Biblical Exorcism as Political Motivation: Empowering Black Pentecostals to Engage with Politics
Submitting Institution
Canterbury Christ Church UniversityUnit of Assessment
Theology and Religious StudiesSummary Impact Type
CulturalResearch Subject Area(s)
Language, Communication and Culture: Literary Studies
History and Archaeology: Historical Studies
Philosophy and Religious Studies: Religion and Religious Studies
Summary of the impact
Dr Robert Beckford's research triangulates black liberation theology,
documentary film and racial justice practice. It has constructively
influenced the racial justice strategies in different settings and
contributed to civil society by challenging social assumptions and
cultural values. The case study demonstrates how Dr Beckford's research on
Biblical exorcism as a socio-political trope is translated into a
political resource by highlighting the empowerment and motivation for a
working group, working for equalities in the local community (Birmingham
Race Action Partnership, Bringing Hope), a black Pentecostal
church ministry and the empowerment of black workers at the Brighton and
Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Underpinning research
Dr Robert Beckford (2011-present) was appointed as Reader in Theology to
enhance the strategic expertise in Social Justice and Religion. His
research combines theory and practice, identifying theological politics in
the Christian scriptures and disseminating these in a variety of media, in
order to engage with a wider audience, including black Pentecostals.
The underpinning research of this case study is an interdisciplinary
postcolonial analysis of black Pentecostalism in Britain. Black
Pentecostals represent the fastest growing Christian demographic in
Britain and comprises of African and African Caribbean adherents. However,
as a migrant Christian tradition originating from former British colonies,
black Pentecostalism is blighted by the residual remains of colonial
Christianity, namely, an irrational anti-intellectualism and apoliticism.
This research seeks to challenge the present malaise by reframing colonial
Christianity through the lenses of slave narratives and the philosophy of
religion as a nefarious spiritual force that continues to `bewitch' former
colonial subjects and their descendants in Britain. To identify and
critique the influence of colonial Christianity, the research appropriates
theoretical tools from anthropological African witchcraft studies,
including the idioms of the cannibal and zombie. To construct an
alternative to colonial Christianity, uniquely, the research identifies
`exorcising' practices in the documentary film canon of Dr Robert
Beckford. The research reveals how a critique or `exorcism' of colonial
Christianity was `encoded' in the researcher's television documentary
films. The original critique of black Pentecostalism was published
as "From maintenance to mission: resisting the bewitchment of colonial
Christianity" (2013) and refined in the book, Documentary as Exorcism:
Resisting the Bewitchment of Colonial Christianity (2013).
The key findings were:
-
A contextual black liberation theology emphasising a
bewitchment-exorcism nexus. Black theology while a fledgling discipline
in Britain has often relied on themes and concepts from African American
or Latin American theologians. This research represents a first
truly indigenous black liberation theology. It does so by
appropriating theological sources from the Caribbean diaspora in
Britain, including language familiar to most black Pentecostals such as
`bewitchment' and `exorcism' — but used in ways that are unfamiliar to
them. Black liberation theology is a political theology, which seeks to
resist and overturn oppressive forces in Christian theology and the
social world. This research continues this liberation tradition by
critiquing the continued influence of colonial theology in black
Pentecostalism and contouring a new socio-political practice for these
churches.
-
A theory of colonial Christianity as malevolent spirituality.
The legacy of the British Empire in Christian theology has received
little attention in post-war British Christian academic theology. This
research breaks the silence. Through diachronic and synchronic analysis
of written historical texts, ethnographic and auto/ethnographic methods
the research identifies a. nefarious religious interpretation of
British colonialism in the West Indies and b. Catholic and
Protestant church complicity with the malevolence of Empire.
-
The continued impact of colonial Christianity on black
Pentecostalism. The research makes its point of departure in the
black British experience. This is to identify the postcolonial influence
of colonial Christianity on contemporary black Pentecostalism. Through
archaeology of textual sources and ethnographic study of urban churches,
the research identifies the intellectual and political fall-out from
colonial Christianity's complicity with colonial Christianity in the
English speaking Caribbean. These include a Pentecostal apoliticism (non
prophetic ministry) and an anti-intellectualism (academic
theology-phobia).
-
Documentary film as a theological practice. In the quest to
construct a contextual liberation theology, the research makes use of
visual texts, that is, the religious and political television
documentary. The analysis of these films is grounded in auteur criticism
rather than textual or audience analyses. The research identifies how
authors create meaning and how the author as a filmmaker in turn creates
meaning in documentary film. One outcome is a new mode of documentary,
where documentary film represents a visual theological practice. To
reformulate this process, the researcher appropriates the African
diaspora concept of 'conjure.' Conjure describes the spiritual use of
cultural products and encompasses the role of religious icons, clothing,
food and in this case, films. Through an analysis of twenty-three
documentary films, the research reveals how the author inscribes meaning
on documentary texts in the documentary's narrative, so that at a
subliminal level of engagement, these films are a critique of continued
colonial influence and their overcoming.
-
Translation of exorcism into a contemporary visual aesthetic.
In order to show that the bewitchment-exorcism motif has practical
application to church life, including and beyond black Pentecostalism,
the study goes in search of the bewitchment-exorcism theme in
contemporary church art. Through a cultural and textual analysis two
black Atlantic examples, the work of the visual artist, Keith Piper, and
the church art and decor on display at Trinity United Church of Christ
in Chicago, USA, the research contours and proffers an exorcism
aesthetic in black visual culture(s). The research contends that rather
than being exclusive the black Pentecostalism, an exorcism aesthetic is
relevant and necessary for all Christian traditions with colonialism in
their past.
These findings are important because
- It identifies a new contextual liberation theology in and through
documentary film.
- It reframes the meaning of British colonialism and colonial
Christianity as overwhelming religious force that require a religious
investigation and redress.
- It identifies the continued influence of colonial Christianity on
contemporary black Pentecostalism.
- Reintroduces the central and potentially defining role of the author
in the parsing of religious meaning of cultural products. Traditionally,
theologies of culture in Britain have focused on textual and
ethnographic study of cultural texts.
- Identifies a new mode of documentary filmmaking that takes seriously
the religious cultural and socio-political motivation of documentary
filmmakers.
References to the research
1. Robert Beckford, "From maintenance to mission: resisting the
bewitchment of colonial Christianity" in Phyllis Thompson (ed), Challenges
of Black Pentecostal Leadership in the 21st Century. London: SPCK,
2013.
2. Robert Beckford, Documentary as Exorcism: Resisting the
Bewitchment of Colonial Christianity London: Bloomsbury, 2013.
Evidence for quality of research:
[From review report for publisher]:
Documentary as Exorcism: "This text is an innovative and creative
exploration in the field of theology and religious studies. It juxtaposes
seemingly discrete and disparate sources in order to create a new and
distinct form of theological discourse — namely utilising documentary film
making processes as a means of critically evaluating Pentecostal
religiosity. To the best of my knowledge, this work is unique."
— Dr Anthony G. Reddie — Visiting Fellow at Aston University
— Editor of
Black Theology: An International Journal.
Details of the impact
As an award winning broadcaster, public speaker and activist, Dr Beckford
communicates his research in written text, visual media (he has made over
20 documentary films) and audio culture (four radio documentaries, one
radio drama) to engage a wider audience with issues of faith and justice.
This has raised his public profile and led to close and on-going
engagement with non-academic groups, which has enhanced public
understanding of black theology and contributed to civil society by
challenging social assumptions and cultural values.
Enhancing public understanding via media:
Since Beckford's employment at CCCU he has contributed to several radio
documentaries and acted as the faith consultant for the BBC African
Caribbean radio network. For example, his collaboration with playwright
Kwame Kwei-Armah on a radio drama, `Father, Son and Holy Ghost' examined
faith and the impact of a consumerist society in an inner-city Pentecostal
church (first broadcast on BBC Radio 3, 10 March 2012) and subtly
challenged the anti-intellectualism and apoliticsm of British
Pentecostalist churches [corrob. 5.1].
Contribution to civil society:
Dr Beckford's research has impacted three distinctive constituencies:
shaping the discourse of charities that work with black and minority
groups, resourcing black workers in the NHS Trust Brighton to extend the
range and quality of their empowerment in their workplace and informing
the ministry of a black Pentecostal church ministry.
The key findings of his research have played a role in influencing
and informing those shaping public discourses on diversity and inclusion.
