★★★★★ 5
A pastoral and prophetic epistle to the Western Church
Format: Paperback, Format: Paperback
I was so glad to read this book! Joash Thomas writes with an accessible blend of humor, vulnerability, and incisive observation as he reminds the Western Church of the inheritance of the saints across time and around the world. With pastoral sensitivity and prophetic courage, Joash brings the global heritage of the Church into the spotlight in a kind, clarifying, and convicting way.
The book is structured in three parts: the first clears away some of the roadblocks to considering a justice-oriented lens, the second explores and illuminates the necessary work of decolonizing our doctrine and praxis, and the third invites readers to imagine an alternate path forward. I liked how the book is sprinkled with story-telling—both examples from global church history and story-telling ways churches today are prioritizing justice. I also found his idea for shifting "mission trips" to "vision trips" that see what God is already doing to be very provocative and hopeful. My favorite part of the book was the exposition on the Lord's Prayer.
Each chapter ends with reflection questions, making this a great resource for a church small group or book study.
*** A few of my favorite quotes:
"One of the most beautiful, anti-colonial things about the Table is the way it visibly unifies all of us in Christ, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, gender, or politics. The Table is a rare place on earth where people who have nothing else in common suddenly find themselves reminded of how they hold the most important thing in common with each other, which is being united by the body and blood of Christ. The colonizer's gospel divides to conquer, but the gospel of Christ unites to heal. In a Western church that is highly divided on issues of theology, race, politics, and socioeconomics, the Table can be a physical place of healing and unification. Unless we learn to receive the body of Christ with our enemies at the Table (which requires allowing our theological and political enemies to participate at the Table with us), we will never know what it looks like to become the body of Christ for this broke world in need of healing." pg. 89
"Many Western Christians today are uncomfortable (and in many cases, even made fearful) by the idea of Christians living at peace and in the minority in a highly pluralistic society, even though this has been the reality for the vast majority of non-Western Christians around the world." pg. 109
"When we start prayer acknowledging that we're children of this heavenly Father, we are reminded that we are a part of a cosmic order much bigger than ourselves...When we ask God to give us our daily bread, we are asking God to give ALL his children their daily bread...God still takes the side of people in poverty and oppression because they have no one else who can advocate on their behalf. God's preferential option for the poor is not because of the goodness of people in poverty; it is because of the goodness of God." pg. 137-139
"In situations like this, we must set aside our desire for success (in this case, transforming the entire political climate of a nation) and prioritize faithfulness (doing what we can with what we have), even if this means we have to operate from the margins." pg. 158
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Reviewed in the United States on November 19, 2025
