Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope

Written by Esau McCaulley

Narrated by Esau McCaulley

Growing up in the American South, Esau McCaulley knew firsthand the ongoing struggle between despair and hope that marks the lives of some in the African American context. A key element in the fight for hope, he discovered, has long been the practice of Bible reading and interpretation that comes out of traditional Black churches. This ecclesial tradition is often disregarded or viewed with suspicion by much of the wider church and academy, but it has something vital to say.

At a time in which some within the African American community are questioning the place of the Christian faith in the struggle for justice, New Testament scholar McCaulley argues that reading Scripture from the perspective of Black church tradition is invaluable for connecting with a rich faith history and addressing the urgent issues of our times. He advocates for a model of interpretation that involves an ongoing conversation between the collective Black experience and the Bible, in which the particular questions coming out of Black communities are given pride of place and the Bible is given space to respond by affirming, challenging, and, at times, reshaping Black concerns. McCaulley demonstrates this model with studies on how Scripture speaks to topics often overlooked by white interpreters, such as ethnicity, political protest, policing, and slavery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ChristianAudio.com
• Release date: Sep 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781545916407

Esau McCaulley

Esau McCaulley (PhD, St. Andrews) is assistant professor of New Testament at Wheaton College, the author of Reading While Black, and a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. When he's not writing or teaching, he spends his time cheering for his kids in their sporting and artistic endeavors, and on many a Saturday afternoon you can find him at a beauty parlor with his daughter.

Reviews for Reading While Black

[James · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This is not about the book, I can’t listen to a choppy audio. Please fix. I tried multiple devices on iOS streamed and downloaded and the issue persisted.

[Alyssa C. Kleinhans · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Such a great summary of the rich, gospel-filled hope our black brothers and sisters bring to the church. Esau McCaulley is a clear communicator who has researched well and expresses a deep love for and knowledge of Scripture. We would all do well to learn from him and his vision of the kingdom that is good news for all.

[elizabeth joy hooker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Dr. McCaulley has a clear and helpful way of communicating- his experiences, historical context, and biblical truth. Such a good read/listen.

[Briana · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Clear audio, well-written and well-organized. Introduced themes and perspectives to which I’d had no prior exposure. A welcomed book to read/listen! Read it and then share it with a friend or family member!

[Mike Graber · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great perspective and interpretation of scripture. In a day of racial divide, it’s good to understand another’s view.

[Isaac Hunja Koimburi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Phenomenal work, this will be a boom I will return to again and again. Would highly recommend!

[Maximillion Elliott · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sound exegetical work McCauley builds a great case for Reparations

[deusvitae · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The author takes us on a journey through his experience in the American black church and explores whether Christianity and the Bible truly have anything to say regarding the experience of Black people in America. He begins by establishing his framework and the need to create space in the realms of theology and ecclesiology for Black interpretation. He addresses specific relevant domains for the time: a theology of policing, the church and political witness, and the Bible and the pursuit of justice, demonstrating how the Scriptures do give space for a robust social advocacy by Christians, nonviolent resistance against the powers and principalities, and an expectation for the civil authorities to truly commend the good and punish the evil - wherever that good or evil may be found, and not the justification of certain forms of evil (police brutality, extortion, corruption, etc.), which exposes the authorities as truly unjust. He also addresses black identity and black anger according to what God has made known in Christ and in Scripture. He affirms significant African presence in Scripture and African blood within the people of God*. He finds a way for anger to be expressed in the imprecatory psalms, yet points out how the end of all such things is in faith and confidence in God. He speaks of the freedom slaves found in Scripture in its theme of liberation, and demonstrates the truth of the subtitle: Black people can find hope and the ground of hope through what is found in Scripture, and there is significant room and value in contribution for Black interpretation of Scripture and faith in Christ. His appendix provides a helpful explainer for the development of Black ecclesial interpretation from the end of slavery to the modern day.As a white Christian the book was not directly written to me; it certainly seemed like I was being given a view into some "inside baseball" within the Black community. I found the explanations helpful and the theology generally sound. Biblical interpretation and the witness of faith will be better served with the elevation of Black voices speaking from the Black experience; I believe the deepening has already begun, and look forward to seeing it continue. A very well written and compelling work.*- McCaulley's general premise is completely accurate - there is African blood within Israel, both from intermarriage and as part of the "mixed multitude" which joined Israel in the Exodus. Moses' Cushite wife came from somewhere. The story of Israel's history frequently intersects with Africans from Cush and Ethiopia. There's much more Africa in Israel than Europe, that's for certain. Egypt, however, is more complicated than McCaulley would suggest. Yes, Egypt is on the African continent; but culturally, linguistically, ethnically, and now genetically, it is manifest that Egypt is a Near Eastern civilization, connected more to the northeast than to its west or south. The Egyptians did not see themselves as "black" (or "white" for that matter); they saw themselves as in the middle, and superior that way. Are there Saharan and sub-Saharan influences on Egypt? Absolutely. But ancient Egyptian, while geographically African, is not "Black." **- galley received as part of an early review program