An Interview with Jerome Gay, Author of African Heroes

 

An Interview with Jerome Gay, Author of African Heroes God has used all races and ethnicities in his plan of redemption right from the very beginning. It’s important to learn the history behind the spreading of the Gospel message and the men and women who often risked their lives to tell others about Jesus, but there are few resources that tell these powerful stories, especially for children. However, a new book from pastor and The Urban Perspective founder Jerome Gay Jr. does exactly that. African Heroes: Discovering Our Christian Heritage, highlights and celebrates the contributions of African theologians and martyrs.   Gay starts African Heroes by sharing the story of a family spending time together after church on a Sunday. Jordan and Jasmine’s dad loves history and is always telling them stories about the past. One day when their family is out on a picnic, they start asking if there were any Christians who looked like them who God had used to help the church grow. They are excited when their dad shares inspiring true stories of early Christian leaders—both men and women—from Africa who helped to grow the early church in remarkable and significant ways.    Q: What inspired you to write a book about the African roots of our Christian heritage?   I noticed that there was a discrepancy when it came to church history. The discrepancy is that it was presented in a monolithic way. Many of the African church, influencers, philosophers, fathers, martyrs, and theologians have been presented as white, which doesn’t reflect actual church history. I wanted to create a resource where children can see themselves in redemptive history, learn about church history, and highlight and accentuate the contributions of African theologians. To be clear, the point is not black-washing scripture or history, but rather color-correcting and presenting a more accurate, unified view and appreciation of church history.   Q: Who are some of the heroes you introduce in the book? What are some of their accomplishments?   We learn about Tertullian and how he is credited with giving us the concept of the trinity. We also learn about Athanasius and how he stood firm at the council of Nicaea about the deity of Christ. Then there is Perpetua and Felicity, two African female martyrs who gave their lives for Jesus and refused to deny his kingship. There are many more, but these are just a few of the people highlighted in the book.   Q: Which is your favorite hero? Would you share their story with us?   My favorite is Augustine of Hippo. His influence has far exceeded him, and many of the concepts about theology and interpretation of Scripture have been greatly influence in impacted by this African man. His commitment to scripture, discipleship, apologetics, and learning was unprecedented.    Augustine’s writings were huge in shaping people theologically during his time and even now. Augustine was a master in rhetoric and to use modern vernacular he had what many in urban communities and fans of hip hop call “bars.” He’s given us quotes such as “Unity in things necessary, liberty in things doubtful, charity in all things; with love for mankind and hatred of sin” (this is where we get the phrase “love the sinner, hate the sin” from); “Jesus Christ will be the Lord of all, or he will not be Lord at all,” and many others. Augustine is another example of the myriad of Blacks used to form theology and philosophy. As Jonathan Hill observes, “His [Augustine’s] influence over Western thought—religious and otherwise—is total; he remains inescapable even over fifteen centuries after his death.” Q: Did you already know stories of all of the heroes in the book before you started writing, or did you learn about some of them as you set out on the project?   As I continued writing the book, I learned a lot more about Perpetua and Felicity, as well as Shenoute of Atripe. He was someone I had never heard of, but I was introduced to him by Dr. Vince Bantu and I was able to read and learn more about his contributions in the process. He was committed to orthodoxy and confronted the heresy of his day. Shenoute was fluent in Coptic and Greek, was a prolific writer, and led the White Monastery (white because of the color of the walls—the monks were primarily people with melanin as Shenoute was himself). He’s an example of the rich Christian history in Africa and how Africa and Africans influenced orthodoxy and shaped the Christian faith.   Q: All Christians should know more about church history. Why don’t we know more of these stories about early church leaders?    There are a myriad of reasons as to why we don’t know, but I think the primary ones are their stories are typically taught in seminaries but not in churches. We should never take away from our focus on the Bible, but we should also look at the early church’s history beyond the first century. We need to talk about these heroes of the faith more in churches, and not negate their African heritage. I think doing this will spread the news about them and their contributions to theology, culture, and scripture interpretation.   Q: How important is it for children of color could see people like themselves acknowledged and celebrated, especially in the church?   Some people think that Christianity is a white man’s religion. This couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s understandable why some people feel this way because when it comes to most of the imagery of the biblical characters, as well as the church fathers in Christian history, there has been a whitewashing. Literally all of them have been presented as white and this is caused many to view Christianity as a monolithic faith. While those within the church and those who read scripture know that Christianity is a mosaic made of people of all different races, cultures, and ethnicities, many are unaware of this. By showing children of color black and brown theologians who have impacted Christian history, they no longer have to feel or be presented with the false notion that God has only used one race of people in his redemptive plan.    James makes it clear that God does not show favoritism, and because that’s the case, He chooses and uses people of all different hues. When children see this, they will be encouraged and inspired by the people they read about.   Q: Each hero has an attribute given at the top of their page as well as one Bible verse that speaks to that quality. What’s the importance of including that for every hero?   The attributes and the scripture make it clear that these people were committed to God and his word during the time of their ministry. It’s important to note that none of them were perfect and some of them potentially strayed when it comes to their understanding, but their contributions were rooted in their faith in Christ and the application of scripture. I wanted to make sure we had scripture because these are imperfect men and women, and scripture declares that there’s a perfect guide that has redeemed all of humanity, Jesus.   Q: What are some other ways families can learn more about Christianity’s roots in Africa?   There are other resources that families can read in addition to African Heroes. I have written a book called The Whitewashing of Christianity that deals with why people think Christianity is a white man’s religion. It highlights Christianity in Africa before colonization. It also talks about the African presence in scripture and how many of the people in Jesus’s lineage are of Hamitic descent. I think people need to know that Africa, Asia, and Europe are the places covered in scripture, and we see the gospel spreading to these places on out to the world.    There are other people to follow to learn more about African Christianity. Dr. Vince Bantu is a leading theologian in the space, and I highly recommend reading some of his books on the subject such as A Multitude of People. other suggested reading includes Urban Apologetics by Dr. Eric Mason and How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind and The African Memory of Mark, both by Dr. Thomas Oden. African Heroes: Discovering Our Christian Heritage By Jerome Gay Jr., Illustrated by John Joven ISBN 978-1-64507-263-8 October 16, 2023 / Retail Price $16.99 Religion / Christian Education / Children & Youth

About the Author

Jerome Gay Jr. is the founding and teaching pastor of Vision Church in Raleigh, NC. He has a vision to see gospel-centered churches planted, disciples multiplied, missionaries unleashed, and theologically sound and culturally engaging leaders raised up and sent out to impact the world with The Gospel. He is also the founder and president of The Urban Perspective.   Gay is the author of The Whitewashing of Christianity: A Hidden Past, A Hurtful Present, and A Hopeful Future, Renewal: Grace and Redemption in the Story of Ruth, Church Hurt: Holding the Church Accountable and Helping Hurt People Heal, the children’s book: African Heroes: Discovering Our Christian Heritage, and the minibook, Talking to Your Children about Race.    Jerome and his wife, Crystal, have two children.   Learn more at jeromegayjr.com and follow him on Facebook (Jerome Gay Jr),    Instagram (@jeromegay), and X (@jeromegay).