So this book is several things.
One, it is a book of theology of the kingdom of the Messiah. Dr. Hart lays out the plans of God through Jesus Christ in instituting his kingdom, which is topsy-turvy: it is not power-based, it is not authority-based, it is not self-based. It is, instead, based upon love and community, honesty and commitment, risk and sacrifice and the great great reward of connection with Jesus. For that alone, you should read this book.
It is also a book about America, plainly stated, as it was, and is, and perhaps may not always be. It is a book about how we Christians have acquired a worldview of the church and society, of God and Jesus, that matches with our own estimation of the normalcy of "whiteness." There are books which will give you much more detail about the American past, creating the concept of "whiteness" and "blackness" in order to justify power and ownership of one person over another. There are books which will give you more details about how these all worked out in society, from redlining to education to family stability to job access, even to the point of membership and participation in the church. The thesis is that we American Christians have re-created the Jesus of Scripture to be a slightly more beneficent-appearing Uncle Sam, a Jesus committed to the supremacy of America, along with its violence and authority and rulership. The Jesus of the America church, he argues, represents a Jesus we have created in our image so that we may receive approval for our actions in his name. It is not a Jesus that represents humility and service and sacrifice, but one that represents anger and exclusion and hostility to anyone who might threaten the power of America or the church--which are often confused as being the same thing.
It is also a book about wounding and healing, about the many, many millions of people who have been wounded by American, Christian values, and even in their wounding have been overlooked and dismissed. It is a book that opens up the Book; it talks about the real Kingdom and the real Jesus and how He cannot be used by anyone to advance a political or religious objective; indeed, it appears that Jesus has his own agenda and purposes, and they are not necessarily being implemented in the American church. Dr. Hart makes the argument that Christians, representing Jesus, *should* be at the forefront, all along, of restoration and healing. He provides many examples of the wounding, and provides many ideas for the healing that we, as Christians, can begin implementing.
And finally, it is a book of redemptive love. It is Jesus, after all, who has loved us and saved us, such squabbling nuisances, such angry elves, such short-sighted and individualistic believers, such unloveable and unloved humans. Above all the message of Dr. Hart is the reminder that Jesus is worth knowing and loving and serving, that Jesus is in the business of restoration and healing, that Jesus is calling us all, right now, to participate in his kingdom, that Jesus' love is not limited by his need for power and authority, that people are always, ALWAYS more important than success or fame or accomplishment.
There are many great stories in this book. A few spoke to me more than others. One is his story (also told elsewhere) of the meeting of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Franklin Fisher. It pulled together the life of Bonhoeffer for me--I knew he made a great sacrifice during WWII, but did not understand how he had come to be the person who could walk out his life that way. The other is the story of a women in contemporary American, a white woman, who found herself in a situation she was unprepared to handle regarding an honest, open discussion of racial actions and reactions in the American church. She was unable to handle her emotional reactions (it's not an uncommon thing), and was honest enough to admit her anxieties. The response of Dr. Hart was perfect, meeting her at her level, actively listening, helping her stay on her journey--and yet not dismissing the importance of broaching the topic of racism just because it makes a lot of us uncomfortable.
That is the kind of discussions and interactions we need to have. Dr. Hart helpfully provides some mechanisms and actions we can take in response to his message, which are great tools.
It is a full, rich, complete book. It is challenging and hopeful and honest. It is a message of truth that can appear to be brutal because it is not softened by an attempt to be "liked."
But it is a book worth reading and thinking about.
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently bought together
$8.87
Get it as soon as Monday, Jul 22
In Stock
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Similar items that may ship from close to you
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Reviews with images
Gracious, clear, helpful guidance for us to untangle racism in the church.
