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A review by leswag97
Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope by Esau McCaulley
5.0
Dr. Esau McCaulley, New Testament scholar and outspoken OutKast fan, has provided Christians a much-needed and easily accessible work, "Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope." I read this book quickly; it is difficult to put down. McCaulley is a captivating writer as well as a thought-provoking interpreter of the Scriptures.
The book centers on what McCaulley terms the "Black ecclesial interpretation" of the Bible. This tradition differentiates itself from the mainline tradition (or even the Black progressive tradition) which would see the Bible as worsening the problem of racism; such ideas result in the abandonment (at least in part, if not entirely) of the Scriptures as useful and divinely inspired. On the other hand, the Black ecclesial tradition differentiates itself from conservative and evangelical hermeneutical traditions in that it takes the plight of Black and Brown persons as especially important in any interpretation of the Scriptures, especially in a context that is highly racialized, as the U.S. is.
The Black ecclesial tradition, then, is somewhat of a "third way"; it does not fall neatly into the progressive or the conservative camps, but pioneers a way down the middle. For McCaulley, this hermeneutical tradition is nothing new; rather, it is the tradition handed down to him from his ancestors, usually in the pulpit of the Black church or in the home in which he grew up. The goal of this book, then, is to bring this tradition into the conversations, so as to provide a helpful corrective to both progressive and conservative strands that go awry in a multiplicity of ways.
McCaulley puts this interpretive tradition into action throughout his work, focusing on a series of questions on topics, such as policing, the Church's political witness, slavery, and Black rage. Throughout it all, McCaulley practices what he preaches. He likens the task of Black ecclesial interpretation of the Bible to Jacob's wrestling with the angel: "I propose ... that we adopt the posture of Jacob and refuse to let go of the text until it blesses us. Stated differently, we adopt a hermeneutic of trust in which we are patient with the text in the belief that when interpreted properly it will bring a blessing and not a curse" (21). Such a posture is not an easy thing to do, but it is one that proves to be worthwhile and fruitful. Rather than accepting Christianity as the "white man's religion" and the Bible as bound to "slave master exegesis," McCaulley takes an honest look at the Scriptures and contends that the Bible can and will result in a shaping experience that will be for the good of all its readers, including Black and Brown persons (9). This is a must-read for anyone interested in what the Scriptures say to the experience of African Americans and to the Church's role in being a community that fights for justice and for equality.
The book centers on what McCaulley terms the "Black ecclesial interpretation" of the Bible. This tradition differentiates itself from the mainline tradition (or even the Black progressive tradition) which would see the Bible as worsening the problem of racism; such ideas result in the abandonment (at least in part, if not entirely) of the Scriptures as useful and divinely inspired. On the other hand, the Black ecclesial tradition differentiates itself from conservative and evangelical hermeneutical traditions in that it takes the plight of Black and Brown persons as especially important in any interpretation of the Scriptures, especially in a context that is highly racialized, as the U.S. is.
The Black ecclesial tradition, then, is somewhat of a "third way"; it does not fall neatly into the progressive or the conservative camps, but pioneers a way down the middle. For McCaulley, this hermeneutical tradition is nothing new; rather, it is the tradition handed down to him from his ancestors, usually in the pulpit of the Black church or in the home in which he grew up. The goal of this book, then, is to bring this tradition into the conversations, so as to provide a helpful corrective to both progressive and conservative strands that go awry in a multiplicity of ways.
McCaulley puts this interpretive tradition into action throughout his work, focusing on a series of questions on topics, such as policing, the Church's political witness, slavery, and Black rage. Throughout it all, McCaulley practices what he preaches. He likens the task of Black ecclesial interpretation of the Bible to Jacob's wrestling with the angel: "I propose ... that we adopt the posture of Jacob and refuse to let go of the text until it blesses us. Stated differently, we adopt a hermeneutic of trust in which we are patient with the text in the belief that when interpreted properly it will bring a blessing and not a curse" (21). Such a posture is not an easy thing to do, but it is one that proves to be worthwhile and fruitful. Rather than accepting Christianity as the "white man's religion" and the Bible as bound to "slave master exegesis," McCaulley takes an honest look at the Scriptures and contends that the Bible can and will result in a shaping experience that will be for the good of all its readers, including Black and Brown persons (9). This is a must-read for anyone interested in what the Scriptures say to the experience of African Americans and to the Church's role in being a community that fights for justice and for equality.