Homebrewed Christianity Practicing Love Without Being Naive About Power with Marvin Wickware
Jan 15, 2026
Marvin Wickware, a theologian and ethicist, shares insights shaped by his upbringing in an interracial family and his journey through Christian ethics. He explores how need-based love can guide ethical decisions amidst the complexities of democracy and race. Discussing the dangers of using ideals to mask reality, he emphasizes the importance of community in sustaining hope. Marvin tackles the nuanced relationship between personal affection and systemic harm, urging listeners to engage thoughtfully with issues of race and power.
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From Skepticism To Theological Vocation
- Marvin Wickware describes being raised skeptical of churches by interracial parents mistreated in 1980s Indiana.
- He converted in college and found intellectual and spiritual home studying with James Cone at Union Theological Seminary.
Faith And Democracy As Aspirational Projects
- Marvin argues both democracy and Christian faith are aspirational projects we persist in despite failing to fully realize them.
- The central question is whether ideals move us closer to justice or serve to mask our failures.
Polarization Grows From Inherited Enmity
- Political polarization often grows from deeper, inherited enmities, not from sudden moral failure.
- People can be loving in personal life while supporting harmful political structures because love is hijacked by those deeper stories.
