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236 reviews for:
Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope
Esau McCaulley
4.44 AVERAGE
236 reviews for:
Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope
Esau McCaulley
4.44 AVERAGE
Rich in scripture and justice, McCauley invites readers into looking at Biblical text and historical context to understand African American Christian faith.
He rejects the views (implied or otherwise) that a progressive faith needs to demand social justice outside biblical texts as that only affirms the view that Christianity is a white man’s religion. This view, McCauley writes, “felt too much like my mother’s defeat. She always told me that the racists were the poor interpreters and that we were reading correctly when we saw in biblical texts describing the worth of all people an affirmation.”
This book will continue to be a valuable resource as it is so full of important perspectives on African American hermeneutics deeply rooted in biblical texts.
He rejects the views (implied or otherwise) that a progressive faith needs to demand social justice outside biblical texts as that only affirms the view that Christianity is a white man’s religion. This view, McCauley writes, “felt too much like my mother’s defeat. She always told me that the racists were the poor interpreters and that we were reading correctly when we saw in biblical texts describing the worth of all people an affirmation.”
This book will continue to be a valuable resource as it is so full of important perspectives on African American hermeneutics deeply rooted in biblical texts.
After reading and enjoying a few of McCaulley's op-eds in the NYT and WaPo, I was looking forward to this book. The book is an exploration of what it is like to read the Bible as a Black Christian in America; his main question being, "Is the Bible a friend or foe in the Black quest for justice?"
McCaulley describes himself as someone caught between the racism of America's dominant Christian culture, and what he describes as the liberalism of the progressive Black Christian community. He names the oppressive aspects of dominant Christianity and Biblical interpretation, and how these matters have affected him through his life. But he never clearly describes what he believes is amiss about what he implied as being the other end of the spectrum, progressive Black Christian interpretation. I felt frustrated by this as I read. His allusions to the pitfalls of liberalism felt like a straw man; brought up, but never articulated clearly. (Perhaps this was done in order to put more conservative readers at ease, because this book is more of an appeal to conservative Christians? I don't know.)
Overall, the book offered some valuable critique and insight into various aspects of the Biblical narrative, examining stories that are overlooked by dominant Christian culture. I appreciated his words toward the end of the book regarding the essential interpretive work of feminist and womanist scholars.
"The voices of black women are vital if the whole people of God are to join in the interpretative process."
Thanks to IVP and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book.
McCaulley describes himself as someone caught between the racism of America's dominant Christian culture, and what he describes as the liberalism of the progressive Black Christian community. He names the oppressive aspects of dominant Christianity and Biblical interpretation, and how these matters have affected him through his life. But he never clearly describes what he believes is amiss about what he implied as being the other end of the spectrum, progressive Black Christian interpretation. I felt frustrated by this as I read. His allusions to the pitfalls of liberalism felt like a straw man; brought up, but never articulated clearly. (Perhaps this was done in order to put more conservative readers at ease, because this book is more of an appeal to conservative Christians? I don't know.)
Overall, the book offered some valuable critique and insight into various aspects of the Biblical narrative, examining stories that are overlooked by dominant Christian culture. I appreciated his words toward the end of the book regarding the essential interpretive work of feminist and womanist scholars.
"The voices of black women are vital if the whole people of God are to join in the interpretative process."
Thanks to IVP and Netgalley for a free ARC of this book.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
very well-researched and provided theological/apologetic answers to questions about enslavement, honoring authority, policing, justice/injustice. it wasn't helpful in answering any of the questions for me (because I already went into the book with clear stances on some of the issues), but it provided new Biblical justifications for those answers. written like an academic essay/dissertation, so not the most approachable work
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
I was deeply touched by the honesty, faith, passion, and compassion of Esau, and I learned a lot from this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism