The evangelical pastor of an Atlanta megachurch is walking back comments he made about slavery in a roundtable discussion he held on race in which he called slavery a “blessing.”
Louis Giglio, who is pastor at the Passion City Church, spoke with a group Sunday (June 14) that included Chick-Fil-A CEO Dan Cathy and gospel hip-hop superstar Lecrae, in which he looked back at America’s hateful history, NBC News reported.

"We understand the curse that was slavery, white people do, and we say that was bad, but we miss the blessing of slavery, that it actually built up the framework for the world that white people live in and lived in," Giglio said.

But he then suggested that the term “white privilege” be exchanged for “white blessing.”

"I'm living in the blessing of the curse that happened generationally that allowed me to grow up in Atlanta," he said.
Lecrae countered Giglio’s comment, telling the group. "You have the ability to not think about it. I cannot change my skin tone," Lecrae responded. "I cannot live another day without recognizing my blackness."

After backlash on social media, Giglio issued an apology. 

“Like so many I am so hurt by what is happening in our nation right now and one of the things I’m most heartbroken about is trying to help myself continue to learn and to help my white brothers and sisters understand that white privilege is real and in trying to get that sentiment across on Sunday, I used the phrase ‘white blessing’, for which I’m deeply sorry. Horrible choice of words.”

Lecrae released a subsequent video in which he explained the position he was left in during the discussion. "In that moment, I was processing, like, 'Man what do I do?' " the rapper said. "Obviously, I'm not ok with changing white privilege to white blessing. That's a privilege in and of itself."