This book is probably unlike any other you might own, but it shouldn't be.
Plain Theology for Plain People is not mainstream by any means, but in my opinion, it should be on the shelves of every evangelical's library as a beautiful theological work as well as an important piece of history. Charles Octavius Boothe, an African American man born into slavery in 1845 was met not only with his freedom after the Civil War, but a profound burden to bring sound theology in an accessible way to his people without the lofty language of most systematic theology books of his time.
Walter Strickland, then a seminary student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote of his experience in this powerful article discovering Boothe's work in his own academic studies. Strickland states it plainly, "Formal theology has been disproportionately conducted by white men, and their perspective has been standardized. Thus “well-read” evangelicals can gain that label despite never interacting with theologically faithful traditions outside the dominant evangelical culture...
Re-imagining the evangelical tradition to include voices that have been obscured isn’t just good for marginalized Christians—it’s good for all Christians."
The Kingdom of God is beautifully vibrant and diverse - perhaps our study of it should match it.
Comments