This post is not a review or a critique, just a few insights gleaned from Sims’ incredibly important project (published 2016).
Over the course of 18 moThis post is not a review or a critique, just a few insights gleaned from Sims’ incredibly important project (published 2016).
Over the course of 18 months (July 2009 – February 2011), Sims traveled around the country collecting oral histories from people in locales as varied as New Jersey and Louisiana, Texas and Nebraska. She spoke with those who had witnessed lynchings, grown up hearing about lynchings, and whose childhoods were shaped by the fear of this “grotesque form of inhumanity.” These narratives are situated in the context of faith, particularly the faith of the black community. Sims explores how the realities of racist hatred and injustice shaped faith, hope, and concepts of justice. Sims made a few connections for me that, sadly, I had not made myself.
Sims connects the extra-judicial killings of the lynching era (roughly 1890-1930) to what she terms the “neo-lynching culture” of today. In the decades when lynchings were common, the local law enforcement was often complicit in the mob killings, yielding up their black detainees to white mobs. Sometimes, the police were simply overwhelmed by the mobs. Regardless, those appointed to protect and serve proved time and time again that they would protect and serve one segment of the population and not another.
The comparison between the lynching culture of the late-19th/early 20th century and the contemporary issues related to police shootings/beatings of black men is not a perfect one-to-one comparison. However, the resultant culture of fear is remarkably parallel.
In the early part of the 20th century, men and women of color lived in fear, especially but not only in the south. Black men (and women) were executed in the cruelest ways possible, without trial, without due process, merely on the suspicion of having committed a crime or offense against a white person, most often a white woman. One participant described walking past the lynching tree many evenings on his way to get coal oil for the lanterns as “very frightening and intimidating..a feeling of excruciating fear.” In fact, the terror was part of the point – fear was used as a psychological weapon.
Parents handled this fear differently. Some talked rather openly with their children about the details of a local mob or why their neighbor had gone missing, while others sheltered their children from details. Still, all parents of black children taught their sons and daughters how to navigate the space safely – how to show deference to whites when they encountered them in a store, what parts of town to avoid, etc.
If you listen, similar fears exist today, particularly in interactions with police. In an interview with CNN, Kerwinn Webb says he understands why young black men run from police. Speaking specifically of Jayland Walker (Akron, OH). “It’s the terror of knowing that no matter what you do, this may not end well,” said Webb, who heads a job and life skills program for young Black men in Asbury Park, New Jersey. “It’s an ingrained fear for your life. What is the best way for me to try to survive? It’s the reality of being Black in America.”
The culture of fear still exists, and, as a result, parents continue to teach coping strategies. There are the practicalities – how to respond to police, how to avoid confrontations, etc.
There is also the reliance on faith to help combat fear. Many of the participants communicated that their faith in God’s presence with them in the suffering helped sustain them. The hope that God would not allow these injustices to go on forever kept individuals from falling into despair. Faith was not, in itself, a panacea. One minister cautions against allowing faith to make one passive in the struggle for justice. Instead, faith bolsters a “resilient resistance…an ability to name and respond to evil in a manner that challenges practices that are neither just nor faith.”
Sims’ makes another profound connection, or rather the participants in her study do. Many in the black community drew great strength from the suffering of Jesus. While members of their community were seized by mobs, condemned without fair trials, and executed cruelly, they identified closely with a Savior who suffered in the same way. They knew he could sympathize with them, and they felt bonded to him by this suffering. Pastor Holmes of Texas insisted, “I follow the crucified savior because we can identify with the crucified savior…that's why religion that does not make that identity…to me is just inauthentic.”
Sim’s work is a work of empathy. I don’t know what it was like to live in the shadow of a lynching tree, nor do I know the response of fear to police lights in my rearview. But this book helps me begin to empathize.
In addition, her work is a call to the church to remember, confess, speak, and act. We must be certain that our faith is cruciform. Speak to and of Jesus’ suffering. Do not allow our faith to be mere platitudes or an elixir to numb us to the current struggles of the world. Instead, it ought to strengthen us in our work for the common good of all....more
This book may be better than the three-stars I gave it. I appreciated much of it, especially his discussion of lament, of learning how to be aware of This book may be better than the three-stars I gave it. I appreciated much of it, especially his discussion of lament, of learning how to be aware of whiteness and how it is reflected in what we assume is normal, etc. And, of course I had minor disagreements with Hill throughout (i.e. questions related to history, the goodness/badness of shame, etc). Minor points, like I said.
The big problem, however, was the author's use of Scripture. It was abysmal. I know he probably felt he needed to include Bible because he's selling to a Christian audience, but the book would have been better without it. You simply cannot turn Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus about being born again and entering the kingdom of God into an allegory for your racial awakening. Examples abound.
When he is dealing with passages that relate to race (i.e. Samaritan women), he is ok. But in other places, he is playing fast and loose with Scripture and that was hard to look past. ...more
Thaddeus Williams has written the best critique of the social justice movement I have read so far. It is an easy read and could be used with a small gThaddeus Williams has written the best critique of the social justice movement I have read so far. It is an easy read and could be used with a small group (it has discussion questions at the end of each of the twelve chapters). It isn't a sophisticated or technical work, but an honest, penetrating, and critical look at the version of social justice being peddled by many today.
