Presbyterian Pastor Stephen McCutchan’s Anti-Racist Novel Leaves Readers in Shock and Awe

Presbyterian pastor Stephen McCutchan has the mission to preach the Word of God and prepare souls for eternal life. He sees addressing racism as a key element in their spiritual growth. He extends his ministry by writing impactful books on racism, one of which is “Shock and Awe: A Church Recognizes Its Racism and is Awed by God’s Invitation” (2021).
 
Pastor McCutchan’s anti-racist message and call to action come in the form of a story to help readers, most especially white Christians, fix their gaze on the suffering Christ in the wounds of their Black brothers and sisters. He said about his book, “‘Shock and Awe’ tells the story of what it might look like for a church to work through the fears and guilt of the racism in our society and grow spiritually on their journey. It becomes a parable for our contemporary church.”
 
“Shock and Awe” tells about a pastor, Fred Livinggood, who rushes to the hospital to support his Black pastor colleague Tony Southgate. He finds Tony facing the terror that most Black parents face. His son has been shot by Baltimore police officers and clings to his life.
 
The subject of racism becomes more than an abstract discussion. It is personal now, and Fred is determined to confront his largely Caucasian church about racism as a spiritual challenge. Churches don’t like to have their comfortable faith disrupted, but Fred chooses to get creative and allow conflict to be fertile ground for spiritual growth rather than a threat.
 
Pastor McCutchan asks on his book’s back cover, “Can you picture what it would be for a predominantly White church to address racism as a path to their own spiritual growth? What does it take for churches to engage each other and listen for God’s whisper of reconciling the church to God’s self and not counting their sins against them? What if God was inviting Christians to choose to journey across the wilderness of racism towards a Promised Land free of bigotry and prejudice?”
 
“Shock and Awe” should invite White Christians and all Christians to see Christ in those who suffer racism. Christians should recognize the fact that Black people, especially Black Christians, have been fighting against racism for a long time. Christians are exhorted to advocate for people, especially and above all those who suffer racial prejudice while some Christians look away in denial, pain, confusion, and guilt.
 
“If you have ever wondered how churches can creatively listen to God in the arena of racism, then this novel helps tell a possible story that can spark your imagination. You will also learn about how we can learn from South Africa about how our own version of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission can offer us hope for a reconciled world.”
 
Purchase “Shock and Awe: A Church Recognizes Its Racism and is Awed by God’s Invitation” by Stephen McCutchan today on Amazon or the author’s website https://www.smccutchan.com/

Shock and Awe: A Church Recognizes Its Racism and is Awed by God’s Invitation
Author | Stephen McCutchan
Published date | 2021
Publisher | Kindle/Amazon
Book retail price | $9.99
 
Author Bio
 
Stephen McCutchan has been an ordained Presbyterian pastor for fifty years. He lives in St. Petersburg, Florida.
 
Steve spent thirty-eight years in the pastoral ministry interpreting the Gospel to lay people who experience the tension of division in their world. For twenty-three years, he combined ministry with his middle-class congregation with monthly involvement in counseling the poor in his city. He helped found the Presbyterian Inter-Racial Dialogue that in November 2012 celebrated twenty years working with six Presbyterian churches, three predominantly black and three predominantly white, building community that breaks down the barriers of racism. His book, Let’s Have Lunch, Conversation, Race, and Community: Celebrating 20 Years of the Presbyterian Inter-Racial Dialogue recounts that journey. He also helped establish a Hispanic ministry in Winston-Salem. His church has participated in regular activities with the Jewish community. Five times the church shared in an interfaith, interracial habitat that included Christians, Jews, and Muslims; Caucasians, Blacks, and Hispanics. He has been a featured speaker at Moravian, Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Presbyterian convocations.
 
He has led webinars on both writing and the care of clergy. He is also the author of Racism and God’s Grace: Truth and Reconciliation for American Churches. Learn more about him, his works, and his thoughts by visiting his website https://www.smccutchan.com/
 

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