Megachurch pastor apologizes for ‘white blessing’ comments

A white pastor for an Atlanta megachurch has tearfully apologized for referring to the “blessing of slavery” and suggesting that the phrase “white privilege” could be better understood as a “white blessing.”

 white pastor for an Atlanta megachurch has tearfully apologized for referring to the “blessing of slavery” and for suggesting that the phrase “white privilege” could be better understood as a “white blessing.”

Louie Giglio, the founder of Passion City Church and related Christian conferences, made the comments in a recorded conversation with Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae Moore and evangelist Dan Cathy, the CEO of fast-food chain Chick-fil-A.

At one point during the hour-long discussion, Giglio suggested that people who may be reluctant to accept the term “white privilege” might better understand the idea if it’s called a “white blessing.” 

“We understand the curse that was slavery, white people do, and we say ‘that was bad,’ but we miss the blessing of slavery, that it actually built up the framework for the world that white people lived in and live in. And so a lot of people call this white privilege,” Giglio said to the panelists. 

The pastor later added: “Maybe, a great thing for me, is to call it ‘white blessing.’”

The online backlash was swift, and Giglio apologized in a video message posted to Twitter on Tuesday, his voice audibly shaking as he called it a “horrible choice of words.”

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/megachurch-pastor-apologizes-white-blessing-comments-71300616?cid=clicksource_4380645_2_heads_hero_live_headlines_hed