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The intriguing new voice of black British theology
Editors: Michael N. Jagessar, Anthony G. Reddie Publisher: Epworth Press Price: £19.99 ISBN: 978-0716206255
Over half of London’s regular church attenders in 2008 will be black. At the same time more and more communities across the UK, far out beyond the major urban centres, will have locally-resident black Christians engaged in worship each Sunday of the year. If you were thinking it was about time you listened to more voices from the multicultural British church, here is a good place to start. Here are nine articles, most of which started as papers at the first annual black theology symposium in Birmingham in 2005. The editors are part of the creative group of black staff who have made Queens in Birmingham the pioneer provider of academic space for post colonial black British theology. Other contributors are present or past Birmingham postgraduate students who continue to benefit from that particular discussion space. We can benefit, too, if we take advantage of this book and the others which I hope will follow it, to hear the voices of diverse black British theologians.
So what do we get in this pioneer volume? Anthony Reddie considers just how difficult it can be to hear what black British believers really believe. Carol Troupe investigates a possible role for black theology in religious education in mainstream British schools. Dulcie Dixon McKenzie offers a black British theologian’s look at what‘s happening on the British Gospel music scene. Beresford Lewis ponders the gap between black theology and black church life in Britain and how it might be bridged. David Joy looks at the effects and after effects of the colonial era on Bible interpretation by Indian Christians. David Isiorho makes a black theologian’s challenge to current understandings of Englishness in the Church of England. Delroy Reid-Salmon explores identity issues in the Caribbean diaspora church in the USA. Caroline Redfearn maps out investigative possibilities for a black theology perspective on homophobia in black British churches. Finally, Michael Jagessar seeks to refresh theological encounter in creative dialogue with Anancy, an artful and mythic Caribbean character.
This book isn’t a primer or an overview, but it offers a chance to hear some intriguing voices start talking about things you might never have considered before. If it seems a bit pricey, talk a friend into sharing a copy.
John Campbell is Principal of Northern College, Manchester |
