Review of A Survey of the Black Church in America

Evans, Tony. A Survey of the Black Church in America: Exploring Its History, Ministry, and Unique Strengths. Chicago, IL: Moody, 2023, pp. 236, $14.99, paperback.

For the current climate of racial tension in the United States, Evans provides a kingdom-focused perspective that appeals to people of any color. This book will challenge the reader to pursue justice and oneness so that God might receive the glory.

Whose history is true? Within the United States, the contributions of African Americans have often been left out of history books. Men such as Vivien Thomas, whose solution for “baby blue syndrome” went largely unnoticed, or Wentworth Cheswell, whose ride coincided with that of Paul Revere’s, are significantly less known than their white counterparts. Unfortunately, the same has been true in the evangelical church. With A Survey of the Black Church in America, Tony Evans (ThD, Dallas Theological Seminary) has provided a helpful introduction to the history and contributions of the black church. Evans is the senior pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, TX, and the author of over one hundred books, including The Kingdom Agenda (Chicago, IL: Moody, 2013) and Oneness Embraced (Chicago, IL: Moody, 2022).

            Evans begins the book by recounting how his own experience of learning history helped to change his perspective on race and Christianity. From his upbringing in Baltimore to his doctoral studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, he articulates how his personal narrative was interwoven with lessons learned from the racial tensions of his lifetime. His contention in sharing these experiences is that the black church has much to offer the universal church, despite its persecuted past. Evans summarizes the history of the black church as “a complex narrative speaking of a diaspora comprising a multiplicity of ethnicities from the continent of Africa somehow seeking a spiritual hub in an oppressed and limited environment” (p. 14). Learning from this history, Evans argues, will result in unity and an expansion of God’s kingdom on earth (p. 21).

            In chapters 2 and 3, Evans offers an apologetic for the myth of inferiority that has plagued the African American church. He provides biblical foundations to reject the so-called “curse of Ham” as well as noting the black presence in the Bible. From there, chapters 4 and 5 describe the evolution of religion from African Traditional Religion to the black church in America. As the black church formed in America, Evans argues that it “was the primary proving ground for biblical Christianity” (p. 107). Chapter 6 takes a closer look at the role of the black preacher, whom Evans calls “the most visible, vocal, influential, and strategic leader black America has ever had” (p. 111). The final two chapters bring the discussion into the present day with an examination of black movements and a proposal to adopt what Evans refers to as “kingdomology” (p. 196).

If the reader is looking for a well-written introduction to subjects related to the black church, then A Survey of the Black Church in America succeeds in its endeavor.

There are at least two reasons to recommend this book. First, Evans interacts with race and culture from a biblical and theological perspective rather than just a sociological lens. Many scholars, such as James Cone, have contributed to what Evans refers to as the “fundamental flaw” of black theology in rooting the black experience in victimology (p. 176). Instead, Evans offers “kingdomology” that refers to God’s comprehensive rule in all areas of life and the unifying theme of Scripture (p. 124). Rooting racial tension and other sins within this biblical framework is helpful for the reader rather than simply succumbing to cultural and societal norms of different eras. As Evans summarizes, “The root of the racial problems we face in our nation today are clearly spiritual. It’s only when we identify and understand the spiritual components that we are then able to translate them to the pragmatic realities of the cultural crisis at hand” (p. 16).

Second, Evans’ personal experience interwoven in the discussion throughout the book gives his argument credibility and serves as an example of racial reconciliation. He writes that evangelist Tom Skinner helped him recognize the “great need for black evangelicals to be able to sit at the academic table of discussion alongside white brothers and sisters to offer a perspective on the Bible and theology that reflected the black experience and interpreted social justice through a biblical lens” (p. 112). Evans was able to accomplish what Skinner envisioned, attending the predominantly white Dallas Theological Seminary for doctoral studies while also starting his own African American church in the Dallas area. His experience in both white evangelicalism and being raised as an African American makes Evans uniquely qualified to speak on current issues such as Black Lives Matter (p. 154) or Critical Race Theory (p. 155). Readers from all backgrounds would benefit from Evans’ kingdom perspective on these pressing issues.

If there was one area of pushback, the chapter on “The Black Church’s Link with Africa” provided some confusion pertaining to the link that Evans argued for. Evans cites authors such as W. E. B. DuBois and Henry Mitchell who contend that the black church did retain some aspects of their African heritage (p. 76). From there, Evans notes several parallels between African Traditional Religion and Christianity, including the black preacher as the new African priest (p. 81), a God of goodness and justice (p. 83), and a sacrificial God (p. 89). Evans seems to be correct in his contention that there are similarities between African Traditional Religion and Christianity (90). However, the argument that he makes to get to that point seems to come close to a sort of syncretism between the two distinct religions. Describing the change from the religion of Africa to Christianity would seem to be more than “a simple transition” (p. 90). More clarity in this regard, and perhaps more interaction with dissenters such as E. Franklin Frazier, would be helpful to the reader.

            If the reader is looking for a well-written introduction to subjects related to the black church, then A Survey of the Black Church in America succeeds in its endeavor. Though the book might not go in-depth on each topic referenced, the author’s endnotes help point to some more technical resources on these subjects such as Black Preaching: The Recovery of a Powerful Art by Henry Mitchell (San Francisco, CA: Harper and Row, 1979) or The Black Presence in the Bible by Walter McCray (Chicago, IL: Black Light Fellowship, 1990). For the current climate of racial tension in the United States, Evans provides a kingdom-focused perspective that appeals to people of any color. This book will challenge the reader to pursue justice and oneness so that God might receive the glory.