Megachurch pastor apologises after saying slavery was a 'white blessing' and not 'white privilege'

A pastor from an Atlanta megachurch has apologised after drawing criticism for coining the phrase "white blessing" in an attempt to rebrand "white privilege".

On Sunday, Louie Giglio, who presides over the Passion City Church, was in a discussion with the rapper Lecrae and the owner of Chick-fil-A about Black Lives Matter.

During the conversation, Giglio attempted to address the subject of slavery and the "white privilege" that many benefited from and it helped create. He said:

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.

[I am living] in the blessing of the curse that happened generationally that allowed me to grow up in Atlanta.

Although Giglio appeared to be sincere and honest in his words and wasn't trying to provoke any outrage, his effort came across as quite misguided and he was soon bombarded with criticism.

Some were also unhappy with Lecrae who could be seen nodding his head when Giglio was talking about "white blessing".

Both men have since apologised with Lecrae saying that he didn't agree with what was said and was merely processing his thoughts as to what he could say in response, adding that he has spoken to the pastor since.

On Tuesday, Giglio shared a video on Twitter apologising for any offence that he had caused. The 61-year-old said:

I sincerely apologise for the use of the term on Sunday 'white privilege' and I extend that apology to every single person that is listening to me right now but most importantly I extend it to my black brothers and sisters.

Like so many, I am burdened about what is happening in our nation right now and I'm heartbroken about it. 

I’m heartbroken about where we are as a nation, 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.

White blessing was a horrible choice of words and doesn't not reflect my heart at all. To be clear, there is no blessing in slavery. On the contrary, what I'm trying to understand and help others see, we sit in a large part, where we are today because of the centuries of gross injustice done to our black brothers and sisters. 

Well, that's something.