Sharing the Blessing: Overcoming poverty and working for justice
Kathy Galloway
SPCK/Christian Aid £8.99 (978-0-281-05949-2)
Church Times Bookshop £8.10
MANY READERS of the Church Times will be familiar with Kathy Galloway’s writings. Those who are not could do no better than buy or borrow this book. Those who are may want to update themselves.
She writes (or spoke — some material started out as talks) forthright, punchy prose. Behind her engagement with such causes is a love of the scriptural stories: Jacob and Esau, Hagar, Ruth, Jesus and the Canaanite woman (though I found some of her linkages a bit strained).
Her book tells of a conversion. As so often, this one caught Galloway unawares. Travel brought her face to face with undeniable information that convicted her of being on the oppressive side in an unjust world. Now her Christian faith finds expression both in membership of a religious community and her work for justice. (She fits Bonhoeffer’s criteria for authentic Christianity today: “prayer and righteous action”.)
Her opening chapter explains simply, straightforwardly, and convincingly the economics of the increasing poverty gap. This is tied firmly to spirituality. The following chapters then give examples of her resultant wide-ranging campaigning work.
It is an often observed paradox that those who face and fight for justice are often among the most hopeful people. Galloway is certainly full of hope, and quotes approvingly, “Is hope related to the future? Yes. But even more it is related to love.” Her final chapter is particularly autobiographical, and her personal testimony is movingly robust. Songs emanating from the Civil Rights Movement converted her, she says, “more than any rally, altar call or Bible study ever did”. She writes tellingly of “keeping on keeping on”, and of the South African bambalela (“never give up”) in the face of “the long haul” and “an exile experience”.
Her critics may say, “Well, what did she expect?” Others will find her story authentic and vindicating — and, indeed, consistent with the scriptures she so evidently feeds upon with relish.
Canon Dr Armson is a former Precentor of Rochester Cathedral.
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