5 minute read
Letters to a Birmingham Jail: A Response to the Words and Dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Book Reviews
Hunter Brown Student Fellow, Center for Apologetics & Cultural Engagement, Liberty University
The Political Disciple: A Theology of Public Life is Dr. Vincent E. Bacote’s addition to Zondervan’s Ordinary Theology Series in which he offers an answer for Christians seeking to understand their role and responsibility in society and public engagement. Writing for everyone from pastors to college students — including those skeptical of Christian political engagement — Bacote urges Christians to develop an active, public faith, embrace a biblical identity, and approach public engagement in Spirit-led holiness with an expectation of suffering.
In four concise chapters, Bacote answers the questions, “Should Christians even participate in the public sphere?” “How should Christians understand their identity?” “What kind of people should Christians be in public?” and primarily, “What difference do my beliefs make for the world around me?” He writes that passages like Genesis 1:26 and 1:28 show that Christians have a responsibility to cultivate creation and to lead it to flourishing, and that every area of our lives — including the public domain — is for glorifying God through our participation and transformative presence. When we enter the public sphere, our biblical identity, built from labels like “Image of God” and “Follower of Jesus,” should remind us that we belong to God and that loyalty to country should not be confused with our primary allegiance to Him (52). Bacote explains that public engagement should be shaped by holiness and love for others, as this will nurture greater change than a passion for political positions. His final primary point is that we should persevere in humble service to the flourishing of society, as we must obey our first commandment even when our efforts are frustrated by humanity’s fallen nature.
At some point, every Christian has wondered how their faith should be shared publicly, if at all. Bacote’s The Political Disciple presents well-researched positions addressing the most important concerns Christians are struggling with regarding their responsibility to the societies in which they live. Not only is this work an invaluable resource for those struggling with these questions, but all Christians should take advantage of his research to learn why and how our faith should be communicated to the world. Bacote shows that we have good reason to believe that our beliefs are for public expression, and their expression should be shaped by our biblical identity, holiness, and selflessness.
Bacote, Vincent, The Political Disciple: A Theology of Public Life, Zondervan, 2015. 96 pages.
Book Reviews
Kayla Hamlin Student Fellow, Center for Apologetics & Cultural Engagement, Liberty University
A poignant collection of essays from church leaders of all ethnicities, Letters to a Birmingham Jail responds to Dr. King’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail and assesses how things have changed since his letter was penned.
The assessment is heart-wrenching — the words of Dr. King still ring true that “Sunday at 11 a.m. is the most segregated hour in America.” The authors articulate that racial justice and Christ-exalting diversity is God’s best for humanity. Pointing to the example of Paul in Galatians and Ephesians, we find that Greeks and Jews are brothers in Christ on equal footing — to be equally involved in leadership with their differences not being ignored but existing in celebrated harmony. The Jews were no longer to consider their gentile brothers unclean — the gentile Christians were no longer to remain in the outer court of the temple, but they are to be joined with the Jews into one royal priesthood. Unfortunately, many churches in America are a far cry from this command of harmony, brotherhood, and celebration of Christ-exalting diversity. The authors lay out practical steps for Christ-exalting diversity and multi-ethnic ministry:
Step 1: Acknowledge the injustices of the past and present and humbly listen. Being born into the majority culture, I often forget how recently segregation was abolished. Nearly every black person over 50 years of age has chilling personal experiences of racially based hate, discrimination, and economic injustice in their past. Often the majority culture speaks of the “color blindness” approach to diversity, but the authors point out that colorblindness sweeps the heart issues that cause injustice under the rug. The church must do as Jesus did and seek reconciliation. When we acknowledge injustice, we can then begin to humbly listen to our minority brothers and sisters and seek reconciliation.
Step 2: Acknowledge that the time is now. The church is frankly far behind secular society, simply because the church is often complacent. Step 2 is the refusal to “punt the problem to the next generation of history.” Even if your church is in a mostly majority culture neighborhood, you must realize that you as a Christ follower have a responsibility to elevate all brothers in all forms of racial justice and Christian diversity.
Step 3: Move away from “tokenism.” Tokenism is the idea that more than one skin color in a room is diversity. The church leaders in this book point out that diversity is not only visual, but it is also audible. All ethnicities should have a voice, and all voices should be treated with respect and consideration. To move toward diverse churches, the authors recommend diverse leadership where every ethnicity has equal input. This will naturally lead to multiethnic ministry.
Step 4: Take it to the living room. Step four acknowledges that diversity on Sunday morning naturally goes with diversity on Saturday night. Diversity is more than different colors in the same room; diversity is brotherhood of all colors, and brotherhood is forged in the Christmas get-together just as much as it is the Sunday service.
This read will challenge believers of all ethnicities to lay down their misconceptions, check their hearts, and pursue Christ-exalting diversity.
Loritts, Bryan, Letters to a Birmingham Jail: A Response to the Words and Dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Moody Publishers, 2014.
Mark 12:17
