Reconciliation Blues: A Black Evangelical's Inside View of White Christianity [Paperback]

Edward Gilbreath (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 21, 2008

Merit Award, 2007 Christianity Today Christianity and Culture Book What is the state of racial reconciliation in evangelical churches today? Are we truly united? In Reconciliation Blues journalist Edward Gilbreath gives an insightful, honest picture of both the history and the present state of racial reconciliation in evangelical churches. In his thoughtful overview he looks at a wide range of figures, such as Howard O. Jones, Tom Skinner, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson and John Perkins. Charting progress as well as setbacks, his words offer encouragement for black evangelicals feeling alone, clarity for white evangelicals who want to understand more deeply, and fresh vision for all who want to move forward toward Christ's prayer "that all of them may be one." Now in paper!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Despite political strides toward racial reconciliation since 1964, many blacks feel that nothing has really changed since Jim Crow days. Some also worry that the church—which should be leading efforts in racial reconciliation—is one of the worst offenders in fostering racial division. Gilbreath, an editor-at-large for Christianity Today, offers a poignant and often humorous look at the state of racial reconciliation within evangelical Christianity specifically. Part memoir and part history of the struggle, Gilbreath chronicles his own faltering attempts as a young man to deal with this issue. His own life changed when he read Tom Skinner's 1968 autobiography, Black and Free. Skinner, an evangelical Christian convert who had once been a gang leader in Harlem, helped Gilbreath see how he could reconcile his evangelical identity with the church's dysfunctional approaches to race and social justice. Gilbreath now believes that he can no longer walk away from conversations about race and his own racial identity in a mostly white evangelical church. Regrettably, the book ends with the passive notion that no matter how much we strive to bring about racial reconciliation, we must trust God to bring about change. In spite of this disappointing conclusion, Gilbreath's recovery of Tom Skinner's work is worth the price of the book. (Dec.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"What Gilbreath has done in his well-researched and very personal book is not only to call out the black Christian experience as what it's always been--unique, pain-filled, rich and diverse--but he's given many African American Christians clear validation for not wanting to or having to assimilate into today's version of evangelicalism. Gilbreath has also given people like me--an Asian American Christian who's also felt like the 'token' nonwhite on historically white evangelical boards--more of a basis for our lingering sense of misgiving and even episodes of outrage. I am going to insist not only that my own church staff and leaders read this book; I'm also going to recommend highly that white Christian organizations with the stated goal of racial righteousness study and discuss it. This book clearly stands out among the many other great books on this subject because of the commitment and courage of the author." -- --Ken Fong, Senior Pastor, Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles

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Product Details

• Paperback: 207 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (May 21, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830833625
• ISBN-13: 978-0830833627
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #700,476 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good, but not quite a Homerun, May 30, 2007

By 

J. F Foster - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reconciliation Blues: A Black Evangelical's Inside View of White Christianity (Hardcover)

It is hard for the reader not to appreciate Gilbreath's burden in this book, and to feel an urge to adopt the ministry of reconciliation in their own sphere of Christian influence. The fact that Gilbreath achieves this goal makes the book worthy of purchase and serious reflection. But I have one major regret about the book that forces me to give it a 4 star rating instead of 5 stars.

Gilbreath is at his most effective when citing real life examples of how racial sensitivities are too often neglected or minimized, and too little change and progress becomes the accepted standard operating procedure within evangelicalism. The hurt, disappointment, and disillusionment that Gilbreath regularly illustrates is real and authentic. As a Caucasian evangelical who thinks racial diversity is an absolutely essential ingredient in all of us becoming more faithful followers of Christ, I lament the kind of barriers and stiffness that provoke the frustration we read about in this book. Like Gilbreath, I can see intellectually the reasons why evangelical institutions too often resist broad-based change and openness on matters that touch on race. But like Gilbreath, I also found myself reflexively saying, 'Stop making excuses and live out the reconciliation mandate! If people get ticked off in the process and funds start to get scarce, that's unfortunate. But there are more important things to worry about, like the condition of the Church." What this book clearly shows is that it's very dangerous and often unrealistic to embrace the ministry of reconciliation thinking it will be easy. To the contrary, the work of reconciliation is heavy lifting, and as Gilbreath shows, many of the best workers who have been at this ministry for years often get weary from it. It's difficult work even on the good days. Gilbreath brings this reality home in ways that are instructive and sobering, while also being appropriately encouraging.

