I picked up this book for two reasons. One, the title intrigued me, and two, I had been reading about the author, Dominique DuBois Gilliard for a while. I had little idea what this book would be about, but was immediately pulled in by the breathtaking re-visioning of discipleship as incorporating justice both personal and social.
The book’s subtitle hints at what’s to come: we are all granted some level of privilege in life that others do have; those who have the most privilege are called to use that privilege to elevate those who are oppressed and pushed aside and denied their full humanity.
And this message is firmly grounded in the Scriptures, in what Christians call the Old and New Testaments. Using biblical texts, Gilliard shows that the necessary part of discipleship—to be the witness that Jesus calls us to be—is to use our privileges to subvert the systems that are broken and that exist to break people. Weaving together biblical stories and quotes from scholars, Gilliard presents the truth that there is no “lone ranger” Christianity and no Christian buffet of suggested ways of obedience. We are not called to live a Christian life that is for ourselves; instead, we are called, Gilliard says, to remember our place and our past, to be aware of God’s mercy, and to be available to subvert the intended meaning of the systems around that are designed to further empower the already powerful and enrich the already wealthy.
I found this to be a treat to read because it is so thoroughly bathed in Scripture and church history. This is a call to discipleship that enfleshes the words of Jesus and the apostles to love one another not only in word but also in action. Gilliard provides many examples of those who have encountered God and have then been transformed to fight for justice, both in the scriptural texts and in history, and then presents ways for us to also work out our salvation in public with our works for good and for healing—to establish justice.
One thing I think that would have made this a better read for me would be to read this in community. Gilliard provides helpful follow-up questions at the end of each chapter, but I think having these questions answered in community would make this an even more powerful experience.
If you have family or friends who question whether the “social gospel” is congruent with the “faith gospel,” get them this book. Gilliard shows that the “social gospel” IS the “faith gospel”: you cannot say that because you believe that you have faith; you must show it by your works. To be a follower of Jesus is to do his work of establishing the kin-dom of the Beloved Community and overthrowing injustice. It’s all there. All we need to do is to hear it and then say the fateful words: “Here I am, Lord. Send me.”