A Long Repentance, Part 1: Reviews by Participants and Readers

“We led our church through A Long Repentance during Lent last year and experienced deep conversation and increased understanding of how our American history and culture is steeped in racialized stigma and prejudice. Wide-ranging without being unruly, Sangwon and Mako touch on key aspects of how the formation of the American consciousness is rooted in meritocracy in every aspect of our society. Written in a conversational format, A Long Repentance succeeds in being accessible and comprehensive, understandable and deeply profound. Highly recommend this resource to educate and expand imaginations on what God’s justice looks like in every facet of our culture.”

Matt Tebbe and Ben Sternke, co-pastors of The Table Indy, Indianapolis IN (2019)

“We led a group within our congregation through A Long Repentance and found the material easily accessible and exceptionally informative.  The historical information and perspectives from both civic and biblical sources was extremely valuable in guiding conversation and enlightening to many for whom this was new information.  It enabled a high quality and engaging conversation that ultimately left most of us with new insight, personal motivation to learn and engage more in the issues of race and justice and the desire to continue to learn, grow and ultimately take action to change our lives as people of faith.  I highly recommend this course for both individuals and groups seeking to engage in the conversation in a meaningful way.”

Derek Harman, pastor of Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, Sacramento CA (2020) 

“As a pastor I have been through A Long Repentance three times.  Once with a group primarily of people of color, once with a group of all white adult evangelicals, and once with a group of college students. The curriculum proved itself to be multifaceted, eliciting different questions and reflections from each group. Each group was challenged in different ways and every time the group was grateful to have gone through the process together. Also, as a facilitator, the extensive footnotes were incredibly useful for enabling me to feel more confident diving into the hard questions with the group.”

Grant Eckhart, pastor at Jacob’s Porch and Sanctuary Columbus, Columbus OH (2020)

“I and several church members were blessed to participate in A Long Repentance with Mako Nagasawa. Through weekly blog readings, online Q&A with Mako, and small group discussion, we learned of the harmful seeds sown throughout the history of Christianity with the hopes of addressing the injustices and sowing better seeds in our neighborhoods and communities. Mako examines the complicity of the Church with the birth and rise of colonialism and lays bare the ways the narrative has been covered up, repackaged, or justified. The class confronts myths that have taken root in the American consciousness (and tragically in the American church) that keep us from loving our neighbors as ourselves. While he speaks frankly, Mako delivers the truth with grace and patience to people who may be hearing this unvarnished history for the first time. A Long Repentance does the important work of revealing centuries-old problems in Christendom with an open invitation to consider and work collaboratively toward solutions. I highly recommend this class for pastors, churches and other faith communities looking to follow Jesus to the people harmed by ungodly uses of power.”

Charlie Elmore, pastor at Emmanuel Chapel, Albuquerque NM (2021)

“A Long Repentance led our church into the lasting story of the Church’s complicity in perpetuating pain and injustice in our black and brown communities. Though it was painful to realize our part in the reality of racist systems, we found the journey led us toward hope, giving us a solid foundation to begin dreaming of partnering with God in his work of restoration in our neighborhood. I recommend communities of faith go on this journey through pain toward hope together.”

Jesse Harden, pastor at New Creation Albuquerque, Albuquerque NM (2021)

“We looked at the beliefs of the early church and the early church fathers. Growing up in the evangelical church, the early church fathers’ teachings were not taught and I always thought they were probably too difficult to understand. Mako makes their teachings accessible and it has led me to a more beautiful Gospel then I could have ever imagined.”

Maribeth Troyer, member of New Creation Albuquerque, Albuquerque NM (2021)