On Being Black and Reformed: A New Perspective on the African-American Christian Experience

by Anthony J. Carter

"My goal," writes Anthony J. Carter, is to redeem and reform our understanding of "the Black American experience through the most legitimate lens available to us—theology. And the most legitimate theological perspective through which to attain this goal is the biblically based and historically grounded Reformed perspective." "A Black Reformed theological perspective on history has the primary goal of glorifying God," Carter continues. "In doing so we are confident that in turn it will be a comfort to the people of God." Carter does not flinch from tackling the toughest - Where was God in the Atlantic Slave Trade and the subsequent slavery perpetrated on these African people? - How does Christianity triumph among a people oppressed in a so-called Christian society by so-called Christians? "It is my hope," writes Carter, "that the reader will find in these pages a pointer in the direction of him who can answer every question and resolve every issue, . . . Jesus Christ." Carter prays that his readers will find here "the glories of God in Christ . . . made more plain and lovely."

Genres: Theology, Christian, Race, Nonfiction, African American, Cultural, Christianity

153 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

About the author

Anthony J. Carter is lead pastor of East Point Church in East Point, Georgia, and a member of the council of the Gospel Coalition. A graduate of Atlanta Christian College and Reformed Theological Seminary, he is the author or editor of several books, including Glory Road: The Journeys of 10 African-Americans into Reformed Christianity. Anthony and his wife, Adriane, have five children.

Reviews

[John Boyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anthony Carter's work on how Black Theology and Reformed Theology can coexist is an excellent source for people trying to understand how our racial differences can fit together in our understanding of the Bible. Carter makes it clear that the difference racial and ethnic experiences are inherently valuable in our application of the truths of Scripture to our lives. He morns the fact that so often we have divided our theology on racial grounds and calls for our churches to unite under the profound teachings that Reformed Theology provide. God's sovereignty, man's sin, and Christ's work are magnified in the African American experience and should give hope, not hostility, to young African American minds who are struggling to understand why injustice targets them above others when they incorporate it into God's grand history of redemption. God has called a people to himself and that people includes people who are white and people who are black and all of our histories are ultimately God's history, where He will be glorified and His kingdom secured.

[Brian K · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great summary of why the Reformed tradition presents the Gospel, why black churches in America are so unique, what the Reformed tradition can learn from its failures with regards to civil rights, and many other things to consider regarding the history of race in America. I read this in conjunction with Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin, and the books complemented each other so well: Baldwin's presenting the pathos of the black America's mistreatment, and Carter's giving the pure milk of the Gospel that Baldwin's characters were crying out for (especially assurance of salvation -- so thankful to be a Protestant!).

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Black and Reformed, Carter makes a compelling case for why reformed theology and the Black American experience are not divided, arguing that a proper understanding of God's sovereignty and man's sinfulness offers both hope and justice to the body of believers who have suffered and continue to suffer under racism.

An excellent read. I look forward to reading more of Carter's works, and diving into his recommended reading list.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ch 1: Do We Need a Black Theology?

Do we need a Black theology? Yes, answers Carter. We need a Black theology because all theology is done in a context, and black theology is no different. If a good Black theology isn’t developed and articulated, then a poor one will exist instead.

All of our theologies are done in a context, be they German Lutheran, Dutch Reformed, Chinese Christianity, or Black Christianity. We cannot achieve a neutral point of view outside of our culture from which we can objectively identify what is true or not. We should not foreground our own experience over scripture and tradition, but neither should we neglect it. Contextual theologies can be a gift to different cultures. The Black church should not be denied this gift.

While experience plays an important, and inescapable role in articulating and understanding theology, experience is not prioritized. As Protestants, the Bible always comes first. We also need a healthy appreciation for tradition as it has been passed on down. We should neither be slavishly devoted to tradition, nor flippant about it. Few of us should completely reinvent the wheel. Instead, we should learn from what God has said and revealed about himself in the past.

