Confounding the Mighty: Stories of Church, Social Class and Solidarity

by Luke Larner (Editor)

Overview

It is long past time for the church to talk seriously about social class. Bringing together the stories of eight contemporary Christian ministers and theologians from working-class backgrounds, and putting their own life experiences into conversation with theological reflection, Confounding the Mighty explores what role class plays in the life of Churches, education establishments and social justice movements in 21st Century Britain and beyond. Written from a diverse variety of social locations, chapters explore how class relates to faith, Church, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, education, leadership, work and wider social justice issues. While lamenting injustice and personal experiences of oppression, this book suggests radical changes in how Christians, churches and theologians relate to class issues, pointing towards renewed structures and practices to bring class justice in churches and wider society. Recognising that class is a thorny issue, the book seeks to bring a progressive theological perspective on class which pays close attention to related issues and promotes liberation for all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780334063575
Publisher:	Hymns Ancient & Modern
Publication date:	08/28/2023
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	5.38(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.45(d)

About the Author

Luke Larner is an Anglican priest, theologian and community organiser. He was formerly a bricklayer.

Table of Contents

Contributor Biographies Foreword: Professor Anthony Reddie Prelude: ‘You Are What You’re Born’ by Luke Larner Section 1: ‘The Almighty has done great things for me’: Intersectional Experiences of Class and the Church 1: ‘Feckless Faith: Why the relationship between class and Christian faith is a justice issue’ by Luke Larner 2: ‘Wandering in the wilderness: education, class and dislocation’ by Ruth Harley 3: ‘Race, Class, and Caste: The Church’s Triangle of Tragedy’ by Rajiv Sidhu Section 2: 'Lifting up the lowly’: Class and Leadership in Mission and Ministry 4: ‘Consider Your Own Call: Class, Discernment, and the Church of England’ by Katherine Long 5: ‘Resisting Coloniality: Class, Pentecostalism and Contemporary Leadership in the Church in England’ by Selina Stone Section 3: ‘Casting down the mighty from their thrones’: Class, Solidarity, and the Struggle for the Common Good 6: ‘Bullshit Jobs: The Church and the Precariat’ by Sally Mann 7: ‘Recovering the Radical: Lessons of Class Solidarity through a case study from the Iona Community’ by Victoria Turner 8: ‘Class in the Classroom: Social Class and Theological Education’ By Eve Parker 9: Conclusion: ‘The Spirit and Struggling for Solidarity’ By Luke Larner Afterword: Professor Joerg Rieger

Editorial Reviews

In this bold, provocative and deeply engaging book, the authors challenge the church to think again about class. More importantly, they call for prophetic action to upset the economic structures that perpetuate the gross inequalities of modern Britain, which are mirrored in the church and its educational institutions. This book is an example of the best kind of Christian Socialism: a theology for the picket line and not the armchair”.

Mark Chapman