Book Review: Divided by Faith

This book review was included in the June 2018 Meadowcroft Monthly. For an archive of all book reviews, click here.

Issues of race and ethnicity are not just for the larger culture – the church is wrestling with these issues as well. In fact, the PCA General Assembly will be considering a report on Racial and Ethnic Reconciliation this year. The report contains data and analysis and specific recommendations. If you’d like to read the report, it's available here.

One of the most appreciated resources on this subject is a somewhat old book called Divided by Faith by Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith. I finally picked this book up after reading a glowing review from Mark Dever.

The book includes a history of evangelical racial thought and practice that goes all the way back to 1700, and explores how different people over time and throughout culture understand the issue. One helpful part of the book is where the authors discuss the difference between overt racism and what they call “racialization.”

I agreed with Dever’s assessment –

It’s not a thrilling biographical narrative, but in helping me to perceive and explain what’s wrong in our country, and even in our churches, this book has helped me immensely. As an older white pastor, I walk around simply not having seen what so many of my friends have lived and known by experience every day of their lives. Empathy is part of understanding and love. And this book has helped me in that.

The elders at MPC have spent time lately talking about what it means to learn from those different than us. We are praying for increased diversity at MPC, and we hope to see many Cheyney students be welcomed at MPC in the years to come. Along the way, it will be crucial for us to try to understand our brothers and sisters in Christ – especially those with different backgrounds and experiences from us. This book will be helpful in that respect.