Rev Dr Carver Anderson 13th October 2015 @ The Centre For Communities& Social Justice – Coventry University

Towards a Practical Theology for Effective Responses to Black Young Men Associated with Crime

The Research Maze

SELF ASSESSMENT/REFLECTION

If I continue as I am ( practice, attitude, mindset) - how will I be able to effectively engage with the research process regarding my interest/concern/curiosity ?

Do I understand what the research journey entails and what steps to take in commencing the process?

Have I taken time to reflect on why I am interested and curious about situations facing black young men and their association to the criminal justice system?

What further advice/understanding and knowledge is required for me to enter the research maze?

What are my fears, inhibitions, doubts and concerns about research ?

What models/methods/approaches do I already know/understand regarding understanding marginalised people?

What issues support/hinder my capacity to actively engage with the research process?

The Context

Why the concern/interest?

Some symbolisms/representations associated with criminality

•PRESS COVERAGE ......•Tension in Birmingham ,Liverpool , Manchester, Nottingham and London over gang violence• Too easy to get hold of guns• Beating scourge of gun gangs• A young man dies following a violent shooting • City gun gangs causing fear...’• Move to halt the violence’• Spiking the guns of trigger-happy gangs’• Yob youths…….

Marginalisation Criminality

Gang/Street affiliation

Prison/ Grave

Social Disorganisation

Criminal Justice Pipe Line (Martin Glynn,2013)

DIVINE ,PRAGMATIC ,PROPHETIC, THEOLOGICAL, SOCIOPOLITICALLuke 4:18 -19 :The SPIRIT of the LORD is ON ME , because he has

ANOINTED me to PROCLAIM good news to the poor. He has sent me to PROCLAIM freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free , to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour

Disaffected Young People & Adults Struggling Families Cycle of violence Diverse Communities Criminal lifestyles and Activities Educational Achievement &Under-achievement Urban youth Culture/lifestyle and manifestations Death ( Natural & relating to violence, accidents, illness) Hopelessness Spiritual warfare and moral decay Confusion & Doubt Church and Community detachment

Practical Theological Lenses/Engagement

Faith centred Interventions- Ballard& Pritchard (2006)

The shackles metaphor

SHACKLES: •RESTRICTS FREEDOM (BODY, SOUL, SPIRIT)• LIMITS ONES EXPRESSION• LIMITS ACTION• HOLDS BACK• BLOCKS POTENTIAL• HEALTH RESTRICTION• CUTTING OFF LIFE SUPPLY• CHAINS OF OPPRESSION (MIND, EMOTION, FINANCE,

HEALTH)

INTERPRETATIONS OF THE SITUATION OF BLACK YOUNG MEN – VIEWS FROM SOCIAL RESEARCH STUDIES AND REPORTS• Notions of Blackness• Inner City Communities and Black Young Men• Framing the issues and Challenges Facing Black Young Men• Criminal Justice Encounters• Understanding Black Young Men’s criminal -Associated

Lifestyles• Gangs and Disorder in the UK – Nothing New• A Birmingham Contextualisation• Black-on-Black Violence• Construction of Labels for Black Young Men• Towards Considering a Theological Response

RESULTS AND FINDINGS REGARDING BLACK YOUNG MEN

• Childhood Experiences and Early Socialisation• Early/Initial Involvement in Negative, Criminal and Challenging

Behaviours• ‘On Street’ or ‘On Road’ Associated Lifestyle and Activities• Street Lifestyle: Impact on Self, Family and Community• The role of Faith, Spirituality and Religion on Lifestyle Choices• Responsibility or Blame for ‘On Street’ Lifestyle Choices• A Mother’s Heart• Fathering and Fatherhood• Black Majority Churches: Relevant or Irrelevant to Black Young

Men?

Black young men speak!

“I was brought up in a Christian family, but it didn’t connect with me. Christianity don’t connect with me. I reckon religion is a thing what you would feel that’s right, so Christianity don’t reflect with me. I’m a Muslim. My mom’s a Christian still, but I’m a Muslim. Allah is greater than my connection with Jesus, so I have taken that road, to say my connection with Allah is greater, so that’s the path I want to choose.”

“I don’t think church leaders understand the streets where we come from-they are scared to link with mans like me”.

“You know what blood, these black churches are just in this God ting for themselves not for us”.

ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION RE BLACK YOUNG MEN

• Black Young Men’s Self-Concept• ‘On Street’ – The Seductive Dynamics• Coping with Trauma and Challenges of ‘Street

Life’• Family Influences and Lifestyle Choices• Black Majority Churches’ Response to Black

Young Men

BLACK MAJORITY CHURCHES’ DISTINCTIVENESS: IN SEARCH OF A FAITH-ACTION PARADIGM• The Emergence and Shape of Black Majority Churches in the

UK• Black Majority Churches’ Thoughts and Activities Regarding

Black Young Men• Theological Reflection and ‘Critical Conversation’ Processes

for supporting BYM• Self-Reflection Journey• Social Scientific Analysis within Theological Reflection• Black Young Men Offering a Perspective• Underpinning Beliefs, Assumptions and Perceptions• Understanding the Gaps and Disconnection between BMCs

and BYM

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: TOWARDS A BLACK PRACTICAL PENTECOSTAL STREET THEOLOGY• BMCs – Challenges and Opportunities in Supporting BYM• Divine Mandate, Obligation and Social Responsibility• Ethical Considerations towards an Outward-Looking BMC

Conceptualisation• Embracing the Divine Whilst Seeking to Engage with

Contemporary Situations• Theological Reflection, towards Revised Practice• Liberation Theology – Help or Hindrance• Potential and Limitation for Engaging Black Young Men• Lessons from BMCs’ United Efforts• Becoming a ‘Community Church’• Towards a Conceptual Framework

THE JOURNEY WAS NOT WITHOUT SOME CHALLENGS

• Time/ work life balance• Fear • Lack of Understanding• Having other key priorities• Loss of interest• Health• Personal challenges• Family commitments