Foregrounding our experience can be helpful in the short term, but when we do that, we are building a theology on shifting sand instead of the solid rock of the Word of God. The error with Black theology is that it started with the black experience and Black identity instead of with the scriptures and our Christian identity. This resulted in what initially seemed a sweet salve becoming “toxic, infected with nationalism and a self-destructive humanism. In fact, it became little more than a mirror of much of the racist white theology against which it posited itself. Black theology not only failed to give lasting comfort to souls, but also by default failed to glorify God.” (p36)

Ch 2: The Case for Reformed Theology

Reformed theology can be summarized by TULIP acronym representing the five points of Calvinism. But while these five points serve as an accurate summary of the Reformed faith, there is much more to the faith than the five points. Carter makes the strong claim that Reformed theology is Biblical theology, and as such the Reformed faith is thoroughly scriptural.

While the five points are popular, and Carter starts his own introduction to the Reformed faith with them, he suggests that the case for Reformed Christianity can be made through three truths: the sovereignty of God, the sinfulness of humans, and the sufficiency of Christ.

God is sovereign over humans, nations, the elements, physical affliction, and election. “The scriptures are clear” claims Carter, “God does not simply know all things, as most Christians would suggest, but more accurately has decreed all things.”

While Carter marshals an impressive amount of biblical data to support his point about God’s sovereignty, I found his exegesis and interpretation wanting. I suspect there is a significant hermeneutical difference between us at this point, as he seems to think that the verses he quotes and refer to are clear and obvious about what they mean, while I do not grant any such thing. Claiming Eph 1:4 is about God’s sovereignty in election is true, but what precisely is the election perceived of in Eph 1:4? Is the salvation talked about in Eph 1:4 the same thing as in Deut 7:6-8 and Jer 1:5? I would say no. Ephesians is talking about the predestination of the church from before the foundation of the world, while Deuteronomy is talking about the election of Israel as God’s chosen people, and Jeremiah is talking about Jeremiah’s call as a prophet. Neither the Jeremiah passage, nor the passage in Deuteronomy are talking about salvation. Unless Carter is claiming that all of ethnic Israel will be saved, then the election talked about in Deuteronomy is something different than the election to eternal life Calvinism affirms.

Election, it seems to me, can refer to salvation, but also refers to something different, especially in the OT. Israel was elected out of all nations to receive God’s Law and be a witness to the nations as God’s chosen and holy people. This does not mean they were elected to salvation. Nor does it necessarily mean that only those who are elect can be saved. Isaac was elect, but Ishmael was not. But does this necessarily mean that Ishmael was not saved? I don’t think so, especially as we have biblical support for God’s continual blessing of Ishmael. Carter unfortunately doesn’t make the distinction between election for mission and election for salvation.

Carter claims that God is sovereign and decrees all things. That’s fine, and an easy affirmation to make, but what exactly does that mean? How does God decree all things? Is it an active, willing decree? Or is it something else? It is one thing to say that God’s plans cannot be thwarted, it is another entirely to affirm, with John Piper, that “It’s right for God to slaughter women and children anytime he pleases. God gives life and he takes life. Everybody who dies, dies because God wills that they die.” Is this what we mean by Reformed theology and God’s will? If so, it seems to be dangerously close to denying the confessional standards such as the Westminster confession which state that God is not the author of sin. I for one, wish for more clarification on what Carter means by terms such as election, sovereignty, and decree.

I do find myself affirming a version of the Calvinist doctrine of election and sovereignty. So, I do not write this as one who finds the idea reprehensible, but I do find certain articulates of God’s sovereignty intolerable, such as the quote by John Piper I gave above. We need clarity and humility when we are talking about God’s sovereignty. The topic is too important and too weighty to treat lightly.

Whether fairly or not, plenty of readers of Carter’s book will be hostile to Calvinism and articulations of God’s sovereignty. They might be white American’s who grew up Arminian, or they could be Black Christian’s who find repulsive the claim that God willed the chattel slavery system of the American South. Nuance, precision, and pastoral wisdom is needed if we are going to affirm the sovereignty and divine decree of God in all circumstances.