Beckford is working as a consultant and advisor with several leading
charities, including Birmingham Race Action Partnership (BRAP), a
registered charity and `think fair tank, inspiring and leading change to
make public, private and voluntary sector organisations fit for the needs
of a more diverse society'. One of its key aims is to tackle racial
discrimination, disadvantage and social exclusion in the city of
Birmingham. In 2013, Beckford was a founding member of `Birmingham at the
Tipping Point' events, which was the first ever meeting of equality bodies
across the city to collectively work together for change. Dr Beckford has
devised workshops which have helped BRAP to review equality theories as a
means to support the charity to develop more progressive practice. He
facilitated a session which was attended by 200 young people and which
explored the link between Hip Hop as a signifier of popular youth culture
and crime. The results of this session fed into the comprehensive report
`Urban Myths — Street Realities' with focused recommendations for
education, youth work, parents and the criminal justice system (August
2012) [corrob. 5.2]. In August 2012, Dr Beckford chaired the evaluation of
the report, `STUCK: What works in tackling gang crime', which was funded
by the Barrow Cadbury Trust [corrob. 5.3]. These examples demonstrate
impact on shaping the decision making and influencing the discourse on
equality, fairness and race-relations. Specifically, they show how
Beckford's concept of Biblical exorcism translates into a political
praxis, that is, anti-racism in Britain [corrob. 5.4]. Beckford's work
with the charity Bringing Hope that works with families,
communities and individuals impacted by serious violence and crime, has
inspired the documentary Rite of Passage (2013), written, produced
and directed by Daniel Anderson, that explores `the journey of
dis-empowerment, hope and success within the African-Caribbean community
in Birmingham' [corrob. 5.5].
The McPherson Inquiry into the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence
identified institutional racism as a problem for all public authorities
[corrob. 5.6], including the NHS. Dr Beckford has been working with the
NHS BME [Black and Minority Ethnic] network which adopted the tripartite
principles — the importance of hope in bringing
about change and the need for change process from
bottom up. [corrob.5.7]. Beckford's key research finding, the
role of religion in organising for social justice, has enabled the
NHS BME network to develop a strategy for mobilising black workers in the
NHS based on grassroot politics aimed at challenging current practices
around the ineffectiveness of inequality practices in the NHS Additional
keynote addresses on Whiteness outlined the workings of critical whiteness
theory and a history of white people and the implications in regards to
the aggression experienced by many black NHS workers (2011, 2012). His
research has made people aware that `faith can be a driving force for
political change rather than being confined to the personal sphere'
[corrob.5.8].
Dr Robert Beckford has worked closely with black Pentecostal churches to
translate his academic work into actual practice and social change by
presenting seminars and preaching at churches. His work has affected the
thinking and preaching of ministers of the church and contributed
to rethinking of Pentecostal thought and practice by identifying how
colonial Christianity impacted Pentecostal preaching and teaching. His
work has had an impact on the church's leadership team to engage in both
local and national politics leading, for example, the Birmingham-based New
Testament Church of God to cooperate with Operation Black to mobilise
black voters in Birmingham for the next general elections. He has also
argued that a proper theological education means resisting the theological
ignorance of colonial Christianity which has led to church leaders
studying for advanced degrees in Theology. The impact of Dr Beckford's
research is on the education of clergy of British black Pentecostal
churches and the public discourse that enhances the understanding of the
church's history and empowers members to work towards political and social
changes [corrob. 5.9].
Sources to corroborate the impact
(All links correct at time of submission to REF2014)
5.1. Review of radio drama `Father, Son and Holy Ghost' by Jane Anderson,
Radio Times, March 2012 http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/pskkx/the-wire--father-son-and-holy-ghost
5.2. Brap Report, Urban Myths — Street Realities, August 2012
5.3. Brap Report `STUCK: What works in tackling gang crime: a
conference report, August 2012.
5.4. Statement provided by CEO at BRAP, August 2013, corroborating impact
on a national charity tackling racial discrimination and inequality. (contact
I.D. 1)
5.5. Blog entry, Bringing Hope, `Rite of Passage':
http://www.bringinghope.co.uk/wordpress/?p=303,
corroborating the impact of Dr Beckford's work on the documentary `Rite of
Passage (2013).
5.6. Homa Khaleeli, `Twenty years after Stephen Lawrence's murder, what's
changed?', The Guardian, 21 April 2013, Interview with Dr Robert
Beckford on impact of the Lawrence murder on public institutions (with 258
comments by readers). See
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/apr/21/twenty-years-stephen-lawrence-murder-whats-changed
5.7. http://www.nhsbmenetwork.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/BMENetworkUpdateMarch2011.pdf point 5,
corroborating the adoption of Dr Beckford's methodology.
5.8. Statement provided by Chair of NHS BME Network at Brighton &
Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, August 2013, corroborating impact
on the strategies and policies within the NHS BME Network. (contact
I.D. 2)
5.9. Statement provided by the Pastor at New Testament Church of God,
Birmingham, August 2013, corroborating impact on Pentecostal church
leadership. (contact I.D. 3)