God of the Rahtid

‘I view my rage as a productive emotion, which has power to save and transform … my rage is a catalyst for personal and social change consistent with the call of God to be full of the Spirit and also battle against the principalities and powers of this world that seek to demean and destroy through oppressive practices, systems and institutions.’ How can we make sense of the complex phenomenon of Black rage, and use it in a positive way so that it becomes a constructive force in our lives? As a Black theologian exploring the relationship between religion and culture – including film, hip-hop and identity politics - Robert Beckford describes some of the issues that give rise to Black rage and offers suggestions for how it might be embraced and redeemed. By developing an image of God as one who sides with those who experience righteous rage or rahtid (a Jamaican derivation of the biblical word for wrath), Beckford shows how rage at racialised oppression - including the ‘low-level’ rage caused by everyday injustices - can be transformed into a force for good in society. He points to a new way forward through redemptive vengeance, based on the liberating witness of Jesus.

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