Author Kristin T. Lee Praises Black Christians for Authentic Faith in New Book

Author Kristin T. Lee appeared on the Presbyterian Church USA podcast "A Matter of Faith" in April 2026 to discuss her new book, "We Mend with Gold: An Immigrant Daughter's Reckoning with American Christianity."

Lee praised Black Christians for their authentic faith and their historical willingness to critique the church in the face of enslavement and segregation. She said she learned from their confidence to challenge established norms and hold the church accountable to its own teachings.

Lee, who is of Asian descent, discussed the pressure immigrant Christians often face to assimilate and abandon their cultural heritage. She said recognizing and valuing one's heritage is essential to authentic faith.

She also spoke about the experience of seeing biblical characters depicted as non-European, calling it a meaningful shift in how people connect with Scripture. She advocated for diverse representations of God in Christian art and education.

Lee used the Japanese art of Kintsugi as a spiritual metaphor. In Kintsugi, broken pottery is repaired with gold lacquer, making the mended piece arguably more beautiful. She applied this to faith, encouraging people to allow their beliefs to break and be rebuilt rather than maintaining a brittle, unexamined faith.

She called on dominant cultures within Christianity to approach immigrant and marginalized communities with humility and openness, recognizing the richness they bring to theological understanding.