This is a truly excellent book and it has been published at the right time.
The Black Lives Matter movement has galvanized institutions and individuals to question their attitudes about race, diversity and inclusion. In this book the author explores the experience of black and ethnic minority people who attend white majority churches in the UK and the barriers they face if they feel called to ministry. Unfortunately some people experience barriers even if they just wish to participate as church members.
First of all it is good to have a book that explores the UK experience because often people say that the the UK is not as racist as America and that things are fine here. Some politicians have even said that the UK is post racial. This is because they are blinded by privilege both white and black. Well newsflash, we are not post racial in the United Kingdom. It is simply that racial discrimination in the UK is more subtle and has 'finesse'. It has a different way of emerging. It's more subtle and hard to track, because it is embedded in the way our institutions operate, but the destructive effect is just the same as when racism is obvious, vocalised or seen in violence.
Whether racism is institutional or personal it has the same corrosive affect and where racism is embedded in institutional structures it can cause death. We see this in the coronavirus pandemic and in the way in which institutional racism and discrimination have combined with the virus to cause disproportionate deaths of ethnic minority people. And this happens because if your life chances and your employment chances and your health outcomes are eroded by institutional racism then you become more vulnerable to poor health and as we see unable to fight off ill health or a pandemic such as this one. Health inequality due to racism is alive and well in the UK. The pandemic shows us that race is still an issue that needs to be addressed in the UK and this book focuses on addressing racism within the church and within church structures.
I read this alongside Azariah France-William's book on racism in the Church of England and I thought that this book was even more helpful because it focuses on all churches in the UK and other denominations. The book is really easy to read and I find that helpful because it means that anybody can gain from reading it even if they don't go to church and even if they are not Christian. It is written in a way that non-church members and people from other faiths can read it and engage with the material.
I appreciated the way that the book has specific questions for individuals, for white people and for black people at the end of each chapter. This means that churches can actually engage with the material and use this book to initiate conversations in their home groups and congregations. It is an excellent book to work through with others.
Above all I like the fact that the book was very comprehensive. It includes history, touches on slavery and colonialism and it also addresses scripture and the contributions of black and ethnic minorities to the Church. The role of black people in the early church is something that is often overlooked in theological colleges. There is always a slant in UK church teaching that leaves you feeling as if the church emerged in England instead of the Middle East and Africa. Newsflash Augustin was African but why is he always depicted as white? Why is Jesus always depicted as a European? Yes some of that art is from the middle ages but in the 21st century why are some churches still perpetuating a lie? We need to think. The author challenges white and black church leaders and theologians to clearly contextualize our faith and honor the geographical and historical roots of our faith.
I am really excited about this book and the way in which it conveys a very important topic and the way in which it embraces contemporary issues about race, religion and society. I think that any church that embraces the teaching in this book and responds to it will find that they will build up their congregational knowledge and will strengthen their mission by beginning to dismantle those invisible racial divides. This book is is both deeply insightful and also helpful in practical ways. It is also inspiring because this book gives us hope and vision.
I was so encouraged by the vision and actions and the overall content in this book that I had to buy a physical copy for myself. It is a book that I will turn to again and again for understanding, ideas and a way forward.
Copy provided by SPCK Publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
