These are some tumultuous times when it comes to racial reconciliation and racial justice. If you, like me, are struggling to know where you fit into this work and how to incorporate your Christian faith into the equation, then Dr. McNeil’s new book is perfect for you.
Becoming Brave: Finding the Courage to Pursue Racial Justice Now is an August 2020 release by Brazos Press
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book pre-release, but then purchased a copy for my permanent library. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, see diclosures for more detail.
About the Book:
Reconciliation is not true reconciliation without justice! Brenda Salter McNeil has come to this conviction as she has led the church in pursuing reconciliation efforts over the past three decades. McNeil calls the church to repair the old reconciliation paradigm by moving beyond individual racism to address systemic injustice, both historical and present. It’s time for the church to go beyond individual reconciliation and “heart change” and to boldly mature in its response to racial division.
Looking through the lens of the biblical narrative of Esther, McNeil challenges Christian reconcilers to recognize the particular pain in our world so they can work together to repair what is broken while maintaining a deep hope in God’s ongoing work for justice. This book provides education and prophetic inspiration for every person who wants to take reconciliation seriously.
Becoming Brave offers a distinctly Christian framework for addressing systemic injustice. It challenges Christians to be everyday activists who become brave enough to break the silence and work with others to dismantle systems of injustice and inequality.
My Thoughts:
I gave this book 5/5 stars
“I will pierce the darkness of racism and injustice with the leader whom I will influence and nurture and encourage in their practice of what I believe reconciliation really means: repairing broken systems together.”
Dr. McNeil’s book takes the framework of the book of Esther and shows how Esther herself was the first seeker of justice in the Bible. The narrative presented is important, convicting, and very real. In today’s racial climate, we see the same stories happening again and again in the U.S., and Dr. McNeil looks toward real solutions to this ongoing problem with racial justice. Solutions that don’t just rely on a yearly highlight of diversity or a multicultural meal.
“I will stand in truth, and I will no longer dumb down the truth to help White people feel less guilty. To do so is to be complicit in sanitizing the truth, and I refuse to be complicit in that any longer.”
If you are a Christian, I repeat that this is important work that must be done in the church. We can no longer hide behind centering whiteness, we need to step out in the truth. White people, myself included, cannot cloister ourselves in our protective bubble, we need to enter into the work of reconciliation. This is not easy work, and we need to take the words of Esther to heart: “If I perish, I perish.” This book should set its readers on fire to push for real, lasting change in our country. The church must be a participant in restructuring the power equations.
“It is deeply disturbing that so many Christians think that racial reconciliation is some kind of liberal, politically motivated social agenda that has nothing to do with their faith as followers of Jesus Christ. It is also an indictment of the church that so many Christians don’t know that the gospel includes reconciliation across racial, gender, ethnic, social, and cultural barriers. Our call to discipleship is an invitation to follow Jesus int a new community.”
I highly recommend this book to fellow Christians looking for guidance to get to the difficult work of the pursuit of racial justice. This cannot happen alone, and Dr. McNeil gives the encouragement and tools needed to enter with a heart of courage.
