Reading "Reading While Black" While White [2 of 3]

A Book Review in Three Parts

In part two of the review, I do two things:

1. Contemplate what McCaulley means by Black ecclesial interpretation.

2. Summarize the book.

Black Ecclesial Interpretation

McCaulley introduces black ecclesial interpretation with these words:

I am referring to the struggle between Black nihilism and Black hope. I am speaking of the ways in which the Christian tradition fights for and makes room for hope in a world that tempts us toward despair. I contend that a key element in this fight for hope in our community has been the practice of Bible reading and interpretation coming out of the Black church, what I am calling Black ecclesial interpretation. (3)

To a great extent, Reading While Black is a demonstration of Black ecclesial interpretation, but the first and last chapters offer some methodological explanation. I want to focus on the latter in order to understand what, precisely, characterizes the “Black ecclesial instinct or method” (19), also referred to as “the instincts and habits of Black biblical interpreters” (23). Addressing three issues will clarify the answer: (1) the location of Black ecclesial interpretation in relation to the White progressive, White fundamentalist, and Black progressive traditions; (2) the perceived deficiencies of evangelicalism; and (3) the portrayal of the alternative.