Reggie Williams' Bonhoeffer's Black Jesus... breaks new ground in offeringa detailed and vibrant portrait of the Harlem Renaissance that was in full blossom during Bonhoeffer's time in New York.
-- Contemporary Church History Quarterly
... a highly significant study of Bonhoeffer’s powerfully formative theological development inside the crucible and sublime beauty of Harlem. It is required reading for anyone seeking a more complex, constructive, and provocative view of Bonhoeffer, especially as it provides a dark-hued and somewhat contested thesis that will surely establish a new benchmark for the vigorous discussions and debates to come regarding Bonhoeffer’s Christological and ethical embrace of racial alterity and Christian identity.
-- Modern Theology
In addition to the exploration of Bonhoeffer’s time in Harlem, this book raises important considerations about scholarship and pedagogy that would benefit a broad audience. Williams, using Bonhoeffer’s own words, emphasizes that his early theology had been a demonstration of intellect rather than an expression of faith.
-- Journal of the Society of Christian Ethics
Williams invites readers to leave behind the romantic image of a white Jesus, moving beyond it to articulate thoughtfully the representative action of a Palestinian Christ who experienced necropolitics on the way to the cross. In this way, Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus challenges the formation of young theologians today: to learn from historical engagement, to face current ideological and religious oppressions, and to journey in vulnerability, mutual learning and action towards justice and peace.
-- Modern Believing
Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus stands as a turning point in Bonhoeffer scholarship while offering a fresh and constructive approach to theological ethics in its vision for empathic resistance and solidarity with the oppressed.
-- Anglican Theological Review
Williams' exploration is a welcome journey into a domain of praxiological substance in a contemporary age where vain ideologies, boisterous pathologies, and impotent philosophies have become normative impersonations of meaningful commitment. His historical framing is invaluable, as he refreshingly covers the development and depth of Bonhoeffer's thought.
-- Journal of Lutheran Ethics
... What should the reflective life of a global Christian look like? Williams' Bonhoeffer brings us close and paves the way for deeper reflection on the impact of Bonhoeffer's global ministry on his theology.
-- Black Theology: An International Journal
Williams' prose is enthralling, and he successfully engages in meaningful dialog with earlier literature in ethics, theology, and black studies. His book is a welcome effort to bridge our understanding of Bonhoeffer's actions in Germany with motivations inherited from Black America. It might be useful in both undergraduate and graduate settings.
-- Lutheran Quarterly