After his disappointing section on the sovereignty of God, Carter next moves on to the sinfulness of man. This section is quite good with Carter giving a solid overview of man’s captivity to sin in every area of his life.

Carter finishes up this chapter with his best section yet, by looking at Christ’s sufficiency.

Christ is sufficient for our justification, our sanctification, and our glorification. This has drastic and important consequences. Because Christ’s work is all-sufficient for our salvation, we have the ability to forgive each other. Forgiveness is not natural for us. But we can forgive others because we ourselves have been forgiven. Racial reconciliation is in desperate need of forgiveness, and only the sufficiency of Christ can serve as an adequate basis for our forgiveness of others, and of my Black brothers and sisters forgiving me and my white brethren.

Carter sums up this chapter with a wonderful paragraph where he states “So what does Reformed theology have to offer the African-American Christian? It offers a biblically consistent hermeneutic and a paradigm for understanding the providential hand of God in the African-American experience. In fact, it is the only perspective that seeks to understand God in the full extent of his sovereignty while maintaining the biblical mandate of human responsibility. Most theological and philosophical perspectives err on one position or the other. True Reformed theology seeks to hold both, as the Bible does, without diminishing God’s sovereignty or absolving humans of responsibility. As tenuous as these positions may be, no other theology has the inner consistency and necessary dexterity of Reformed theology.”

Ch. 3: The Church from Chains

The African-American church is a testimony to God’s sovereign plan for good despite our own plans for evil. In the origins and development of the African-American church we see the importance of the Reformed emphases on sovereignty, sin, and Christ’s sufficiency. God sovereignly conducted human affairs to bring a people to himself. The African-American church is also an indictment upon the sin of those who engaged in man stealing and the slave trade. Finally, we see the sufficiency of Christ demonstrated. Christ alone is able to bring about a redeemed people out of such inhumane and evil treatment.

The rest of the chapter provides us with an overview of the birth and development of the African-American church. Carter gives us a fascinating and well researched chapter covering the insatiable hunger for wealth driving the slave trade, the evangelical negligence and zeal of white Christians, and the consistent racism of white Christians. Through it all, the African-American church was able to survive, and thrive in many ways.

Even though the African-American church was able to survive, spread, and thrive, not all denominations had the same success at drawing African-American converts. The Methodists and Baptists had far greater number of African-Americans than did other denominations such as Presbyterians and Anglicans. Carter gives three reasons for this. First, both Baptists and Methodists welcomed slaves into their congregations and condemned slavery. Second, Baptists and Methodists “exemplified a fresh and experiential Christianity.” They were able to speak plainly to the uneducated slaves in a way that the more theologically abstract services and sermons of the Presbyterians and Anglicans did not. Third, and perhaps most important, was the willingness of Baptist and Methodist congregations to recognize uneducated African-American preachers. Because learning was held in less repute than was spiritual vitality, Baptist and Methodists had a far easier road to creating African-American preachers.

Ch. 4: On Being Black and Reformed

All theology is contextual. “No one can write theology for all times, places, and persons” writes Bruce Fields. The unfortunate reality is that white American theologians have either forgotten this or denied it. They have tried to articulate a universal theology, but what they did instead was formulate the theology of white America. White American theology is not bad, the problem arises when we think white American theology is complete by itself. It needs to “recognize all those who have contributed to the historical record.” (p92), and this includes the African-American tradition.

As the white American theological tradition is not complete without the African-American theological tradition, the African-American theological tradition is not complete without paying attention to the historical theology of the past, in particular the theology of Reformed Christianity.

Many legitimate historical reasons exist why African-Americans are skeptical of Reformed Christianity. Reformed Christians in the South were often loathe to release their slaves or to teach them anything beyond the “spiritual” aspects of the faith. However, the Reformed tradition, properly understood, need not be opposed to African-American Christianity. One can be Black and Reformed without giving up the best parts of their African-American Christian heritage.

The Reformed tradition properly understood can provide deep theological roots to understand the existence and experience of the African-American church.

