One of the joys of being part of God’s family is that our brothers and sisters come from all over the world and from all throughout time. Hearing from those that are from a variety of cultures enriches how we see them, see ourselves and see God too!
As I write people all over the world are marching in support of the Black Lives Matter movement so, I’ve chosen to highlight 5 Black Christians whose lives, voices and theology matter to God and should matter to us too.
The Witness
In their own words they’re a ‘Black Christian collective that engages issues of religion, race, justice and culture from a biblical perspective.’ Because there are many contributors, its perspective is as wide as it is deep and you can read about current events, the arts, church leadership and the family. If you’re on the lookout for excellent Christian blogs then you need to subscribe here: https://thewitnessbcc.comAugustine of Hippo
Augustine probably makes it on to most lists of Christians you should know, and he absolutely should; he’s so formative to how the church has discussed theology and Christian living. I wanted him on this list because we tend to look back on church history and only see white men. Augustine is a reminder that North Africa and the Middle East were the cultures where the creeds were formed and where the earliest matyrs and theologians lived. (And yes, despite what most paintings of him would have you believe, he’s from Algeria, of Berber ancestry and was certainly black.) Even if you can’t face the entirety of his Confessions it’s long been public domain and is worth dipping into. Or grab a biography - there are literally tons!Thabiti Anyabwile
From theologians of long ago to those of today: Anyabwile caught my attention as a writer on the Gospel Coalition. I find his blogs very easy to read without being emotionally or spiritually light; which I guess comes from being a pastor and very grounded in the practicalities of theology. While his books are still on my reading list, the titles fill my heart with joy. If you’d like to join the ones on my list are ‘Captivated: Beholding the Mystery of Jesus Death and Resurrection’ and ‘The Life of God in the Soul of the Church’Conrad Mbewe
We’re returning to Africa now but in the modern day. Mbewe shares his life and experience as a pastor, university director, lecturer, father and birdwatcher in Zambia on his blog: A letter from Kabwata. It’s a great thing to hear the experiences of someone who’s life is so different to mine but also so encouraging that those experiences are soaked in biblical worldview, yes, even the birdwatching.Rosa Parks
A list like this wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t mention the US Civil Rights movement. I would recommend King’s ‘Why we can’t wait’ to anyone who wants to understand the historic and current struggles of black people in the US. But Rosa Parks’ book ‘Quiet Strength’ resonnated with me more. It introduced me to someone who was fairly ordinary and yet did extraordinary things, not limited to her involvement with the NAACP but also in her work with young people - something close to my heart.
This is only a short top 5 so there isn’t room for more than an honrable mention for H.B Charles Jr, Desmond Tutu, Harriet Tubman, Kirk Franklin, Sojourner Truth and so many others. Who would have made it into your top five? Let us know in the comments below.