The second essay, which takes up the majority of the book, deals with the relations between race and religion, focusing in particular on Baldwin's experiences with the Christian church as a youth, as well as the Nation of Islam's ideals and influence in Harlem.

Giving testimonial evidence about how racism in America has operated in real people's lives is an effective strategy for connecting with an audience that is otherwise unaware.

[8] Baldwin's writings profoundly "provoked and challenged the dominant white American frame for understanding race relations" during the time that they were first published.

[12] Titled in the book as "Down at the Cross: Letter from a Region in my Mind", the essay addresses the detriment of Christianity on the Black community and Baldwin's journey from being a teen pastor to completely pulling away from the church because it felt like a repression of his full experience of humanity.

[13] Jacquelyn Dowd Hall wrote an article that focused on the civil rights movement, led by Martin Luther King Jr., building on Baldwin's work.

Observing that Baldwin challenged the Catholic Church, Nilson said that the April 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. had almost seemed like The Fire Next Time had come true.