Leah Gunning Francis lived in St. Louis on August 9, 2014, the day Michael Brown died in Ferguson. Her new book, Ferguson & Faith: Sparking Leadership & Awakening Community, brings us the thoughts and actions of 24 clergy and 13 young leaders who were active in the actions following the tragic death. Their perseverance led directly to the Department of Justice Report on the Ferguson Police Department, sparked a national conversation on reforming criminal justice system and renewed the national desire to bring about true justice in this nation.
She divides the interviews and her prose into 10 engrossing chapters. Through these chapters, she details the events following the death and throughout the period of actions to the necessity of recognizing the “Fergusons” in our own community and lives, and what each of us can do. She also masterfully uses quotes to introduce the reader to each subject. My favorite was probably Arundhati Roy’s statement, “Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. And once you’ve seen it, keeping quiet, saying nothing becomes as political an act as speaking out.”
As a theology professor, she approaches this subject through the framework of faith and action. That spoke strongly to me. I also saw, however, how much of what she said could be seen through secular frameworks. For example, when discussing how the original meetings among the disparate parties, the organizing clergy used the techniques taught in mediation.
The book is deceptively simple. One must think deeply on every aspect of the book. She has a vision of bringing about a world in which each person has dignity and justice prevails. She wants each of us to work towards that goal. Can we do that?
Hear Dr. Gunning Francis speak at the Irvington Library, 5525 East Washington on Tues., Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Bookmamas carries her book.
