(The Hill) – The pastor of an Atlanta megachurch on Tuesday apologized after facing widespread criticism over comments he made about “white privilege” and the history of slavery in the United States. During a recorded conversation about race in America on Sunday, Passion City Church Pastor Louie Giglio said that the phrase “white privilege” sometimes ignited backlash and suggested that the words be altered to “white blessing.”

He also noted that white people understand that slavery was a curse, but added that “we miss the blessing of slavery, that it actually built up the framework for the world that white people live in.” The comments were made during a discussion with Christian rapper Lecrae and Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy amid a national reckoning over the police killing of George Floyd and racial injustice.

By Tuesday, clips from the interview had spread across social media, with many denouncing the remarks as offensive.  Giglio released a video statement on Twitter in which he apologized for a “horrible choice of words” that “do not reflect my heart at all.”

“I just wanted to come to you directly today and sincerely apologize for the use of the phrase ‘white blessing,'” he said. “Most importantly, I extend that apology to my black brothers and sisters. I like so many am so burned about what’s happening in our nation right now, and I’m heartbroken about where we are.” READ MORE