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No Innocent Bystanders: Becoming an Ally in the Struggle for Justice
The struggle for justice is ongoing. In answering the biblical call to act justly and love mercifully, can Christians cross lines of privilege to walk humbly not only with God but with their marginalized neighbors as well? No Innocent Bystanders looks at the role of allies in social justice movements and asks what works, what doesn't, and why. It explains what allies legitimately can accomplish, what they can't, and what kind of humility and clarity is required to tell the difference.
This book is a start-up guide for spiritual or religious people who are interested in working for social justice but don't know how or where to begin, drawing on the lessons of history, the framework of Christian ideas, and the insights of contemporary activists. It offers practical guidance on how to meaningfully and mindfully advocate alongside all who struggle for a more just society.
This book is a start-up guide for spiritual or religious people who are interested in working for social justice but don't know how or where to begin, drawing on the lessons of history, the framework of Christian ideas, and the insights of contemporary activists. It offers practical guidance on how to meaningfully and mindfully advocate alongside all who struggle for a more just society.
- GenresNonfictionSocial Justice
175 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 11, 2017
21 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 11, 2017
No Innocent Bystanders is a powerful book offering principles and advice for what it means to be an ally to groups who experience oppression and marginalization as they work toward social justice. More specifically, the book’s subject matter is racial justice in America. The general principles, however, apply and translate to other causes as is shown by the first chapter in which ally-ship is broadly illustrated through the cause of LGBTQ acceptance and equality. The illustration also serves to provide how racism is both different from and intersectional with LGBTQ marginalization and other social oppressions.
The book is about structural systems of privilege and oppression on which America was founded, and how that must first be acknowledged before allies are even able to see and recognize racism that is intertwined and a part of every relationship, whether it be personal, business, religious, or political.
The book discusses what an ally is and the expectations of them by groups with which they ally with. It discusses typical hurdles that allies experience such as guilt, taking a back seat, listening instead of talking, don’t ask to be taught, and more. There is much in the way of sociological discussion dealing with how oppression is maintained and perpetuated, usually unconsciously by those participating in it.
The authors come from a clear Christian perspective and have white Christians (evangelical, mainline, Catholic, and others) in mind as their primary audience. They frame injustices and how to overcome them in terms of a re-visioning of sin, repentance, forgiveness, and reparations. They discuss how Christian virtues of faith, hope, love, humility, prudence, fortitude, temperance, and patience can inform, direct, and sustain allies’ efforts in their work to battle injustices.
This might be a difficult book for many white Christians to accept, since what it does is a thorough deconstruction of the majority white American worldview and how that normative perspective is ubiquitous in parts of American society. It is this ubiquitousness of norm that is at the heart of what must be corrected if racism is ever to be eliminated.
The book offers some concrete steps to take for that those wanting to participate as allies. These include connecting, amplifying, advocating, accompanying, impeding, and celebrating. These are given with examples to help the reader see what social justice action might look like in practice.
Does the book offer anything to a non-white audience? I believe it does. The general principles can be adapted and applied to any social justice cause where a person is an ally. One of my causes is working with domestic violence and sexual assault agencies. It is a predominantly women-led field and most of the victims are women. Even though I am a trained advocate and a board member for an agency, I am still, in many ways, an ally and the contents of this book reminded me of things I have experienced, and also introduced some new concepts that I think I will find useful in my ongoing work.
My one hesitation may be the prominent featuring of LGBTQ as the prior and parallel example to everything else in the book. It might turn away readers that otherwise would find the rest of the discussion quite useful and valuable. But I believe it is necessary because of intersectionality. Too many social justice Christians who have no problem being vocal about feminism and racism have been too afraid to bring up LGBTQ, and it is about time it becomes part of the greater conversation on justice.
(This review based on ARC supplied by publisher through NetGalley.)
The book is about structural systems of privilege and oppression on which America was founded, and how that must first be acknowledged before allies are even able to see and recognize racism that is intertwined and a part of every relationship, whether it be personal, business, religious, or political.
The book discusses what an ally is and the expectations of them by groups with which they ally with. It discusses typical hurdles that allies experience such as guilt, taking a back seat, listening instead of talking, don’t ask to be taught, and more. There is much in the way of sociological discussion dealing with how oppression is maintained and perpetuated, usually unconsciously by those participating in it.
The authors come from a clear Christian perspective and have white Christians (evangelical, mainline, Catholic, and others) in mind as their primary audience. They frame injustices and how to overcome them in terms of a re-visioning of sin, repentance, forgiveness, and reparations. They discuss how Christian virtues of faith, hope, love, humility, prudence, fortitude, temperance, and patience can inform, direct, and sustain allies’ efforts in their work to battle injustices.
This might be a difficult book for many white Christians to accept, since what it does is a thorough deconstruction of the majority white American worldview and how that normative perspective is ubiquitous in parts of American society. It is this ubiquitousness of norm that is at the heart of what must be corrected if racism is ever to be eliminated.
The book offers some concrete steps to take for that those wanting to participate as allies. These include connecting, amplifying, advocating, accompanying, impeding, and celebrating. These are given with examples to help the reader see what social justice action might look like in practice.
Does the book offer anything to a non-white audience? I believe it does. The general principles can be adapted and applied to any social justice cause where a person is an ally. One of my causes is working with domestic violence and sexual assault agencies. It is a predominantly women-led field and most of the victims are women. Even though I am a trained advocate and a board member for an agency, I am still, in many ways, an ally and the contents of this book reminded me of things I have experienced, and also introduced some new concepts that I think I will find useful in my ongoing work.
