Redemption Song: Reading the Scripture for Social Change

Jamaica has been an independent sovereign nation for nearly six decades; and yet, the deep legacy of colonialism continues to stifle the development of the small island nation. In Redemption Song, Anglican priest Robert Thompson recasts the project of decolonization and calls for the church to emerge from the shadows of continued silence to voice a new, creolized theology reflecting the lived experiences of the people.

Focusing on the power of scripture, Thompson provocatively explores the need for the established church to critically deconstruct established Euro-American interpretations and move towards a theology that embraces and affirms all people across class and culture. Social transformation, he argues, is possible as the outcome of true engagement by the church with the social agenda to bring equity and justice.

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Robert McLean Thompson is retired Bishop of Kingston, Jamaica, having served as a priest of the Anglican Church for 47 years.