Decolonizing Contemporary Gospel Music Through Praxis: Handsworth Revolutions

Black British gospel music is in crisis due to its colonial Christian ideas about God, which have left song leaders, musicians, and songwriters with a reservoir of ideas that aim to disavow engagement with the social-historical world, black Biblical interpretation, and the necessity of loving blackness. This book proposes a decolonial contemporary gospel music genre by developing production tools to inscribe decolonial theological thought onto Black British music(s). The impact of the album is demonstrated through case studies in national and international contexts.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 21 September 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The Black British contemporary gospel music tradition faces a crisis due to its continued reliance on colonial Christian notions about God, as explored in Robert Beckford's book. Beckford delves into the failure of African and African Caribbean heritage Churches to decolonize their faith, particularly in the areas of doctrine of God, biblical interpretation, and Black ontology. This predicament has resulted in a reservoir of ideas among song leaders, musicians, and songwriters that aim to disengage from the social-historical world, black Biblical interpretation, and the importance of loving blackness.

This book serves as a guide for decolonization through praxis. By examining the conceptual social justice album 'The Jamaican Bible Remix (2017)' as a communicative resource, Beckford demonstrates how to create production tools that inscribe decolonial theological thought into Black British music. The outcome of this process is the emergence of a decolonial contemporary gospel music genre. The impact of the album is showcased through case studies in both national and international contexts.

The book highlights the need for a shift in the theological message conveyed in Black British gospel music, away from colonial notions and towards a more decolonial and inclusive perspective. It emphasizes the importance of challenging and dismantling the structures of power and oppression that have shaped the tradition and perpetuated colonialism. Through the creation of decolonial contemporary gospel music, Beckford aims to provide a platform for artists and musicians to express their faith and spirituality in a way that is true to their African and Caribbean heritage and that promotes social justice and equality.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350081734