Review of What We Love About the Black Church by William Crouch, Jr. & Joel Gregory
Review by Kristopher Norris
This book certainly represents a significant endeavor and an essential effort for the church. In a church
that is more often than not completely segregated by race, the work of two white ministers to bridge
the gap and describe the formative practices and qualities of the black church is a welcome and needed
project. What We Love About the Black Church by professors William Crouch, Jr. and Joel Gregory
suggests “black churches have strengths that would greatly enrich the white church” and is an effort to
convey those helpful qualities (xvi). Crouch and Gregory highlight their experiences and analysis of the
black church through personal narrative and reflection. Each chapter on a specific strength, including
such things as preaching, mentoring, honoring elders, hospitality, and empowerment, contains two
reflections from each author, followed by responses by at least two African American pastors.
The format and organization of the book is an important asset of this work. Being white theologians and
ministers, the authors represent only their own experiences with the black church rather than making
outside generalizations. By including the responses of black ministers and theologians with each of their
reflections, Crouch and Gregory incorporate a dialogical format and easy-to-read structure. In this way,
they write not as “scholarly authorities on the black church,” but as “blessed recipients of her grace and
her goodness,” a helpful approach for readers unfamiliar with black church qualities (126). This book
serves as a valuable introduction to the unique attributes of the African American church for readers
who have had little or no experience outside of their white church context. Many of their reflections are
valuable insights and qualities those of us in predominately white churches would do well to examine
more closely.
This reviewer would be remiss if I did not acknowledge a few elements of distraction that made the
reading sometimes less than enjoyable. While the personal nature of the narrative certainly impacted
the book in positive ways, at times it seems the weight or humor did not translate in written form. In
addition, I wish they would have not focused so exclusively on preaching as the vital element of worship
at the expense of other just-as-important liturgical elements. Their chapter on the “First Lady” of the
church could be read as slightly patriarchal and misrepresentative of the black church as a whole. The
authors miss an opportunity to promote female pastors by focusing solely on a masculine pastorate in
the black church. Their chapter on hospitality, likewise, relates only stories of the church demonstrating
hospitality to each of them as guest preachers through such things as providing limos for travel. In doing
this they neglect the true meaning of Christian hospitality: that is, showing a radical sense of welcome to
the marginalized and disenfranchised—not an honored minister. Finally, their desire to honor the
numerous others who have made an impact on their ministries through their storytelling becomes
redundant. Their incessant use of titles becomes a distracting element. I do not need to know E.K. Bailey
was a Rev. Dr. every time he is mentioned. They explain the prominent use of formal titles in the black
church (118), but their practice becomes burdensome to the reader and perhaps works against the
egalitarian meaning of the priesthood of all believers and communal impulse of the missional church.
One of the chapter’s responders, Valerie Miles-Tribbel, offers a good caution in regards to gender
equality and title usage.
In the end, while I did not enjoy the book in its entirely, the effort of the authors must be praised. Any
attempt at racial reconciliation in the Christian church is important, and recognizing the gifts of primarily
African American church heritage is a great starting point for readers who are unfamiliar with the black
church. I would recommend this book to anyone who desires a quick and easy read and is interested in a
basic representation of black church practices.