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We Need To Talk About Race

Understanding the Black Experience in White Majority Churches

We Need To Talk About Race

Understanding the Black Experience in White Majority Churches

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More than 50 units in stock.

Paperback / softback

£9.99

Publisher: SPCK Publishing
ISBN: 9780281080175
Number of Pages: 176
Published: 18/07/2019
Width: 12.9 cm
Height: 19.8 cm

From the UK church's complicity in the transatlantic slave trade to the whitewashing of Christianity throughout history, the church has a lot to answer for when it comes to race relations. Christianity has been dubbed the white man's religion, and yet the Bible speaks of an impartial God and contains a diverse body of believers. It's time for the church to start talking about race. In this book, Ben Lindsay offers eye-opening insights into the black religious experience, challenging the perceived 'status quo' in white majority churches. Filled with personal experience and insightful questions, this book offers a comprehensive analysis of race relations within the UK church and how we can work towards creating a truly inclusive church community.

Draft chapter headings and ideas: Chapter 1. One Love Looking at the biblical importance of taking diversity seriously in the church, not ignoring prejudice in our congregations. Chapter 2. Black people in a white world This chapter will explore the ‘whitewashing’ and ignoring of black history and theology and how this is a barrier for people of colour to enter white majority churches. How, what and whom we quote in sermons can exclude and ignore black people. I will aim to bring to light black theologians and black figures in church history and challenge who we quote from (or not) on a Sunday. 3. Fight The Power The church fails to engage with issues that matter to some black people, such as social justice, poverty, crime, youth violence, gentrification. How the lack of empathy to black issues are reasons for disengagement and a feeling of isolation for black people. 4. Kick in the door I will analyse the lack of pathways to leadership, the class ceilings and locked doors in white majority churches for black people to become leaders. I will look at the concept and reality of 'structural racism' and 'white privilege' in society and how that plays out in a church setting. The importance and necessity of being deliberate in leadership choices without being tokenistic. How the stereotypes of the angry black person transfers to the church. 5. Don't Touch My Hair This chapter will probably be the hardest chapter for me as I’m looking to write about the experience of the black woman in majority white church culture and how we can help black women to flourish. My experience is that black women are often seen as second class. This chapter will consist of lots of interviews. 6. Style Wars Can the way we present worship, connect groups, prayer meetings; have socials actually prove more of a barrier to people of colour than providing a way into church? How do we work towards there being multiple experiences/expressions of church rather than a dominant way? Understanding the history and importance of music and worship from a black context from neo-spiritual slavery songs to contemporary gospel. How do we engage musically to the culture around us especially in urban/inner city areas where music plays such a massive part of the social conscious? What are we teaching our worship leaders? Again I would like to interview various worship leaders and gospel artists such as Noel Robinson, Jake Issac, Simon Brading and Guvna B 7. My people...Hold on/Letter To the Free This chapter is specifically speaking to black people, challenging black people to do better. To have no fear. 8. Stakes are High I want to challenge the church, are we taking Revelation 5 seriously. Do we really believe that God sent his son to die for every tribe and language and people and nation? If we do, are we being deliberate in making this a reality in our churches. How does this play out in our friendships, leadership teams, interactions, sermons, connect groups? I also want to be quite explicit in some solution based thinking on how we could improve in this area.

Ben Lindsay

Ben Lindsay is a pastor at Emmanuel Church London. He is passionate about inclusion and wants to see a racially diverse church that better serves and represents the local context. Ben is CEO and founder of Power The Fight UK, a charity empowering communities to end youth violence. He has a background working in local government and the charity sector.

Ben Lindsay's book is a must-read for the UK church. He is lucid, punchy and deeply honest about the issue of racism in the UK today, and in the UK church. It is my prayer that we heed this call and respond together to the mandate to challenge discrimination in all its forms. -- Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury This is one of the most important books to be written in recent years and is essential reading for every Christian and especially every church leader in the UK. Ben puts on speakerphone the voices of people of colour which are often whispered or silent and invites us to listen. -- Selina Stone, Lecturer in Political Theology, St Mellitus College Thoughtful and well considered, Ben Lindsay tackles the space where race, religion, and culture intersect, in a book that is both insightful and relatable at once. -- Chimene Suleyman, The Good Immigrant USA co-editor, The Good Immigrant contributor Too often Christians have assumed that being colour blind is the best way to approach race and ethnicity in the church. Ben Lindsay's compelling book opens our eyes to this naivety and challenges us to be willing to have a more serious conversation. At this critical moment in our national life where race, immigration and the UK's relationship with the world is being negotiated, this important and timely book needs to be read, discussed and acted upon. -- Dr Krish Kandiah: Founding Director: Home for Good, author of God is Stranger Ben Lindsay's book is a fascinating eye-opener around history and representation in the church. Ben shines a light on the struggle with being a black Christian and being black in a majority white church with sensitivity, fact and practical strategies to bring churches into the modern day conversation. A must read. -- Jasmine Dotiwala, Head of Youth Engagement, Media Trust Ben Lindsay challenges Christians racialised as white to consider the legacies of white privilege in the contemporary church. Serious engagement with the contents of the book demand radical action in the composition of leadership, persistent Christian anti-racist practice, and exorcism from the demon of 'colour blindness.' -- Robert Beckford, Professor of Theology, Canterbury Christ Church University. I am a black British born man and not only does Ben articulate the subject which is so personal to me, he is also fearless and faces it head on in this book by stating the obvious issues around race, colour and matters that are big in the wider church. -- Noel Robinson, Musician and Worship Leader This book should be read by all in senior leadership and those involved in theological education. Until this issue is addressed head on in the church and young black people are able to see visible images of themselves in senior leadership within the church, then the church's mission will be seriously damaged and impeded. I will be telling lots of people about this book as it is more than an excellent read - it is geared for action. -- The Revd Prebendary Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons Delivered with a perfect balance of truth and grace, this book will open the eyes of many. As a young black man navigating in a predominantly white world, this book is a timely weapon of wisdom and a game-changer. -- Guvna B, rap artist and author of Unpopular Culture Ben Lindsay says we need to talk about race, and he's right. Through an impressive synthesis of Scripture, history, literature, pop culture, sociology and personal narrative, Ben invites us to have a much-needed conversation, and gives us a host of resources to help us. Provocative, frank and often challenging, this is also a pastoral and very human book, with insights to consider on virtually every page. -- Andrew Wilson, Teaching Pastor, King's Church London Ben is a rarity. In his book he tackles some of the difficult issues that relate to race, such as white privilege and colour blindness. Through the careful use of life stories Ben highlights the perennial challenges faced by people of colour in predominately white churches and suggests possible ways in which such ongoing negative experiences can be addressed by the church. This is an excellent book. If churches can read this book with the openness it calls for, it can, over time, become a game changer for so many churches engaged in the complex world of building a 'church for all nations.' -- Wale Hudson Roberts, Baptist Union of Great Britain's first Racial Justice Co-ordinator This book reminds us and also challenges us to keep the conversation open about individual experiences, fears and deep concerns regarding race. I believe the church has come a long way but it has much further to go. This book will help in that process. -- Les Isaac, Co-founder of Street Pastors

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