Reading while Black - Thanks, Dr. McCaulley

Monet, The Magpie (1868)

"Paul provides a few starting points on how Christians can think about policing from a biblical/theological perspective. He rightly focuses on those who control the sword and not merely the individual. This gives the Christian thinker and advocate the space to think structurally about how a just society should treat its people. Paul also speaks about the absence of fear, a central concern for Black folks. Yes, Paul does speak about the Christian’s responsibility to the government. This is fine. We do not want anarchy. We gladly acknowledge the potential goods of government. We also recognize the church’s ability to discern evil in government actions even if we lack the sovereignty over history to know when God will bring judgment. Nonetheless, we must always remember that Paul’s words on submission to government come in the context of a Bible that shows God active in history to bring about his purposes. God lifts up and God tears down. To avoid that tearing down, those who have the task of government must do all in their power to construct a society in which Black persons can live and move and work freely." Esau McCauley, Reading while Black.

I do not know the Esau Mccaulley personally. I have heard him preach here at Asbury and I know he studied with the wise and kind N.T. Wright. I am reading his book at a particular juncture in history as we all know. There is so much wisdom here, that I wish this book was also called "Reading while female" or "Reading while human". I cannot share his experience of being Black in America. I do resonate with his words about the sovereignty of Gd, Image-bearing and 'reminding the state of the limits of its power.' Twenty years ago I heard Tom Wright say "It is the vocation of the Church to speak truth to power". Tom did that very thing in the House of Lords in the midst of financial crisis and wrongdoing in Great Britain not long after

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8)