Williams demonstrates how changing definitions have made conversations difficult and tense. Helpfully, he differentiates between Social Justice A, a version compatible with and grounded in biblical truth, and Social Justice B, a newer version that is antithetical and hostile to the faith. He is very fair and very balanced - i.e. he acknowledges systemic racism still exists, but contends that assuming all institutions, all discourse, all power structures are racist is not helpful. He asks very good questions of those on the left, but doesn't let the right skate by either. His tone is generous - finding good even in ideas he disagrees with, and loving - he strongly advocates for doing justice, loving the poor, helping the downtrodden in ways that will have a good and lasting impact.
I can give this book a full-throated endorsement and would highly recommend it to everyone. ...more
I am torn on this book a bit. I almost gave a three star review because I believe the book is built on a fundamental confusion of categories regardingI am torn on this book a bit. I almost gave a three star review because I believe the book is built on a fundamental confusion of categories regarding the gospel. In an early chapter Mason suggests that contending for racial justice is a gospel issue; yet, he builds his argument by quoting passages like Matt 23:23 where Jesus confronts the scribes and Pharisees. Here he tells them they are overly concerned about tithing herbs and not about the *weightier matters of the law* such as justice. Law, not gospel. Elsewhere he makes the same kind of move connecting Jesus' summary of the *law* (loving God, loving neighbor) to the call for racial justice. Again, this confuses law with gospel.
That's a pretty big deal. In other places, he is more careful with the wording and talks about reconciliation, racial justice, etc., as *outworkings* of the gospel. That is more accurate. AND, saying something is "law" doesn't make it unimportant! Now, as the new covenant community, the law should be written on our hearts. It is still very relevant to us as Christ-followers!
After doing some mental reinterpretation of Mason's framework, there is much in this book that I found very beneficial. The discussion of our "family history" and how it continues to shape us - whether we talking about our nuclear family or spiritual family - was very helpful. I very much appreciated his writing regarding the black church and how important an institution it has been and how it is often misunderstood and misrepresented by white evangelicals. His explanation of why the black church often is lukewarm or downright resistant to talks of integration was very helpful. Also, his advice on how to avoid 'tokenism' was helpful.
I wish the practical section was a bit more applicable to contexts other than the urban church, but understand why that was the focus. It will take a bit more translation to a small town context like Bloomington.
Overall, I recommend the book if the reader can avoid the gospel/law confusion....more
Most of this book was fantastic. His conversations of the Black Power movement was prophetic. I understand better the frustration of the African AmeriMost of this book was fantastic. His conversations of the Black Power movement was prophetic. I understand better the frustration of the African American who fought for civil rights legislation, won, then watched as the laws were largely ignored. I didn't understand till this book that things actually got worse after the Civil Rights movement economically and in terms of segregation of housing and schools. He opened my eyes to the hypocrisy of whites praising nonviolent resistance while, at the same time, drafting young men to go and fight wars in SE Asia. Again, 90% wonderful, especially in theoretical, philosophical, religious. Really thought his emphasis on fighting Marxism by fighting for justice for the oppressed was great, as was his call for an all out war on poverty. Where he lost me was on some of his practical policy recommendations- i.e. guaranteed income, federal control of education, etc....more
The book is a very helpful dive into critical theories with chapters on postcolonnial theory, queer theory, critical race theory, feminism and gender The book is a very helpful dive into critical theories with chapters on postcolonnial theory, queer theory, critical race theory, feminism and gender studies, and disability and fat studies. The authors tie all these theories to the broader postmodern theory and its "applied turn" which is helpful. One of the most problematic aspects all these theories share is that they are un-criticisable (I made that word up). Critique is simply oppression by another name.
I believe that, at points, the authors were picking the most extreme papers and case studies to make their point, which made the alarmist a bit less credible. In addition, I'm probably more open to accepting some aspects of postmodern philosophy than the authors are, which leads me to be more open to some of the insights from these critical theories. I'm glad I read a bit of Richard Delgado (critical race theorist) before reading this - it helped me understand that particular movement and then the critique a bit better.
The book helped me understand that words/phrases I use may not mean the same thing to everyone, especially those steeped in the academic world (i.e. systemic racism, social justice, etc)
In the end, I do believe these critical theories are counterproductive and will only serve to exacerbate problems related to racism, sexism, bigotry towards LGBTQ persons, etc....more
This certainly won't rise to the level of an actual review, but here are a few thoughts. First, the book is a helpful introduction to the topic. I've hThis certainly won't rise to the level of an actual review, but here are a few thoughts. First, the book is a helpful introduction to the topic. I've hear CRT thrown around a lot recently, often in a dismissive tone (i.e. "oh, that's just CRT. You can't buy into that as a Christian!"). I didn't have a firm grasp on what CRT entailed, and feared those who dismissed it didn't either. So, this book was helpful.
But, second, the book feels dated. It was written twenty years ago as an intro, and so a lot of thought has been done and the movement has, no doubt evolved. So, I feel I have more reading to do on current trends and thought development. And, as an introduction, I didn't feel I had access to how the theory developed logically, just a chronicle of key assertions, etc.
On the whole, I think there are good insights intermingled with dangerous assumptions and errors. To accept or reject wholesale is equally problematic. ...more
I wanted to like this more than I did. There are lots of stories of pain caused by racial bias, injustice, and ignorance. But, there are too many storI wanted to like this more than I did. There are lots of stories of pain caused by racial bias, injustice, and ignorance. But, there are too many stories...
The book is shallow (and missing important elements) on justice.
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