decades—not just months? In this episode of Thinking Christian, Dr. James Spencer is joined by anthropologist and author Dr. Christine Jeske to talk about her new book, Racial Justice for the Long Haul: How White Christian Advocates Persevere and Why.

Christine explains how anthropological research actually works—long interviews, deep listening, and time spent in “ordinary” spaces—and how she used it to study white Christians commended by leaders of color as faithful, long-term advocates. From there, the conversation dives into:

• Delusional vs. resilient hope – why optimism that avoids suffering inevitably collapses, and how Christians can cultivate a cruciform hope forged in hardship.

• Incremental change without complacency – how to celebrate small wins without pretending the deeper injustices are solved.

• Privilege as undeserved gifts – not just a slogan, but a way of naming what we’ve received and how grace calls us to respond, not just feel guilty.

• Habitus and formation – how our environments, narratives, and “moving walkways” of culture quietly shape us toward either withdrawal or engagement.

• Perseverance in practice – from Sisyphus and his “muscles” to Beverly Daniel Tatum’s moving walkway, to concrete next steps for listeners who feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin.

If you’re a Christian who feels the weight of racial injustice but wrestles with burnout, defensiveness, or simply not knowing what to do next, this conversation offers a theologically rich, practical vision for persevering in hope—without denial, without despair, and with your eyes fixed on Christ.

You can purchase Racial Justice for the Long Haul at ivpress.com (use code IVPPOD20 for a 20% discount) 

You can also read more from Christine Jeske at christinejeske.com.

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To read James's article on this topic, check out his author page on Christianity.com.

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