Ch. 5: Embracing the Truth

Black Christians “should eagerly embrace Reformed theology because it aligns with everything that the African-American church has sought to be: biblical, historical, and experiential. Reformed theology brings these three pillars of truth together more consistently than any other.” (p114) However, each of these three categories carries different weight when formulating our theology. Carter provides us with a maxim to help us understand their different weights “Cautiously go against experience; rarely go against history; and never go against the Bible.”

Summary Thoughts

Anthony Carter has written a short, well researched, and highly readable argument for why you can and should be both Black and Reformed. He doesn’t present anything new in his articulation of the arguments in favor of Reformed Christianity. If you were already familiar with the John Piper/Wayne Grudem form of Reformed Theology, then what Carter says will probably not persuade you one way or the other. What is done well and in a way that is fresh is how Carter ties in African-American experience with Reformed theology. He shows the importance and relevance of a Black theology, both for the Black church and the wider audience. The book is well done, if not spectacular.

[Mike Jorgensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very important book, accessibly written, and eye-opening on a few levels. The bits describing reformed theology can be skimmed, but the unique perspective of the African-American experience with Reformed theology should be read and re-read.

[Michelle Bower · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful explanation of Reformed theology and a compelling way to tie the experience of African-Americans and the sovereignty of God together. This was a good book for me to read as I seek to understand the African-American experience in the context of my multi-cultural church. I love his section on spirituals and how they deeply connect with the enslaved Israelites in Egypt. There is so much African-Americans contribute to the rich history of the church, and we are blessed to have their voices among us.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher of this second edition. I don't read much theology, but being a white Reformed female, I appreciated this book. It seems a good, short read for anyone, irrespective of their theological perspective or gender/racial identity. Carter makes a gracious case for the Reformed tradition and demonstrates how not only should there exist a black theology, the tradition of American theology and history is bereft if it ignores the theology, stories, and journey of our African-American brothers and sisters in Christ.

[Brian Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

What would I know about being a black person who adheres to Reformed theology? Not much, since I’ll never be black. But as someone who does believe in the sovereignty of God (his ultimate control over everything that comes to pass), I thought it would be interesting to read a book on a black person’s perspective of this most biblical theology. When P&R Publishing graciously offered a free copy of the second edition of Anthony Carter’s Black and Reformed in exchange for an honest review, I jumped at the chance.

(And here’s that caveat: the publisher of this book gave me a free book in exchange for a fair review. While writing in parentheses, I’ll throw this note in here: I will consistently refer to people with a dark complexion as “black” instead of “African American.” I mean no disrespect at all. I’m a white person. I have always found the word “Caucasian” to be an odd one, and I don’t refer to myself as a “European American.” Yes, I know my skin color isn’t white, and the skin color of others isn’t really black. I suppose an label has its problems. One last parenthetical remark: all quotations will be followed with their own parenthetical references to the page number. Now, on to the review.)

The first edition of Carter’s book, published in 2003, was titled On Being Black and Reformed. This edition, published this year, differs from the first one in three respects: It features a foreword from Thabiti Anyabwile, a new preface from the author, and a new appendix of questions and answers. Otherwise, the text remains the same.

Anyabwile begins with high praise for the book, stating that Carter’s work stated clearly that being black and holding to Reformed theology was not a contradiction. I must admit that part of my reason for wanting to read this book is that I didn’t know many black people who held to Reformed theology. In fact, I know of at least a couple of people to whom I would like to refer such a book as Carter’s, to show them that having a strong, biblical theology is in no way inimical to the black experience. And I think that Carter’s book succeeds in that regard.

Toward the beginning of the book, Carter asks, “Do we need a black theology?” And the answer is: “Emphatically and unfortunately, yes” (25). He observes that most so-called “black theology” has been black liberation theology, which he calls “biblically unacceptable” (26). The reason that a black theology is needed is that systematic theology tends to answer the concerns that people of a certain time and place have, and very little Western Christian theology has taken up the issues of racism and institutionalized discrimination. “The major contributors to conservative theological thought over the centuries have, consciously or not, spoken predominantly to and for white people” (28). Yet most black theology hasn’t been rooted in sound exegesis of the Bible. Rather, it has been based primarily on experience. Experience is useful, but it’s not an infallible guide. “My goal in Black and Reformed is to redeem and reform our perspective on the black American experience through the most legitimate lens available, theology—in particular, biblically based and historically grounded Reformed theology” (35).

