Raymond Brown reviews Unmuted by Usha Reifsnider
As promised in its Introduction, this book does make for uncomfortable reading in places.
The 14 chapters, including the Introduction, are written by 15 authors from a variety of different ethnic, ecclesiological, social, and academic backgrounds. The one thing they have in common is a desire to “unmute” the voices of the voiceless by interacting with Muted Group Theory (MGT), and as they understand it in relation to their respective fields of study. The book covers a range of issues from climate justice to the Roma community, from women in leadership, from race and ethnicity to body trauma and healing.
On page 18 the four principles of MGT are helpfully summarised. First, society expects different things from its different groups. Second, power and privilege are exercised through communication. Third, the marginalised and the muted are forced to adopt the communication style and method of the dominant culture. Finally, despite all this, muted groups can challenge the status quo by resisting the cultural expectations and norms of the dominant group.
The chapter on women in leadership highlighted the complex issues surrounding egalitarians and complementarians without naming them or tackling them directly. This left me with the impression that the author was more the former than the latter. But this could just be my discomfort speaking. Ashleigh Gibb’s important chapter reflecting on body trauma made for further uncomfortable if sober reading. Especially the idea that the doctrine of Penal Substitution Atonement may be problematic for those who associate some of its imagery and language with their trauma.
Finally, even as a black man, having lived much of my life in London, I was challenged by David Wise’s chapter about unmuting migrants and how eurocentric even my way of thinking and interpreting the Bible can be. As the pastor of a very diverse church, I felt convicted that there was much here my fellow elders and I need to learn from.
You may not agree with all the theological perspectives espoused in this book. I felt very tempted to dismiss [it] when perhaps I needed to spend more time reflecting on exactly why I disagreed.
Book information
- Unmuted: Speaking to be heard, Usha Reifsnider, Apollos, ISBN: 987 1 789 745 535, 216 pages, £23
