God Is Not a White Man

Shortlisted for the 2023 Michael Ramsey Prize

What does it mean when God is presented as male?

What does it mean when - from our internal assumptions to our shared cultural imaginings - God is presented as white?

These are the urgent questions Chine McDonald asks in a searing look at her experience of being a Black woman in the white-majority space that is the UK church - a church that is being abandoned by Black women no longer able to grin and bear its casual racism, colonialist narratives and lack of urgency on issues of racial justice.

Part memoir, part social and theological commentary, God Is Not a White Man is a must-read for anyone troubled by a culture that insists everyone is equal in God's sight, yet fails to confront white supremacy; a lament about the state of race and faith, and a clarion call for us all to do better.

'This book is much-needed medicine for a sickness that we cannot ignore.' - The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry

“This book - and its author - is a profound gift to a Church that has much work to do. I commend it to all who are seeking a better, fairer future that truly reflects the face of Jesus Christ.-- Archbishop Justin Welby”

This book - and its author - is a profound gift to a Church that has much work to do. I commend it to all who are seeking a better, fairer future that truly reflects the face of Jesus Christ. -- Archbishop Justin Welby
Thanks to McDonald's incredible writing, I finally feel part of the theological story. -- David Lammy MP
Candid yet kind, I'm awestruck by the depth and clarity of this book. Essential reading for anyone who wants to catch a glimpse of what it's like to live as a Black woman in a predominantly white society, in a world designed for men. Chine McDonald expertly and empathetically draws the reader into her own story, and after you've read it you will see the world differently. -- Professor Maggi Dawn, Durham University
This important book offers us a vital opportunity to walk in someone else's shoes and begin to understand what it is like to be a Black British Christian. Chine's courageous vulnerability helps us aspire to fight racism with more than an occasional demonstration or statue toppling, leaving us with a challenge to take action to pursue a more just and equitable society for all. -- Dr Krish Kandiah
This is a beautifully written reflection/memoir about being Black and female in a Church and a country that values most people who are white and male. It is insightful and generous, thought-provoking and nuanced and will stay with me long after I've finished it. You must read it, if you are in any way committed to reflecting on how we take seriously the blight that racism casts on us all and to striving together to build a better future. -- Dr Paula Gooder
Untangling the quandary of white supremacy and Christianity needs a steady hand, lots of patience and a wise and gracious mind. Chine has all of these in abundance. Her choice to be vulnerable on the page is inspiring, but her assessments are clear-eyed and honest, and not only did I feel vindicated and understood as a Black Christian woman, I learned so much from her. -- Jendella Benson
This is a captivating book. Chine McDonald uses her own biography like a brush, dipping into stories and research from Africa, the USA and the UK to paint a vivid portrait of the dangers of white supremacy facing all of us today. -- Joel Edwards

Chine delivers a womanist manifesto for the eradication of whiteness. It is an intimate love song to her Nigerian heritage, and an honouring of a deep connected African spirituality. It charts women's resistance movements from villagers dismantling the huts of the men who conspired to harm, to Beyoncé in Lemonade . . . This book enriches the conversation, it exposes what is, and points to a better way for all of
us to breathe, and be free.

-- A. D. A. France-Williams
In this era of Black Lives Matter and the rising voices of women, there is a need for more stories to be heard from Black women that speak truth to power, with an authenticity that captivates through its honesty. This book does exactly that, laying bare Chine's personal experiences and inner thoughts around some hard-hitting and critically important subject matters I could really relate to. It's a go-to book and a must-read. -- Leroy Logan MBE
What a fantastic book. Through her personal and insightful stories Chine McDonald takes us deeper into the image of God. An excellent book full of wisdom. Ben Lindsay
What a fantastic book. Through her personal and insightful stories Chine McDonald takes us deeper into the image of God. An excellent book full of wisdom. -- Sarah Bessey
a compelling personal perspective . . . provocative Church Times
This new book from Chine McDonald is a powerful exploration of theology and race, interwoven with her own stories and others. I'm only one chapter in, and already lots to ponder and reflect upon. Baptist Times
This book does not offer a solution, but is a stepping stone on the journey to greater understanding - and justice Life & Work
This is a must read for all those committed to leading or being part of a church that is truly inclusive and reflective of the love of God. This book will open your eyes a little wider, and build in you a desire to participate in a new vision for our Church. A vision that perhaps is long overdue, one where church can feel like home to all of us and not just some. Reform
The book is both a heartfelt lament and a rousing rallying cry . . . It is a call that badly needs to be heeded - and acted upon. Baptist Times

Chine McDonald read Theology at Cambridge University before training as a newspaper journalist. She is director of religion and society think tank Theos, and is a regular contributor to BBC Religion & Ethics programmes, including Thought for the Day, the Daily Service, and Prayer for the Day.

What does it mean when God is presented as male? What does it mean when - from our internal assumptions to our shared cultural imaginings - God is presented as white? These are the urgent questions Chine McDonald asks in a searing look at her experience of being a Black woman in the white-majority space that is the UK church - a church that is being abandoned by Black women no longer able to grin and bear its casual racism, colonialist narratives and lack of urgency on issues of racial justice.Part memoir, part social and theological commentary, God Is Not a White Man is a must-read for anyone troubled by a culture that insists everyone is equal in God's sight, yet fails to confront white supremacy; a lament about the state of race and faith, and a clarion call for us all to do better. 'This book is much-needed medicine for a sickness that we cannot ignore.' - The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry

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