Book Review: The Scots Afrikaners: Identity Politics and Intertwined Religious Cultures in Southern and Central Africa

“Unraveling Empire for a Global World,” as the subtitle of this book suggests, is the central theme that Kwok emphasizes for her readers. She clearly explains that the study of religion and empire has had a complex and ambiguous relationship throughout history. The responsibility of theologians and ethicists is to “reclaim the liberating potential of Christianity and contribute to fostering a democratic culture in both church life and society” (89). This book develops this vision in three parts. The first part focuses on how Christianity has been intertwined with colonial, imperial, capitalist, and heteronormative interests. The second part explains how to articulate political theologies from the perspectives of Asia Pacific. The last part explores the potential of postcolonial theory in topics such as theological education, preaching, interreligious peacebuilding, and ecological crisis. Postcolonial Politics and Theology challenges readers to encounter different theologies and theories worldwide. Readers will benefit from Kwok’s comprehensive reading of both postcolonial studies and justice-oriented religious work. In addition to Edward Said, Homi Bhabha, and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, Kwok also uses other postcolonial theorists such as Frantz Fanon, Achille Mbembe, and Walter Mignolo. The footnotes in each chapter help readers locate some of the significant scholarly discussions in postcolonial theory and theology. I highly recommend this book to scholars who are interested in engaging their work through a postcolonial and transnational lens, as well as readers who are willing to explore the field of political theology from a non-Eurocentric perspective.