A Rhythm of Hate
Anthony Costello on a Prayer for Hatred & the Final Solution
In a recently published collection of devotional prayers, A Rhythm of Prayer (Convergent Books, 2021), composed mainly by progressive Christian women, there appears a prayer by psychologist and "public theologian" Chanequa Walker-Barnes that calls out to God for help in becoming more hateful toward white people. Walker-Barnes's prayer, like many postmodern expressions of personal sentiment, has stirred controversy. But what makes her prayer different from other controversial expressive acts (for example, Lil Nas X's song "Montero") is that this one, titled "Prayer of a Weary Black Woman," is apparently directed to the God of the Bible, whom Walker-Barnes asks to place hatred inside her. Her prayer begins:
Dear God,
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Anthony Costello holds a BA in German from the University of Notre Dame, and two master’s degrees from the Talbot School of Theology/Biola University (MA Christian Apologetics, MA Theology). An Evangelical, he also served five and a half years in the U.S. Army, with one deployment to Afghanistan. He is the founder and president of the Kirkwood Center for Theology & Ethics (kirkwoodcenter.org).
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