“Reconciliation Blues: A Black Evangelical’s Inside View of White Christianity”

I ordered this book before Christmas, and it finally arrived a week ago. I was in the middle of mopping the kitchen floor when the UPS guy rang my doorbell, and I took it as a sign that I should stop doing housework and lie on the couch for awhile. The housework was mostly done anyway, and with the noisy boys at Grandma’s and the baby asleep, the opportunity was just too good to pass up. I put it down long enough to toss in a frozen pizza, play a round of Whac-a-Mole, and get the kids tucked in. And then I picked it up again.

Every evangelical Christian should read this book.

Ed Gilbreath offers a fresh voice to the discussion of racial reconciliation. Raised in Rockford and bused to the “other side” of town to attend school, he is a self-described social experiment. He grew up going to white schools, a white church, and, eventually, a white college. It’s there that he began to see himself as a bridge builder. And he is. As editor of “Today’s Christian” and a member of a predominately white Evangelical Free church, (incidentally, the same church I attend) he is uniquely situated to discuss the issue of race within the evangelical community.

Gibreath weaves his own story and the stories of other contemporary Christians into the solid framework of history. The chapter about Tom Skinner was my hands-down favorite, and his book, “Black and Free” now graces my “to-read” list, along with the poetry of Paul Laurence Dunbar. I was struck by the boldness of this man, Tom Skinner. His sense of calling was absolute. And it got me thinking just how powerfully God can use one man (or woman) to bring radical change.

It’s easy to bash on the evangelical church, something Gilbreath doesn’t do. He approaches the subject as both an insider and an “other.” He recounts a story of being in a small group and voicing a different political opinion than everyone else. The critical reaction of the group made him want to run. Who of us hasn’t been there? I know I have. And if I’m honest, I’ll admit that I’ve been on both ends of this—the “other” and the critical voice of “I would never…”

In his review, Philip Yancey describes Ed as “a gentle prophet.” Yes. He brings us hard truths, but never harshly. The tone of the book is redemptive. It’s eye opening and challenging. Read it. You won’t be disappointed.