Fully Free

Rejecting Racism, Renouncing Christian Nationalism, and Renewing American Christianity

By: J. Mark Lawson

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Length: 13 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Our nation and American Christianity are both in crisis, with mainline Protestant, Roman Catholic, and conservative Evangelical churches experiencing significant decline. Distrust in traditional institutions, clergy abuse scandals, and increasing partisanship have driven many away, particularly younger adults who reject the sexism, racism, and intolerance in conservative denominations. As the nation reckons with systemic racism highlighted by events such as the Charlottesville rally, George Floyd’s murder, and the Capitol insurrection, churches must face their roles in perpetuating or ignoring injustice. Fully Free calls for a profound transformation, urging churches to redefine their identity and mission, separate from a nominally Christian culture, to become vital instruments of God’s work and advocates for true justice in a diverse society.

J. Mark Lawson is a retired pastor who has served churches in Arkansas, Kentucky, Indiana, and Upstate New York. Originally ordained in the Southern Baptist Convention, he holds an MDiv and PhD in theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Since 1995, his ministry has been with the United Church of Christ. He is an adjunct member of the Religious Studies faculty at LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, where he has taught for thirty years. He is also a former dean and current instructor for the New York School of Ministry and a spiritual director at the Spiritual Renewal Center in Syracuse. Lawson has led retreats, workshops, and learning events for pastors and laypeople of many Christian denominations.