A gift grows in the ghetto: reimagining the spiritual lives of Black men

Abstract

approaches and methods developed within practical theology offer a much clearer, rigorous and more direct engagement with practice. For me lived practice as a theological voice offers rich insights because things are messier and more integrated than our traditional theological categories often allow. As practice become more of a focus in other sub-disciplines of theology, greater collaboration will greatly enrich the theology being done. The opportunities for further exploration demonstrate the significant and generative nature of this book. I highly recommend it as a significant contribution to the discussion around formation, and a corrective to an overconfidence both in churches’ metanarrative and to the confidence in Christian practices to provide good formation. My sense is that in the last two chapters Leith is grasping for a more integrated and messy account of formation than Bonhoeffer and Coles can offer her. But far from detracting from this book, I think it offers clear ways forwards and my hope is that Leith, or others, will pick up this rich seam which she has opened up, and study these concrete, messy and quotidian accounts of formation ‘in the world’. Such accounts would add further weight to this important book and the convincing and engaging argument which Leith puts forward.