Reformed Theological Sandwiches

Last week I got an email detailing RTS's new African American Leadership Scholarship. It is a fifty-percent scholarship for black students who "have experience in and a heart for African American, multiethnic, or urban contexts." Does anyone else hear that buzzing? The email includes a statement from Ligon Duncan and endorsements (?) from Thabiti Anyabwile, and Jerry Young--a pastor in Texas. So, what have we here? RTS, in order to redress decades of racism in Reformed evangelicalism, has decided to do something, well, racist. What do I mean? Imagine if I were to open a deli--call it Reformed Theological Sandwiches. At my deli, ham sandwiches are six dollars apiece. Unless you're black. For all you black folks, ham sandwiches are three dollars apiece. Better yet, I call my arrangement "The Equality Special." Isn't it obvious how much head-patting is going on here? Black folks can't handle the high price of a six dollar sandwich, so let's give 'em a discount. And RTS is doing the same thing. "Listen, we all know seminary education is expensive. We also know that black people are poor. Why don't we give 'em a break?" I don't know who came up with the phrase "the soft bigotry of low expectations," but it's safe to say it applies here. The old religious racists said, "White people are better than black people. The Bible says so." The old secular racists said, "White people are better than black people. You can tell by the shape of their skulls." The new racists say, "White people are better than black people. And we're all very sorry."