Books about disability, Christian nationalism, and speaking out
Wow, I didn't realize that I never finished and published these reviews! A few months late, here's what I read at the end of last year:
Loving Our Own Bones: Disability Wisdom and the Spiritual Subversiveness of Knowing Ourselves Whole by Julia Watts Belser
I grabbed this off the shelf at the library because it had an interesting cover, and I'm so glad I did. Belser is a rabbi and disability advocate, and in this book she addresses disability through the lens of Judaism and Christianity, wrestling with how the Hebrew and Christian Bibles have thoroughly shaped our culture's ideas about disability— and the tension of how the scriptures have both caused immeasurable damage, and can give us tools for celebrating disability and moving forward. The chapter "God on Wheels" (drawing on imagery from the book of Ezekiel and from the author's own experience as a wheelchair user) was particularly moving. Highly recommended, especially for anyone from a Jewish or Christian background.
American Idolatry: How Christian Nationalism Betrays the Gospel and Threatens the Church by Andrew L. Whitehead
I had previously read the book that Whitehead co-authored discussing, in a rather dry academic way, the impacts of Christian nationalism on people's political views. This book still maintains Whitehead's love of high-quality data (he sounds positively giddy when he talks about it) but comes at the topic from a much more personal angle: he is a Christian, urging others of his religion to reject white Christian nationalism. It's a quick read, and provides a great overview of what he means by the phrase "white Christian nationalism" and why he argues that Christ-followers should denounce it in both word and deed (as well as some practical suggestions for doing so). It's well worth the read.
One content warning: in Chapter Five there is a description of an incredibly violent lynching; sensitive readers (like me) don't need the gory details to understand the point he makes with the story.
I Won't Shut Up: Finding Your Voice When the World Tries to Silence You by Ally Henny
I've followed Henny for a while on Facebook and appreciated her insights about race and theology (as well as her lighthearted posts), and so I was happy to request that the library buy her book. I am not the target audience for this book, which is lovingly addressed to Black people, particularly Black women, and so I read it feeling that I was given permission to listen in on a conversation full of wisdom and insight. It was one of those books that furthered the gentle reconfiguring of my brain, one that kept on making me flinch by realizing that she was pushing against my assumptions of what is "normal," "appropriate," "feminine," or "best." I was also interested to read the tidbits about her own life that she shared, growing up in rural Missouri. All in all, it was a quick and thought-provoking read.
Previously on What I've Been Reading:
All What I've Been Reading posts
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