The Holy No
Worship as a Subversive Act
by Adam Hearlson
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Pub Date Jul 10 2018 | Archive Date Jul 06 2018
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Description
In this book Adam Hearlson argues that Christians can say a holy “no” to oppression and injustice through the church’s worship practices. “To speak the holy no,” Hearlson says, “is to refuse to be complicit in the oppression and violence of the ruling power. It is the courageous critique of the present and its claims of immutability.”
Hearlson draws widely from Christian history to uncover ways the church has used its traditional practices—preaching, music, sacrament, and art—to sabotage oppressive structures of the world for the sake of the gospel. He tells the stories of particular subversive strategies both past and present, including radical hospitality, genre bending, coded speech, and apocalyptic visions.
Blending history, theory, and practice, The Holy No is both a testament to the courage of Christians who came before and an encouragement to take up their mantle of faithful subversion.
Advance Praise
"An exciting and stimulating
reading experience.”
— Thomas G. Long
Candler School of
Theology, Emory University
“Hearlson’s Holy No
is a timely call to hope. Told with delight and careful attention, Hearlson's
descriptions of faithful subversion in worship gave me a whole new army of
heroes! These unexpected men and women risked respectability for resurrection,
and Hearlson lets their stories sing. Hearlson presses the bread of
‘re-membering’ into our hands, calling the church to the transformative labor
of true doxology. I couldn’t be more grateful.”
— Jerusha Neal
Duke Divinity School
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9780802873859 |
| PRICE | $24.00 (USD) |
Featured Reviews
Larry K, Reviewer
The premise of “The Holy No” by Adam Hearlson is that worship can in its depth and in its simplicity be seen as an act of subversion.
While I can see the point Hearlson is trying to make that through our history various minorities and people groups have used their faith as a wall to stand on and rally against the ‘powers that be’ I think trying to position their worship and subversion is dangerous. I had trouble with this view-point as it takes away the authenticity of worship/faith and made it seem as though certain people used it as a rally cry instead of a position of belief.
This point aside the writing of “The Holy No” was very well done and the author wrote in a voice of well researched authority. Covering the areas of faith most would consider within the topic of worship and constructing a view-point very few would think of.
While I would not recommend this book for everyone to read, I am thankful I had the opportunity to pick it up and review it. If you are interested in what may be a new view-point of worship that is well written and researched, pick up “The Holy No” if nothing else you will discover the power behind worship.
**I received this book free from the publisher through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. These are my personal thoughts.
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