Books for Engaging with Our Current Cultural Moment
Stride Toward Freedom and Why We Can’t Wait by Martin Luther King Jr. With his famous passion, clarity, and courage Dr. King tells the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in this first book of his civil rights trilogy. In the second book he makes the case for the urgency of now in the wake of the Birmingham protest. His stern but also inviting analysis of the social structures that created and perpetuated racism will move anyone who is willing to be moved, and no doubt some who imagined they were not. His defense of non-violence in the second book is extremely valuable. I have yet to read Where Do We Go From Here, but I will and am confident that it’s worth recommending now regardless.
The Great Demographic Illusion by Richard Alba. Alba is the Distinguished Professor of Sociology at CUNY’s Graduate Center. He recognizes–and welcomes–the fact that America is in the midst of a profound demographic shift. Demographers and pundits alike predict we’ll be a “minority majority” nation by 2050. But Alba argues that the equation is more complex than many presume largely, though not exclusively, due to the rise of mix-raced marriages. With a very readable blend of wonky sociologist speak and the gift of explanation, Alba provides his readers with a clarifying, very realistic, but also hopeful analysis of just what seems to be happening in America.
The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein. This is an essential and difficult book to read that offers leaders a stark, well documented, and detailed review of how Black Americans were the subject of intentional, legal, and administrative injustice during the 20th Century. It’s a must read for anyone who wants to minister with a clear understanding of our history and our current moment.
The Color of Compromise by Jamar Tisby. This too is an essential and difficult book, but should be required reading, especially for leaders from dominant cultural church traditions. Tisby’s introduction to the Church’s passive complicity and intentional advocacy over the last 400 years is certainly discouraging, but that’s not on him, of course. It also offers hope for those who want to learn from the past in the hope of a better now and future.
Reading While Black by Esau McCauley. This wonderful, enlightening treatment of Scripture from the perspective of Black Christians is as engaging as it is educational. McCauley opens eyes to new exegetical vistas from within the historic Christian view of Scripture. Readers will understand the Bible better as well as the urgency of his call to expand our interpretive horizons.
The Beautiful Community by Irwyn Ince. Although it’s tempting to say that Irwyn’s personal story and faith journey are worth the price of the book, that would sell the work short. Indeed, that covers just enough of the beginning to frame the rest. Ince’s real contribution is his wonderful portrait of what the Church should be, can be, and will be. The fact that Ince is neither naïve nor idealistic makes his vision even more compelling.
The Great Opportunity by the Pinetops Foundation. This thoughtful, honest, and hopeful aggregation of four well-grounded demographic and socio-graphic studies provides important perspective on the current state and future of the Church in North America. With seventy-five well designed and illustrated pages, it’s a pleasant read and contains good resources for lay people and vocational leaders alike.
American Religion by Mark Chaves. This volume summarizes and analyzes data from the “National Congregations Survey” which Chaves directs as part of his work at Duke University. It also draws on the “Association of Religious Data Archive.” The short version of this recommendation is to glean as much of Dr. Chaves’ work as you can and to dig deeply into the data on those sites. Great stuff.
Exclusion and Embrace by Miraslov Volf. This work’s admirable reputation is as well deserved as it is well established. Volf engages the profound, painful complexities of reconciliation, and justice, hatred, and love. His sociological and historical knowledge is impressive, and his theological acumen, although not fully aligned with my own, brings issues into Christ centered focus.
Inventing the Individual by Larry Siedentop. This treatment of the ideas and cultural forces that forged the modern understanding of the individual, their relation to society, and the concept as well as foundation for human rights puts the contemporary fight for justice in its historical context. Siedentop’s academic credentials are extensive and cross the Atlantic. He traces the impact of the Christian doctrines of the Incarnation and Justification by Faith as transformational ideas that leavened the West’s vision of the person, family, tribe, kingdom, law, and nation. It’s fascinating and powerfully encouraging. This book is written for an academic or motivated lay audience and is not intended as Christian apologia as much as a simple–well not so simple–examination of the historical philosophy that gave us our idea of who we are.
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Mike Kelly
Mike founded the Northwest Church Planting Network in 2001. Through his leadership the Network has been involved in the planting of 19 churches in Washington, Oregon, and Alaska. Mike also planted a church in Indiana and revitalized a church in Seattle that he pastored for 20 years. He offers decades of pastoral and leadership experience for young emerging ministers.
