Ellis traces the awareness that African Americans have of themselves from slavery days to the present with special attention to the roles of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Ellis's perceptive eye reveals how White historians left Blacks out of their recording of events just as Black secularists have left God out of their interpretation of recent events. Originally published in 1983 with the title Beyond Liberation, the book has been thoroughly revised and updated.
One of the most interesting discussions is in chapter 12, "That Boy Sho' Can Preach." In it Ellis draws a comparison between music and theology, both of which, he says, can be approached as classical and as jazz. "Jesus was a master jazz theologian" as he used parables to bring new life to scriptural teaching. When Matthew tells us that Jesus' words had the ring of authority, he could be saying, "It ain't just what he said but the way how he say it." In this way, Jesus' use of parables was like jazz music. It was truth clothed in the experience of the times.
This is not a quick and easy read. In fact, readers may need to refresh their memories in the extensive Glossary of People, Events, and Terms at the back. Leafing through it is a good review of the last 25 years of U.S. history as you come across entries for the Battle of Selma, the Congress of Racial Equality, "Daddy" Grace, Louis Farrakhan, the Jonestown tragedy, etc. Ellis's viewpoint is measured and moderate, revealing much that Blacks and Whites need to keep in mind as they meet and work together for freedom and dignity.
Ellis, a graduate of Westminster Seminary, serves as director of development for Oxford Graduate School in Crystal Springs, Tennessee. He is also president of Project Joseph, a ministry dedicated to the renewal and reformation of the church.
Arleta Jones is a freelance reviewer from Dayton, OH.
Copyright ©1996, ProMotion, inc.
www@acloserlook.com