Today I finished Drew Hart’s book Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism. My reflection? Simply put, every Christian in America, at least every pastor, ought to read this work.Racism is a heavy topic. It feels divisive to many of us because it brings up deep discomfort, sometimes defensiveness, and feels so tangled and unsolvable. And yet, in a country whose power and wealth was built on stolen land and stolen labor, we must come to understand the role racism is currently playing in our lives and churches. (Oh, and if that previous sentence makes you feel defensive, or you react that I’m just some “woke white guy,” then you above all need to read this book. And if you’re unwilling to do so, perhaps wonder why that is. 198 pages of writing can’t hurt you. What is it about listening to a black guy talk about the black experience in American Christianity that is so threatening? And if you say you’re not threatened, fantastic! Click the link and buy the book)Drew starts with his own experience, but quickly leads us through the essentials of the conversation. Why we fight over the definition of racism, when and how the label “white” came to be, and why and how Christianity shifted from a “brown” religion to a “white” one. He also spends a considerable amount of time helping us see the role of socialization, and how it means that the intuition of the dominant group is automatically flawed when it comes to matters of justice. This was a hard pill to swallow, but Drew shows clearly how this happens, and gives historical examples that are impossible to ignore.But this is not just a book about racism, it is also very deeply a book about faith, Christianity and discipleship. All along the way, Drew compares what Christianity has become in its relationship to race, with who Jesus was and what He did. He challenges the Christian mind to be renewed, understanding the role that power and hierarchy still plays in the church, and how this damages all of us and limits the kingdom work we are called to.It is the unique privilege of any dominant group to assume that our perspective on things is the objective perspective. This has certainly happened in Christianity. And yet, of all the people involved in a culture, the dominant group is the group that has the least accurate view of things, because their viewpoint never has to be changed in order to survive. What does this mean? In any set of abusive relationships, the one abused understands the relationship far more clearly because their survival depends on it. An abused child understands the emotional dynamics of their home better than the abuser, because they have to develop a heightened sensitivity in order to survive. Women understand patriarchy better than men. Poor people understand the impact of a society constructed for the wealthy better than the wealthy do. Minoritized people understand the pitfalls and traps of living in a society where they are on the edges. Why? Because in all these cases, knowing this landscape is their chief survival mechanism. And yet, it is always the dominant group that thinks it’s view on things is the most accurate. In my own experience, my life changed dramatically when I came to realize that my view of the world is not canonical. This was the moment I could begin listening to the lived experience of other people, and that one shift changed so much for me. My life and spiritual journey has never been the same since.There is a better, more life-giving way of living on the other side of this realization, and the church will be more able to be the kind of community God designed when more of us are willing to humble ourselves and listen. Hart says this: “The church in particular needs to be an alternative community that demonstrates to the world that truly love all God’s people--especially those we are socialized to believe don’t matter--is possible.” Reading and sharing this book as a great step in that direction.
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2016
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2020
Racism is a heavy topic. It feels divisive to many of us because it brings up deep discomfort, sometimes defensiveness, and feels so tangled and unsolvable. And yet, in a country whose power and wealth was built on stolen land and stolen labor, we must come to understand the role racism is currently playing in our lives and churches. (Oh, and if that previous sentence makes you feel defensive, or you react that I’m just some “woke white guy,” then you above all need to read this book. And if you’re unwilling to do so, perhaps wonder why that is. 198 pages of writing can’t hurt you. What is it about listening to a black guy talk about the black experience in American Christianity that is so threatening? And if you say you’re not threatened, fantastic! Click the link and buy the book)
Drew starts with his own experience, but quickly leads us through the essentials of the conversation. Why we fight over the definition of racism, when and how the label “white” came to be, and why and how Christianity shifted from a “brown” religion to a “white” one. He also spends a considerable amount of time helping us see the role of socialization, and how it means that the intuition of the dominant group is automatically flawed when it comes to matters of justice. This was a hard pill to swallow, but Drew shows clearly how this happens, and gives historical examples that are impossible to ignore.
But this is not just a book about racism, it is also very deeply a book about faith, Christianity and discipleship. All along the way, Drew compares what Christianity has become in its relationship to race, with who Jesus was and what He did. He challenges the Christian mind to be renewed, understanding the role that power and hierarchy still plays in the church, and how this damages all of us and limits the kingdom work we are called to.
