In "After Whiteness: An Education in Belonging," Willie James Jennings calls for a profoundly piercing critique of whiteness at the ideational level regarding the formation of identity, culture, and theology. Jennings digs deeper into how the dominance of whiteness has shaped not only social convention but also the ways in which one fathoms herself or himself and others. In this study, Jennings challenges the more traditional understandings and calls for a re-evaluation, not only of how identities are constructed but also of theological practice itself. In this essay, an attempt will be made to critically evaluate Jennings' arguments in the prologue and first chapter with regard to whiteness, belonging, identity, and theology's place in forming these constructs. In this essay, an attempt …show more content…
As Jennings has argued, the reclaiming of such narratives is essential in engendering a belief of belonging. Amplifying voices that have been silenced allows the person and community to begin crafting inclusive narratives that celebrate the richness and complexity of diverse experiences. The reclamation of narrative is thus significant, not just for the individual's self-empowerment, but also in reshaping the broader societal perception with regard to notions of belonging. In the final analysis, Willie James Jennings' "After Whiteness: An Education in Belonging" is an in-depth critique of the reactionary way whiteness, identity, culture, and theology interrelate. Jennings calls people out of their hiding places to address latent narratives informing one's sense of belonging by appealing to the re-creation required in personal and communal identity. It is through the prologue and first chapter that Jennings holds up a magnifying glass to the need to dismantle the structures of white power and create spaces of true belonging for all