My one hesitation may be the prominent featuring of LGBTQ as the prior and parallel example to everything else in the book. It might turn away readers that otherwise would find the rest of the discussion quite useful and valuable. But I believe it is necessary because of intersectionality. Too many social justice Christians who have no problem being vocal about feminism and racism have been too afraid to bring up LGBTQ, and it is about time it becomes part of the greater conversation on justice.
(This review based on ARC supplied by publisher through NetGalley.)
October 17, 2019
Racial and gender justice 101 for Christians.
If your church has a disconnect between the values of Jesus and the practice of racial & gender justice, Doucot's introductory study is a good place to start tough conversations in your congregation. It's written like a small-group study guide: short chapters followed by discussion questions. Doucot frames racism and anti-LGBT oppression as sins that require repentance, reparation, and God's grace to repair; within that framework, he covers the basics of racism and homophobia.
Make no mistake, though, this is VERY 101, and probably not suitable for a congregation already involved in serious efforts. There's also the occasional blunder: intersectionality, for example, is brought up as a concept, but Kimberle Crenshaw is not given credit, nor is she referenced in the list of books for further study. This is a typical, if disappointing, type of mistake, and this book, if used, should also be used in conjunction with texts written by Black activists, thinkers, and theologians; the bibliography is pretty good with suggestions in that regard.
At its best, this is the kind of text that could build bridges where currently there are large moats filled with piranhas and molten lava. Recommended for larger public libraries, seminary libraries, and church libraries that want to branch out in this direction but aren't sure how.
If your church has a disconnect between the values of Jesus and the practice of racial & gender justice, Doucot's introductory study is a good place to start tough conversations in your congregation. It's written like a small-group study guide: short chapters followed by discussion questions. Doucot frames racism and anti-LGBT oppression as sins that require repentance, reparation, and God's grace to repair; within that framework, he covers the basics of racism and homophobia.
Make no mistake, though, this is VERY 101, and probably not suitable for a congregation already involved in serious efforts. There's also the occasional blunder: intersectionality, for example, is brought up as a concept, but Kimberle Crenshaw is not given credit, nor is she referenced in the list of books for further study. This is a typical, if disappointing, type of mistake, and this book, if used, should also be used in conjunction with texts written by Black activists, thinkers, and theologians; the bibliography is pretty good with suggestions in that regard.
At its best, this is the kind of text that could build bridges where currently there are large moats filled with piranhas and molten lava. Recommended for larger public libraries, seminary libraries, and church libraries that want to branch out in this direction but aren't sure how.
October 11, 2017
No Innocent Bystanders
Becoming an Ally in the Struggle for Justice
by Shannon Craigo-Snell & Christopher Doucot
Westminster John Knox Press
Christian , Religion & Spirituality
Pub Date 11 Oct 2017
I am reviewing a copy of No Innocent Bystanders Through Westminster John Knox Press and Netgalley:
This book reminds us that even today we struggle for injustice. The author points out that racism is a form of structural oppression. We tend to think that racism in the terms of anyone who harbors ill will towards anyone, or believes in stereotypes brought on because of the color of ones skin, but the authors point out that this is not racism but bigotry and prejudice. The authors go on to point that racism is not individual it is systematic.
The book goes on to tell us of some of the steps forwards we have made against prejudices while still pointing out we as a nation are not without its problems when it comes that way.
I give No Innocent Bystanders four out of five stars!
Happy Reading!
November 22, 2021
This book is no likely to be read well without a another reading with her/him. Fortunately, this experience was supported by a small men's group that met weekly. The goal is to explore topics that have an anchor about understand faith.
It's a challenging read (and often a challenging discussion. The author works most often from the theme of justice, often calling on the reader to see the difference for justice for black and white and sexual stances. The words oppression and equality appear often as well. But there is also a theme of forgiveness for lack of understanding.
The book is best read in the context of new stances.
It's a challenging read (and often a challenging discussion. The author works most often from the theme of justice, often calling on the reader to see the difference for justice for black and white and sexual stances. The words oppression and equality appear often as well. But there is also a theme of forgiveness for lack of understanding.
The book is best read in the context of new stances.
December 6, 2018
This is a must-read for every white person who doesn’t even know where to begin in the struggle for justice. Ally-ship is not a new concept, but for many who have lived life under the conservative rocks of geography or fundamentalist religion it is.
This very readable book addresses becoming an ally from a historical, theological, and practical standpoint. There are plenty of resources presented and enough inspirational stories to make anyone want to seek out similar opportunities.
This very readable book addresses becoming an ally from a historical, theological, and practical standpoint. There are plenty of resources presented and enough inspirational stories to make anyone want to seek out similar opportunities.
November 9, 2017
I thought the historical background in this book was excellent. I learned a lot of things I hadn't known and was reminded of things I had learned but forgotten. However, since so much of the book was focused on Christian backgrounds and Christian obligations, I felt that it was not particularly applicable to people who are not Christian or not believers.
November 2, 2017
A thought provoking call to action.
November 18, 2017
Interesting ways to pay it forward and make a difference.
December 4, 2017
Great book
January 9, 2018
I loved this book. It was a perfect balance between working for social justice and Christianity.
April 7, 2018
While it comes from a place of white, hetero privilege, the authors acknowledge that and offer concrete actions within a sound theological framework.
October 21, 2018
Powerful, succinct, informative, and inspiring.
October 15, 2021
Our Bible Study read and discussed this book.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews