Enlarging the Tent: Two Quakers in Conversation About Racial Justice Dialogues and Worksheets

On 25th May, 2020, George Floyd, an African American, was murdered by a white police officer. Storms of outrage and protests spread globally. Many learned about the Black Lives Matter movement, and perhaps the most honest conversation began on racism’s causes, the tools that engineer and sustain it -- and how best to dismantle it. In late 2020, teacher, community development worker and freelance writer Jonathan Doering approached Nim Njuguna, a retired Baptist minister and former Quaker prison chaplain involved in social justice and mental health issues, seeking an interview on the current situation. Nim offered a project of co-interviews, both participants developing their thoughts on racism and right responses. These dialogues between willing novice and seasoned activist offer possible ways forward whilst the worksheets encourage allies to delve into their thoughts, feelings, and responses to this major challenge of our time.  

About the Author :
Jonathan Doering has been a Quaker since 2003. He is a teacher and community development worker, who has published extensively in newspapers and magazines, both in the UK and abroad. He lives in Nottingham, UK. A former Quaker prison and university chaplain/restorative justice trainer previously involved as a Baptist Minister, he is now engaged in researching and writing articles, and teaching on diversity and inclusion from unconscious bias perspectives. He offers spiritual accompaniment and supervision informed by liberation theologies and person centred therapeutic approaches. He is particularly keen to explore how to integrate spirit led contemplative activism in promoting social justice. He lives in Ruislip, UK.

Review :
It's a delight to get to know two such faithful and thoughtful Friends as Nim Njuguna and Jonathan Doering through this wide-ranging and profound set of conversations that explore what Friends and others may be able or perhaps ought to be doing in regard to anti-racist and other liberationist spiritual witness. While this intersectional book is highly practical, at its heart it feels just like sitting down with a cup of tea in the authors' presence and being drawn into an open-ended conversation that sprawls beyond the pages of this book, as one asks, what more am I being led by the Spirit to do?--Stephen W. Angell, Leatherock Professor of Quaker Studies, Earlham School of Religion. Co-Editor: Black Fire; The Oxford Handbook of Quaker Studies; The Cambridge Companion to Quakerism