Last week I got a chance to read Michael Eric Dyson’s Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America. It is in the same vein as James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time and Te-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me, which were also quite powerful and prophetic memoirs on race.
Dyson’s book is unique in that it’s written in the structure and format of a sermon – with opening and closing prayers, sections entitled “offering,” and the full body of the “message.” Dyson is both a pastor from the world of progressive theology as well as a political critic and commentator. Both aspects of his vocation are evident here.
First, this is an incredible powerful book. I’d recommend the audio version, read by the author himself, because it is like sitting in a sermon. There’s incredible insights that unpack the realities of race for identity formation in the context of America over the last few decades. It’s targeted directly to white readers, offering direct responses to many of the common reactions or minimizing arguments against the cries for justice from African Americans and other minorities who have faced discrimination by race. This directness does have some uncomfortable moments as a white listener, but any uncomfortableness is good and needed.
Stylistically, I did wonder at times if his “sermon to white america” was targeted to a stereotype of white america because some points of resistance Dyson is countering I’m not sure I’ve really seen in real people. However, in the Trump era -there probably is more truth to this “general consciousness” out there even if I don’t encounter it as much as a Californian and as one living in Asia more removed of late. Regardless of whether some arguments felt like they were targeted towards caricatures (which may in fact be more real than I’m aware of), Dyson’s responses and storytelling to convey deep truths and experiences that need to be known are appropriate and helpful.
Despite being framed as a sermon, I do believe the “theology” was quite weak. There is incredible wisdom and insight, but not much is rooted theologically outside of a general theology of the image of God in all. The sermon is less theological and more sociological and political. I think there are limited attempts to frame justice theologically if one would be faithful to the true format of a sermon. However, from the perspective of historical reflection, personal memoir, and societal critique – it’s powerful and deep.
So while I may not embrace some of his theology or even some of his politics (though there are some aspects of both his theology and his politics I do embrace), this is a book worth reading in contemporary America, especially as a white person. White people need to be told stories and certain truths to keep learning to “believe the stories” from oppressed minorities. It’s easy to unintentional become distant or skeptical or even have hard hearts towards the possibilities that there are really unjust things being experienced by others even in our own communities on the basis of race. We need to hear these types of “sermons” and keep wrestling with how to help shape a new story for everyone.
