D.A. Horton Gets ‘Intensional’ About Ethnic Conciliation and Embracing His Own Identity
The pastor and author makes argues that Christians of color are not deficient — they’re wealthy. And that the church has both the responsibility and the resources to lead on ethnic unity.
D.A. Horton is a pastor, author, and scholar whose work sits at the intersection of the gospel, ethnic identity, and the pursuit of unity in the Body of Christ. At the time of this interview (February 25, 2020), he was pastor of Reach Fellowship in Long Beach, California, and an assistant professor of Intercultural Studies at California Baptist University. He was also completing his Ph.D. at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
His book, Intensional: Kingdom Ethnicity in a Divided World, argues that Christians — because of what Christ has already accomplished — are uniquely positioned to lead on matters of ethnic reconciliation. Not racial reconciliation. Ethnic conciliation. The distinction, as Horton explains below, matters.
In a conversation with Faithfully Magazine’s managing editor via Skype video, Horton discussed several themes related to his book, including why he prefers to use the terms “ethnic conciliation” and “Kingdom ethnicity,” what compels him as a Christian of color to remain in White Evangelical spaces, how he came to embrace his identity as a Mexican Choctaw American, and more.
The transcript, including the accompanying audio file, has been edited for clarity and length.
