Trails of Hope and Terror Review

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and his teachings. King, an example of this heritage of black suffering, rested on the truth that “Jesus Christ was the stone of hope, a refuge in the storm, and an inspiring example of the nonviolent struggle for justice.” From King’s legacy a stream of evangelical movements arose that were committed to both personal transformation and social reform. Jesus & Justice tells the story of two such movements: the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) and Sojourners/ Call to Renewal. John Perkins, cofounder of CCDA, is one of the pioneer leaders of “prophetic evangelicalism.” Similarly, Jim Wallis, a white social activist, has been compelled by his faith to put justice into action through advocacy and political engagement. Both Perkins and Wallis exemplify the prophetic evangelicalism that emerged out of King’s legacy, placing emphasis on Christ as the one who suffers with and is the perfect embodiment of both love and justice. Carl F. H. Henry was also a pioneer of the Christian faith and was considered by many to be the “theological

architect of evangelicalism.” If King’s influence was from the underbelly of the evangelical movement, Henry’s was at its very core. As both a theology professor at Fuller Seminary and the editor of Christianity Today, Henry carried great influence as a public theologian, leading the way for a conservative stream of evangelicalism. His legacy contributed to the emergence of several Christian movements, including Focus on the Family and the National Association of Evangelicals. While Henry’s emphasis was on the kingdom of God and personal righteousness, he expressed an uneasy conscience about racism and injustice. Although not actively involved in the civil rights movement, Henry used his voice to call for increased evangelical involvement in social action through public policy and other methods of reform. His theology acknowledged God’s heart for justice and for racial equality, but his own personal life did not manifest significant social action. He failed to acknowledge institutional racism and did little to rectify the horrors of racial inequality and injustice. Heltzel offers a strong and well-substantiated critique of Henry and his influence upon white evangelicalism and its failure to develop “theological vision, social analysis, and collective motivation” in response to the problem of racism. Despite Henry’s and other white evangelical’s negligence, Heltzel leaves the reader with great hope that a new stream of evangelicalism is emerging. Jesus & Justice is convincing in its argument that evangelicalism must be viewed in its historical context of white oppression and black suffering. Heltzel says, “Evangelicalism is singing and listening to the blues; it is evolving and growing green.” The blues represent the horrors and tragedy of black suffering, and the green shows the growing holism of evangelicalism inclusive of the ideas of peace and justice.With the intePRISM 2010

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gration of these two streams, we are reminded that “Evangelicalism is moving, and moving quickly, to embody justice around the world.” n Mae Elise Cannon is executive pastor of Hillside Covenant Church in Walnut Creek, Calif., and the author of The Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World (IVP, 2009).

Trails of Hope and Terror By Miguel A. De La Torre Orbis Books Reviewed by Glen Peterson Social ethics professor Miguel de la Torre takes immigration reform to the desert, transforming it from dry policy debate to complex and compelling stories about real people. Along with fellow professors and students from Denver’s Iliff School of Theology, De La Torre walks the Sonoran desert to meet migrants and learn why they immigrate, then trans-


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