Transcending Duality: A Book Review of "Evangelical Theologies of Liberation and Justice"

For most of us, if we are to approach a collection of essays our Western inclination is putting on our binary lens where we either agree or disagree with each essay.  Then at the end, again in our binary mode, we will do the math for those that we agree with and those that we disagree with and that will determine our opinion, good or bad (again binary) of what we have just read.

In Evangelical Theologies of Liberation and Justice the Peshat is found in its title with “liberation” and “justice,” both overarching Biblical themes that Mae Cannon and Andrea Smith, the book’s co-editors, are passionate about.  Despite the narrow focus of the book, liberation and justice in an Evangelical context, the diversity of the voices is remarkable.  Given this, perhaps the Remez and Derash for Smith and Cannon is “If we can get you to forego a few of your binaries, our job is complete.”

In light of this dualism it is worth highlighting this story about Cannon that took place over several days in 2014.  Cannon who is an executive director of an NGO working toward a secure and just resolution to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, was at the Israeli Embassy in DC in 2014 where she was advocating for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas during the Gaza War.  After this meeting an active-duty Israeli Army serviceman said to her, “I know you mean well…but, even without intending it, you are inadvertently serving as a handmaiden for Hamas.”  Then a few days later meeting with a Palestinian NGO in Jerusalem, she heard this from a Palestinian leader, “I know you mean well…but you are inadvertently supporting the bombing of innocent Palestinian children.”  This demonstrates Cannon’s ability to stand in the tension of binaries.  This tension is further displayed in the diversity of essays both through the authors themselves as well as their theological positions pertaining to liberation and justice.

Therefore, if the reader is able to embrace Remez and Derash, that is, to step into the tension that it is perhaps more paramount to wrestle with what it is that they do not agree with rather than immediately going to a place of needing to debunk it, then they will discover a treasure in Evangelical Theologies.

Jonathan Wilson Hartgrove, in his recent Reconstructingthe Gospel shared a story of being asked the following question, “Where does a middle-class white person like me find a role…?”  Hartgrove’s answer is, “almost always, not out front.”  This idea from Hartgrove is embodied with Cannon and Evangelical Theologies. Moreover, it is the second book in succession where Cannon has decided to lift the voices of others, with A Land Full of God being the other. Most books are written through the exclusive lens of one author.  We need more books like Evangelical Theologies that lift the voices of those that are often not given a platform.

I have already recommended Evangelical Theologies to friends and will continue to do so.