It is the unique privilege of any dominant group to assume that our perspective on things is the objective perspective. This has certainly happened in Christianity. And yet, of all the people involved in a culture, the dominant group is the group that has the least accurate view of things, because their viewpoint never has to be changed in order to survive. What does this mean? In any set of abusive relationships, the one abused understands the relationship far more clearly because their survival depends on it. An abused child understands the emotional dynamics of their home better than the abuser, because they have to develop a heightened sensitivity in order to survive. Women understand patriarchy better than men. Poor people understand the impact of a society constructed for the wealthy better than the wealthy do. Minoritized people understand the pitfalls and traps of living in a society where they are on the edges. Why? Because in all these cases, knowing this landscape is their chief survival mechanism. And yet, it is always the dominant group that thinks it’s view on things is the most accurate. In my own experience, my life changed dramatically when I came to realize that my view of the world is not canonical. This was the moment I could begin listening to the lived experience of other people, and that one shift changed so much for me. My life and spiritual journey has never been the same since.
There is a better, more life-giving way of living on the other side of this realization, and the church will be more able to be the kind of community God designed when more of us are willing to humble ourselves and listen. Hart says this: “The church in particular needs to be an alternative community that demonstrates to the world that truly love all God’s people--especially those we are socialized to believe don’t matter--is possible.” Reading and sharing this book as a great step in that direction.
Gracious, clear, helpful guidance for us to untangle racism in the church.
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2020
Today I finished Drew Hart’s book Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism. My reflection? Simply put, every Christian in America, at least every pastor, ought to read this work.Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2020
Racism is a heavy topic. It feels divisive to many of us because it brings up deep discomfort, sometimes defensiveness, and feels so tangled and unsolvable. And yet, in a country whose power and wealth was built on stolen land and stolen labor, we must come to understand the role racism is currently playing in our lives and churches. (Oh, and if that previous sentence makes you feel defensive, or you react that I’m just some “woke white guy,” then you above all need to read this book. And if you’re unwilling to do so, perhaps wonder why that is. 198 pages of writing can’t hurt you. What is it about listening to a black guy talk about the black experience in American Christianity that is so threatening? And if you say you’re not threatened, fantastic! Click the link and buy the book)
Drew starts with his own experience, but quickly leads us through the essentials of the conversation. Why we fight over the definition of racism, when and how the label “white” came to be, and why and how Christianity shifted from a “brown” religion to a “white” one. He also spends a considerable amount of time helping us see the role of socialization, and how it means that the intuition of the dominant group is automatically flawed when it comes to matters of justice. This was a hard pill to swallow, but Drew shows clearly how this happens, and gives historical examples that are impossible to ignore.
But this is not just a book about racism, it is also very deeply a book about faith, Christianity and discipleship. All along the way, Drew compares what Christianity has become in its relationship to race, with who Jesus was and what He did. He challenges the Christian mind to be renewed, understanding the role that power and hierarchy still plays in the church, and how this damages all of us and limits the kingdom work we are called to.
It is the unique privilege of any dominant group to assume that our perspective on things is the objective perspective. This has certainly happened in Christianity. And yet, of all the people involved in a culture, the dominant group is the group that has the least accurate view of things, because their viewpoint never has to be changed in order to survive. What does this mean? In any set of abusive relationships, the one abused understands the relationship far more clearly because their survival depends on it. An abused child understands the emotional dynamics of their home better than the abuser, because they have to develop a heightened sensitivity in order to survive. Women understand patriarchy better than men. Poor people understand the impact of a society constructed for the wealthy better than the wealthy do. Minoritized people understand the pitfalls and traps of living in a society where they are on the edges. Why? Because in all these cases, knowing this landscape is their chief survival mechanism. And yet, it is always the dominant group that thinks it’s view on things is the most accurate. In my own experience, my life changed dramatically when I came to realize that my view of the world is not canonical. This was the moment I could begin listening to the lived experience of other people, and that one shift changed so much for me. My life and spiritual journey has never been the same since.
There is a better, more life-giving way of living on the other side of this realization, and the church will be more able to be the kind of community God designed when more of us are willing to humble ourselves and listen. Hart says this: “The church in particular needs to be an alternative community that demonstrates to the world that truly love all God’s people--especially those we are socialized to believe don’t matter--is possible.” Reading and sharing this book as a great step in that direction.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2016
Top reviews from other countries
Running Pastor
A must-read, especially if it makes us uncomfortable
Reviewed in Canada on December 12, 2019
T G L
Church can do better - this book shows you how
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2020