Carter then moves on to explain Reformed theology. He focuses on the famous TULIP (total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance [Carter calls it “preservation”] of the saints). He also lists many texts that indicate God’s ordination of all aspects of life. Personally, I found his explanation and defense of TULIP to be a bit wanting, but he ably demonstrated God’s sovereignty over humans, nations, and creation. He also describes the sinfulness of humanity and the sufficiency of Christ. These three elements (sovereignty, sinfulness, sufficiency) are for Carter the pillars of Reformed theology. The chapter devoted to this subject is a good introduction to this type of theology, though the person who wants to learn more will have to turn to other resources.

The best part of this book is the way that Carter applies Reformed theology to the issues of race, racism, and slavery. For example, when discussing Christ’s redemptive work, he writes, “In Christ we are forgiven and we find the means of forgiving others. . . . we are never more like Christ, and thus more Christian, than when we are operating in Christlike forgiveness. And nowhere is this work of forgiveness more decisively needed than in race relations in America” (59).

In chapter 3, Carter write about “The Church from Chains,” the experience of the black church in America. Some Christians in the 1700s were not eager to preach the gospel to slaves, though others were. Baptists and Methodists were more likely to preach to blacks and advocate for freedom. Carter explains the rise of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which officially formed in 1816 though its roots go back to 1787. Carter makes an important comment when discussing how Christianity in America in its early years was beset by racism and slavery. He writes, “The blacks’ response to such hypocrisy-laden Christianity could have been a complete rejection of the one true God in Christ. Yet instead of rejecting Christ, African Americans rejected this brand of Christianity, separating what the Bible taught about Christian virtue from what so-called Christians practiced” (79). In fact, Reformed theology can accurately pinpoint the root of such hypocrisy: the heart of sinful man.

Chapter 4 is devoted to the experience of being black and Reformed. One of the more interesting bits of this chapter was a discussion of Lemuel Haynes, a pastor-theology in Vermont at the end of the eighteenth century and beginning of the nineteenth century. He drew on the teachings of John Calvin, Martin Luther, and Jonathan Edwards, among others. One may think it as likely to find a unicorn as it would be to find a black man pastoring a congregational church in Vermont, particularly at this time. This chapter also features a great point made by Carter, one that is particularly relevant to Christians living in today’s America. He writes, “Few among the majority in American Christianity can relate to an experience of exile. Few can relate to having to develop a community gift of laughter in the midst of tears. . . . Yet if American theologians were to adopt a perspective of inclusion and not view their theology through myopic lenses, they would see that God has in his sovereignty given to American Christianity a people whose experience of pilgrimage in a foreign land would enrich American faith. How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? Look to the black Christian experience as an example” (98).

Carter also discusses how an acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty helps make sense of the black experience in America. It was God’s will to bring Africans to America, though the sinful slave traders who captured and enslaved these Africans were wrong to do so. On the one hand, slavery brought about great horrors. On the other hand, many black people were brought to faith in America. The Bible emphasizes time and again God’s ordination of events (his sovereignty) and human responsibility and human sinfulness. It may not be easy for us to reconcile these things, but both are true, and both can be seen in the black Christian experience.

Carter ends the book by encouraging African Americans to see that embracing Reformed theology is not a repudiation of their heritage. Rather, Reformed theology is the most biblical theology and the one that makes the greatest sense of the experience of blacks—and black Christians—in America.

Three appendices appear at the end of the book. One is on racial reconciliation within various denominations (Assemblies of God, SBC, PCA). Another is a message that Carter gave on connecting to historical Christianity. A third is a series of questions and answers regarding the author, the book, and issues that affect black people. I love this portion: “Sovereign love has been the theme of the black church in America. Sovereign love is at the heart of Reformed theology. It is why I love both and seek to bring them together” (154).

