The Hopeful Activist by Rich Gower and Rachel Walker

This is a beginner’s guide for Christians who believe that their calling on injustice is not just to “see” and “speak up” about it, but also to “fix” it. It is a guide for lay people who want to effect social change in the name of Christ.

Rich Gower and Rachel Walker have collected wisdom for Christian activists and packaged it in a relaxed, personal style. Much of the content comes from their long-running podcast series of the same name, so the book is peppered with inspiring and challenging words from activists like Shane Claiborne and Krish Kandiah who have made a difference on a national level. But there are also contributions from individuals known only in their own neighborhoods: Christians who have tackled food poverty by installing a community refrigerator in a housing project, or who have fought against air pollution caused by parents running their engines outside an elementary school.

The focus is on the small and local, and on “working with” rather than “working for.” There’s advice on campaign planning, teamwork, avoiding burnout, and dealing with failure.

For young Christians who have been taught that multiplication is the primary goal of discipleship, this book offers a welcome alternative. The authors emphasize that “effective change has more to do with fruitfulness than with the language of industrial production.”

The authors don’t address specific issues like poverty, racial injustice, or the climate crisis. There’s not much said about power here. Instead, they simply challenge readers to ask, “What has God put inside you?” Quoting civil rights activist Howard Thurman, they advise readers to “ask yourself what makes you come alive and do it, because what the world needs is people come alive.” I wonder if this individualistic approach risks crossing the line between service and self-actualization.

Provocative questions at the end of each chapter make it useful for small group discussions as well as for “aspiring influencers” who want to reflect on their methods and motivations in social engagement.

Andrew Graystone is a theologian and author. He is the author of Faith, Hope and Mischief: Small Acts of Rebellion (Canterbury Press, 2020) (Podcast, 28 August 2020).

The Hopeful Activist: Discover the Crucial Change You Are Meant to Make
Rich Gower and Rachel Walker
SPEC 10,99 €
(978-0-281-08824-9)
Church Times Bookshop £9.89