Doing Reconciliation: Racism, Reconciliation and Transformation in the Church and World by Alexander F Venter

Doing Reconciliation, authored by Alexander F Venter, comes out of his experience in Soweto during the Apartheid years (1984-1995) in South Africa. He tells his own story of dealing with his white racism and seeking reconciliation with black folk in Soweto. This took the shape of JOHWETO – the reconciliation community that symbolically combined the white city of Johannesburg and the black city of Soweto.His Soweto colleague, Trevor Ntlhola, also tells his story of transformation as a black man under Apartheid and in the new democratic South Africa.Alexander then lays out a biblical theology of Racism, Reconciliation and Transformation in Church and World (the subtitle of the book) concluding his work with some practical models of racial, economic, gender, one-on-one, group and structural reconciliation, as well as many suggested practical steps and programs for application.The book ends with a section of excellent resources for reconciliation work, including a chapter by Dr Derek Morphew on Christians for Human Rights.God has done a miracle of reconciliation and democracy in South Africa. But our journey has only just begun, and in some ways is needed more now than ever before. This book calls for a deeper journey of reconciliation, not only in South Africa, but in all nations of the world because of growing polarization, nationalism, racism, violence and terrorism that threatens to destroy our global village. And followers of Jesus (the Church) should take the initiative and be at the forefront in the work of societal reconciliation and transformation. Therefore, this book is a ‘must read’!