Whether privileged or unprivileged, we all need Jesus. It's nice to know that a poor, untalented, underprivileged ruffian can become a joint heir with Christ through simple faith. Of course, this simple faith can do the same for a wealthy, talented, privileged snob. The ultimate privilege is becoming a born again adopted child of the living God. All of us fall woefully short of God's glory, yet because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross we can become God's cherished kids through faith. Sure, those who have been blessed with earthly goods are expected (by God) to give more. Our model is Jesus, who came to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.

We don't talk about privilege because our national myth is that it doesn't exist in the US -- even though a child born in this country is less likely to move up to an income quintile higher than that of their parents than a child born in much of Europe and Latin America. As Christians, we can't afford to talk about privilege because then we'd have to look hard at texts like Deuteronomy 15, where God said that he would provide in such abundance that his people could provide generously to those in need, so there would not have to be any in need -- as long as his people obeyed Him. But, God noted, there would always be those in need. So God offered both the solution and the reality in just a few verses. An obedient people of God would always be lifting up those who needed a hand; the people of God would never be obedient; as a result there would always be those God had blessed who enjoyed privilege and held it to themselves. A sad picture of God's people through all times, I'm afraid.

My brother-in-law is an attractive man. (No, I am not coming out of the closet . . . I’m not even in the closet.) He looks more like a blonde-haired surfer than the owner of a landscaping company. But tell me, ladies, if you had to choose a landscaper to remodel your yard would you pick the gruff middle-age guy sporting a pot-belly and a bald head or the gorgeous sandy-haired dude with a disarmingly laid-back personality? I’m just saying. Anyhow, when our President uttered his infamous “you didn’t build that” campaign jab at successful Americans, it rankled a tender nerve for many. Why? Because wired into our DNA is the uniquely American legend of poor immigrants who came here to make a fortune through hard work and persistence. It is the ideal that America is a place where a person is not doomed to their status through birth. I know such stories of success are true, but in reality there is more to the magic formula of success than hard work and putting in long hours. A woman born with physical beauty has an advantage, but so does a person born with a personality type that helps them form relationships with key individuals. Some skills are developed, others are due to privilege. How should Christians treat the sensitive subject of privilege? We can reject envy and do the best we can with the cards we were dealt. We can recognize that bragging about our hard work and persistence is vanity. Being born with a privilege is one thing, but Christians should be cognizant of the difference between a God-given privilege and a man-made privilege such as nepotism and favoritism.

Thanks for a great article, Caryn. Esther, I think you point out a salient and important phenomenon (the arbitrariness of social values), but I don't believe it negates Caryn's analysis. The truth is, EVERY society chooses physical traits that it admires or lifts up as "superior." You write "Being created white is not a privilege. Society has awarded value to that physical attribute." But that's precisely the point. In popular US culture today (and even moreso in the past), being created white IS a privilege, because it automatically confers a greater level of power and desirability than what people of other races enjoy. Social privilege is, by definition, determined by the dominant culture. Those who happen to be born with traits that the culture (arbitratily) values are, as Caryn points out, the beneficiaries of certain blessings, though they've done nothing to merit those blessings. The Christian's responsibility in these circumstances is to acknowledge this grace.

Hi Caryn, I think you missed the point with Cameron Russell's Ted Talks. I feel that you fail to address a very important point that the model was making in her presentation. The privilege she experiences is because of a culture that has taken her whiteness (which one would argue is merely a biological trait etc.) and ascribed a certain value to it. This is not a God-given value but a value that we as society have placed on whiteness in terms of what is considered the standard of beauty. Why don't you directly address and unpack this socially constructed privilege? Being created white is not a privilege. Society has awarded value to that physical attribute. How can Christians address it? Secondly, Ms. Russell provides an example of using her beauty to get out of a speeding ticket. Is that good privilege or bad privilege? Is it morally right for 'beautiful' people to get a free pass? I don't think you dug deep enough.

Great article. Makes me think of how God forewarned his people before entering the promised land. Deuteronomy 8:17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.

As with most discussions of privilege, it is hard to have the conversation if the people having it do not have a diverse enough experience to understand that people get different results from similar amounts of work. I grew up in a home that valued education, encouraged me to read and even if they didn't pay for my education they supported me as they could. I know have a pair of graduate degrees. I live a good life without a lot of physical labor. I am not overworked. I have choices about what I want to do. I consult with an after school program that has a gang war happening the past few weeks outside its doors. 10 people have been shot, four of them killed. Of the 3 three have been current or former members of the after school program and one of the killed was a recent high school grad from the program that had just gotten a good job training program. My point is that it is easy to suggest privilege doesn't exist when you aren't getting shot on the way to and from school.

I have had to explain certain kinds of privilege to my children already -- the privilege they have of being raised in a home that values books and learning, and the privilege of the good minds God has given them. School comes easily to them, and I want to make sure they give credit where it's due -- as well as compliment them when they work hard. Not every child has access to books, even in our city with its excellent library -- if their parents don't take them there, it may as well not exist. If we have trouble acknowledging the concept of privilege, it's usually because we are part of the privileged group. Ask any friend from a different ethnic group -- every single one of my friends of color has multiple stories about being harassed in stores, being pulled over, hearing racial slurs, etc. And those incidents are the overt ones that are measurable -- things such as not being considered for promotion, not being considered for scholarships, etc. are much harder to measure.

I think Caryn is right that "it's in denying privilege and blessing that I really make it all about me." But, I don't think we fear talking about privilege because we believe it's self-centered. I think it's hard to admit it ISN'T all our own doing and we are sometimes clueless to understand how so much of what we take for granted doesn't exist for everyone. A friend and I sometimes co-cook dinner for friends. First time was at my house. I put the food in my best serving pieces out on the table. As we sat, my friend stood, took each dish, served everyone a portion, and returned the empty dishes to the kitchen. That seemed oddly bad mannered. Shouldn't he have let everyone "help themselves" to however much or little they wanted? There was plenty! Plus, leave my pretty bowls out to be seen! It took me awhile to realize that "help yourself" and "leftovers" were manners/habbits that assumed abundance, but dividing food among guests to see they got enough was a habit born of scarcity.

Nah, Jack Ratekin, I just reject egalitotalitarianism. And, rather than a belief that God has blessed me with my station in life, evolution of a decidedly non-teleological bent informs my conception of my place in the world. And ever so shall it be.