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Race, Economics and Apologetics: Is There a Connection? (Luke Bobo; 2019)
Embodying the gospel
Margie and I heard Luke Bobo—no stranger to the pages of Critique—speak on this topic and hoped to publish his talk. Luke had already arranged to have it published in short book form, and so I’m delighted to call attention to it here. In Race, Economics, and Apologetics: Is There a Connection? Luke addresses issues relevant to today’s headlines and crucial to the integrity of the gospel in America in these opening decades of the 21stcentury.
Although there is a strange reluctance on the part of many to believe this, the free market in the United States does not contain a level playing field. Everyone does not have an equal opportunity to get ahead, and there are subtle, often hidden systemic barriers that keep some from flourishing no matter how hard they work or how much they desire to thrive as a worker using their energy and gifts. One of the most insidious barriers is racism, and its evil tendrils are deeply rooted in every aspect of our modern economic and social system.
Luke defines the problem and explains how we got here. He provides specific examples to demonstrate the reality of racialized economics, and then provides equally specific ways the church can embody the gospel to address this systemic problem. “In a time when the gospel is implausible,” he says, “an embodied, nonverbal, lived apologetic is what is desperately needed in these troubled times.
He is absolutely correct, and we highly recommend Race, Economics, and Apologetics to you. It won’t be all you’ll want to read on the topic but it’s a great place to start.
Book recommended:Race, Economics, and Apologetics: Is There a Connection? by Luke Bobo (READY Publication LLC; 2019) 51 pages + bibliography.