The book isn’t perfect. Every now and again Carter uses a $10 word when a $5 word would do. At least one time, he used one of those $10 words incorrectly (calling a book “sentient” instead of, perhaps, seminal). Some of the writing is a little clunky (example: “Those whom God has called and justified by his grace will be glorified to his glory” [43-44]). And the book could certainly be longer and go deeper.

However, I would recommend this book. I imagine the best audience would be black Christians who haven’t embraced Reformed theology. Putting this book in their hands may encourage them toward a more biblical and theologically-rich form of the Christian faith.

[Brian Whittington · Rating 5 out of 5]

"My goal, is to redeem and reform our understanding of the Black American experience through the most legitimate lens available to us. And the most legitimate theological perspective through which to attain this goal is the biblically based and historically grounded Reformed perspective."- Anthony J Carter Black & Reformed

Anthony J. Carter’s book provides an introduction into reformed theology and makes an argument for it validity in scripture. More importantly, he then applied this reformed theological lens to the African American historical experiences and modern current events. Mr. Carter address topics like American Slavery and how reformed theological interpretation of these events influences the expressions of biblical truths and worship in past and present black congregations. Mr. Carter gives a fair handling of reformed theologians who seemed to have accurately surmised doctrine from the scriptures and yet horribly missed the social implications of the very same doctrine. Black & Reformed is a book that captures the voice of a particular group of Gods people. It’s a voice that needs to be heard.

I loved the opening of this book when Mr. Carter recalls a paper he wrote in seminary tiled “black Theology”. When his paper was returned there was one simple comment. “Do we need a Black theology?” Mr. Carter gives his answer on why he thought it was necessary, and I would have to agree, it is necessary. Not because it gives us a new theology, a different theology, or a theology that doesn't “belong” to me. But because it contributes to my understanding of the fullness of the body of Christ and the lengths to which God goes to reveal himself to us. Revelation 7:9 says “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands...”. The people of God will include those from every race and ethnic groups. Not only will it include them, but there will be perfect unity in this plurality. Books like this give me not only a glimpse at the fullness of Gods redemptive plan, but also provides an opportunity to understand the different ways God speaks to groups of people, and the effort he puts into his personal revelation. How Moses leading Gods people out of the bondage of slavery, finds a particular hold in the hearts of people who’s history is aquatinted with such things. How God uses “what you meant for evil, he meant for good” in Jospeh’s life, could resonate with those used to hardships. It’s not that I am unable to resonate with those same stories, but glimpsing the breath and depth of the Words ability to speak to people were they are, which maybe different than were I have been, is amazing. If you are looking for a book that will not only provide some education, but also give you some hope for the day unity is achieved out of the plurality, this one could be for you.

For more of my reviews visit: thelakesidecover.com

[Joe Beery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh. This was such an important read for me, especially right now. Tony Carpenter is brilliant, and his way with history and theology is excellent. I appreciated the journey that he took me on, and would highly recommend this for my white and of-color friends alike.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A winsome call for theology that is both sensitive to black experience in America and rooted in Reformed (ie, biblical) theology.

[Joseph Rowland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful. Easy read. More than worth it!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super helpful book for a white Reformed Christian wanting to understand the black Reformed experience.

[Sipho · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by Anthony Carter makes a strong case for African Americans to embrace the Reformed theological perspective. Although the book is over a decade old, the themes it addresses are still very relevant for today - arguably more so with the tarnished image of white American evangelicism post Trump.

The book opens with the contention that a "black theology" is necessary. This is because theology has always had the nuances and textures of the context in which it is situated. The unique history of black people in America ought to be considered in preaching and teaching the Bible. The alternatives to such a robust theology are grave, Carter argues.

Next, the author defines Reformed Theology with an emphasis on the depravity of man and the sovereignty ofGod. These themes are well chosen in the light of the black American experience which he elucidates in the next chapter. Carter guides the reader through a brief history of the oppression and segregation that black Christians experienced from the times of slavery well up to the present day.

