Counsels on Social Issues

Counsel #22 — Redlining

Picture: Counsel #22 — Redlining CSI 40.1

You can’t talk about injustice today without understanding how deep the roots really go. Redlining, for example, wasn’t just an old mistake. It was a system that told entire communities, mostly Black and minority neighborhoods, that they didn’t deserve investment, safe homes, or opportunities to grow wealth. CSI 40.2

Banks literally drew red lines around these areas on maps, refusing loans and shutting families out of the American dream. Even after redlining was made illegal, the damage didn’t just disappear. It left significant gaps in homeownership, education, safety, and financial security that still affect millions today. Many may think that confronting this history is meaningless, fostering “the past is the past” mentality. In reality, many things have not changed at all. Racial injustice is still built into our systems, and barriers are not being torn down due to able leaders turning a blind eye. Even if you don’t hold a political office position or reside over the public in a courthouse, God can still make use of you! He wants to use your voice for justice to call out the brokenness in your community whenever you see it.^[79] CSI 40.3

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” Proverbs 31:8 NIV CSI 40.4

“These walls of prejudice will tumble down of themselves as did the walls of Jericho…” Ellen White in Christian Service , p. 217 CSI 40.5

Reflect: Have you learned the full history of redlining and its impact? CSI 40.6