Other than White in a British Context: A Response from Black Theology to the Trojan Horse Affair

Abstract

As the fallout from the “Trojan Horse” affair continues to cause concerns in Birmingham, I use two theo-ethical resources with which to examine the reports by Clarke and Kershaw. I find the reports issued by the aforementioned to be deeply flawed. In the first instance, I utilize Black theology, as a Black theological methodology undergirds everything I write. Starting from the Bible, particularly the two Dominical Commandments, I posit that we must love the “Other because we love God. Then, in the second instance, I offer a tool to remedy matters, which already exists in the city, namely the Birmingham Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education. Divided into “dispositions,” the syllabus explores human aspects such as “Truth,” “Honesty” and “Roots,” and is resonant and relevant to human flourishing in the city and beyond. This article re-examines these dispositions in light of Black theology based ideals and demonstrates how the concerns of Clarke and Kershaw are already being addressed within the city itself by this educational resource.