R

The word race refers to a group of people delineated according to a common denominator distinguishing them from other groups or “races.” Such a common denominator may be chosen within the group or imposed from outside it, according to religious, anthropological, geographical, biological, or linguistic criteria. One might thus speak of an “Islamic,” “white,” “British,” “black,” or “Latin” “race.” When membership of a particular “race” is used to secure or deny certain rights or privileges, the term racism defines this attitude. Because of this variety of meanings, the word race has been used in many ways within theology*, under the influence of concepts taken from Greek or Jewish thought.