Description
Book Synopsis: Can you imagine a future that includes your enemies? If not, what happens next? From one of the most courageous and visionary leaders of our time comes Troubling the Water, an immersive book about the violence and injustice that threaten to drown us all. Activist Ben McBride recounts how he first waded into the water: from the Kill Zone in Oakland, where he moved with his young family, to the uprising in Ferguson, to the moral impoverishment of the white evangelical church. In the truth-telling tradition of Bryan Stevenson and Bishop William Barber, McBride leads us right into the fury and fragmentation of our moment, and then steadies us once we're there.
What would it take to truly belong to each other? Radical belonging, McBride argues, means looking at our implicit biases, at our faulty understandings of power, and at how we "other"--or "same"--people. Sometimes it even means troubling the waters―speaking hard truths in situations that appear calm but that cloak injustice.
With a blend of provocation and good humor, McBride leads us beyond inaction on the one hand and polemic on the other. What results is an indelible manifesto--a troublemaking reverend's call to the most urgent task of our time. As inequality, racism, and alienation weaken our common life, well-meaning people ask: What do I need to do to create a world where all can belong? But McBride asserts that instead, we need to ask: Who do I need to become?
Building a shared humanity is hella messy. "Peacemaking" sounds cloying and staying apart seems safer. But unless we want violence to intensify, we are running out of options. In this unforgettable book, McBride reminds us that wading into conflict and stirring up truth is the only way to find real healing.
Details
Troubling the Water: The Urgent Work of Radical Belonging is an extraordinary book that challenges us to imagine a future where even our enemies can belong. Written by renowned activist Ben McBride, this immersive journey takes us through the violence and injustice that threaten to drown us all. Inspired by the likes of Bryan Stevenson and Bishop William Barber, McBride fearlessly exposes the fury and fragmentation of our current moment, while offering a path towards radical belonging.
McBride's incredible storytelling takes us from the Kill Zone in Oakland, where he relocated with his family, to the uprising in Ferguson, and even to the moral impoverishment of the white evangelical church. Troubling the Water challenges us to confront our implicit biases, flawed power dynamics, and the harmful ways we perceive others. McBride's unique perspective encourages us to speak hard truths, even in seemingly calm situations that hide deep-rooted injustice.
With a perfect blend of provocation and humor, Troubling the Water becomes an indelible manifesto for our time. McBride compels well-meaning people, who genuinely seek equality and belonging, to question not just what they need to do but who they need to become. He reminds us that building a shared humanity is messy and that staying apart is not the answer. Instead, wading into conflict and stirring up truth is the only path to genuine healing in a world marred by inequality, racism, and alienation.
If you are tired of inaction or polemic approaches and truly want to be part of creating a world where everyone can belong, Troubling the Water is a must-read. As McBride shows, the time for complacency is over. By troubling the waters and speaking up against injustice, we can pave the way for a better future. Don't miss out on this remarkable book that urges us to embrace radical belonging and take on the most urgent task of our time.
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