The book then seeks to answer the questions: can black people truly be reformed and should black people be reformed. Carters answers are affirmative in both instances. He argues that Reformed theology's emphasis on the sovereignty of God is healing balm to a people who were brought to America involuntarily as slaves. This did not escape God. Secondly black Christians should be reform!ed because this tradition takes into account biblical, historical and experiential truths - the very things blacks have yearned for in their view of God.

A short and insightful read, this book is especially useful for anyone who is thinking critically about race and Christianity and how they can be reconciled in view of past and present injustices.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is nothing groundbreaking here. Carter does not uncover any grand new paradigm for understanding race relations and the Church. What he gives us is just a wonderful, accessible, little primer on the relationship and history of Reformed faith and the African American experience. Frankly, it reads alot like a very well done seminary term paper. But he defines all the key issues and decisively answers many questions.

It is painful to see so few blacks in the Reformed movement, but Carter shows this has not always been and does not have to always be. In fact, much of the black American experience should (and sometimes has) make them especially well-suited for a Reformed theological perspective. When this has failed to be the case, the blame lies with both whites and blacks. Both have neglected important elements of the Gospel, and the result has been a sad lack of a dynamic Reformed witness in the black community. Carter's critique is biting, but never angry or hurtful.

I bought four copies of this book. I think every seminarian, pastor, and church officer, at minimum, should read this.

(BTW -- As result of the footnotes in this book I bought two copies of Black Puritan, Black Republican, which was somewhat dissappointing and dry. It tells a great story, but 90% of it I could have gleaned forma book review or even the dust jacket).

[Josiah DeGraaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Parts of this book seemed a bit basic, but Carter made a lot of points that struck me, specifically dealing with the need for a black theology. Before reading this book, I wouldn't have said there was a need for black theology since general theology should be enough. But Carter made a lot of good points on how race will generally influence our theology one way or another, on how utilizing multiple perspectives like this are really helpful when they don't become identity politics, and on what specific emphases black theology has which is really beneficial to the American church. So he convinced me on this point and had a lot of good thoughts to share about it.

This is one of those books where I try to critique less and listen more since I'm not black and haven't thought about this subject as much as I should. Carter gave me a lot of questions to think about and ponder.

Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good).

[Lizette Vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe we can summarize Mr. Carter's book with two or three quotes, He says, "We are no more like Christ, then when we forgive." He continues in the Appendix to describe how the members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church responded to the death of their nine congregants, "many wondered how the church would respond to the hateful rage of the young white supremacist who perpetrated the act. Unsurprisingly, the victims' family and the church responded with the love and forgiveness of Christ... the black church has frequently been the target of hate-filled... attacks... And yet her indomitable spirit still presses on because of her history and trust in a sovereign God."

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I am not African American, I identified with the author's experience. Being myself a Hispanic growing up in an all-white church, this book has helped me grapple with my identity in Christ in a way that does not kill my culture but rather embraces it and redeems it. Thank you Carter for living out 2 Corinthians 1:3-6.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

It makes understanding reformed theology easy. He also makes it clear how the black experience can fit into reformed theology. I don't agree with him on everything, but I appreciated his viewpoints and how simple he makes everything.

[Vikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

God was sovereign before, through and after the slave trade in America.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally. This is a must-read for the black Christian or anyone who is interested in the black Christian experience in America.

[Peter Clegg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Biblical and sober look at racial justice. A helpful look for white Christians to understand the black perspective. A refreshingly God centered look at ethnicity. Highly recommend!

[Eric Abisror · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very helpful book in understanding the relationship between the African American tradition and reformed theology.

[Martha Davenport · Rating 5 out of 5]

An introduction to a complex and necessary discussion on the African American Christian experience. This book would be beneficial to the heart and mind of every Christian in America, it's full of wisdom from older theologians and writers composed to bring the reader to a full circle understanding- laced with history, story, theology, and experience.