I was very happy to see Gilbreath devote a chapter to Tom Skinner. Skinner's work with the HEA was breathtaking not only in its immediate impact, but also in the generation of prominent reconciliation leaders that followed Skinner and were heavily influenced by him. By focusing on Skinner, Gilbreath, perhaps unknowingly, drives home the reality that many seminaries are Eurocentric in their focus. Very few seminary courses in evangelism and parachurch ministry ever make any mention of Tom Skinner, and this is a profound oversight. It is unnerving to contemplate how a titanic figure in African American evangelicalism in our own time is someone most white evangelicals have never heard of. If anyone needed an object lesson on how our blindspots impact the way we think about the power of faith to bring cohesion to the body of believers, one need look no further than this disconnect. Such disconnects are entirely too common, and even worse, most of us are completely unaware that such disconnects even exist, not to mention how prevalent they are. It's scary to think how much of the surface hasn't yet been scratched, much less explored in-depth.

But as much as I liked the book, I can't quite give it 5 stars for one main reason that might admittedly be a selfish reason. Most of Gilbreath's emphasis in discussing the difficulties of race in evangelicalism focus on the parachurch level, rather than the state of things on the ground in the churches themselves. Churches are not ignored in the book, as chapters 11 and 12 can attest. But at least to me, if someone is looking for some sage and concrete suggestions for how to cultivate reconciliation in the local church, Gilbreath comes up a bit short here. I am of the view that as a rule, churches have no idea how inhospitable they are being to folks who don't 'fit the profile' of their average congregant, even though their church doors are wide open. Many churches are not opposed to racial diversity in the pews, and many endorse the idea in principle. But too often, churches are not intentional about tangibly living out the principle, and often it's because they're not sure how. Gilbreath's book does not tackle this dilemma consistently, and certainly not comprehensively. More than once, Gilbreath tells us that multiracial evangelical churches are on the rise, and he cites this as an example of progress on the reconciliation front. But for some reason, Gilbreath spends relatively little time exploring exactly what these churches are doing to enact their vision of diversity and to create a hospitable environment where folks of varying ethnicities are getting fed spiritually. Chapter 11 offers us one example of one church's approach to worship, but the whole topic deserves a much more extensive treatment than the reader will find here. In the end, I felt like the book was a lot like an almost-great sermon that gives the reader a lot of good information and a great perspective, but doesn't advise the reader on how to apply this great knowledge to their local church situation. It could be argued that it's not Gilbreath's job to hold our hands so pedagogically. But if the ministry of reconciliation is as daunting yet vital a mission as this book rightly contends, it is a disservice not to focus extensively on the varying approaches successful churches have taken to guide evangelicalism to a better place on this issue.

This is an important book for white evangelicals to read. It provides an often unpleasant glimpse into the black evangelical experience, and it is mandatory for us to get in touch with this experience if we have any hope of forging lasting reconciliation and authentic spiritual kinsmanship between the races. But if a reader purchases this book hoping that it will help address the question of 'how can my white evangelical church be more hospitable to non-whites and seriously incorporate reconciliation into its distinctively evangelical mission', the book offers only a cursory treatment, in my view. Ominously, one wonders if this cursory treatment means that we're still way too short on ideas in dealing with this dynamic.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Challenging Book, February 24, 2007

By 

J. Denton "Jeff D." (IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reconciliation Blues: A Black Evangelical's Inside View of White Christianity (Hardcover)

Every now and then someone asks, "Aren't we through with the issue of racial reconciliation yet?" Ed Gilbreath gives a comprehensive response to that question with the insight of a journalist who's been covering the topic throughout his career. This book is written in a very personal, and approachable tone, yet doesn't pull any punches in dealing out the truth. My black friends are responding that this book says exactly how they feel toward the white evangelical church. My white friends are starting to get why this is still an issue. This book is a must-read for people on both sides of the equation who care about making the Church truly reconciled.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful and Engaging, January 16, 2007

By 

Robyn Whitlock "book hoarder" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Reconciliation Blues: A Black Evangelical's Inside View of White Christianity (Hardcover)

Not interested in reading another book about racial reconciliation? Read this one anyway. Gibreath weaves his own story and the stories of other contemporary Christians into the solid framework of history, creating a powerful narrative that subtly shakes the Christian out of complacency on the issue of race.

Without a hint of cynicism, Gilbreath challenges the evangelical church, of which he is an active part, to look at history and learn; to look at the present and change; to look toward the future and grow. The tone is decidedly redemptive, and by the end, you'll be hoping and praying for change in your own heart and church.