Protest and Progress: Black Seventh-day Adventist Leadership and the Push for Parity - Softcover

Calvin B. Rock has been a major leadership voice in the Seventh-day Adventist Church for more than six decades as a pastor, church administrator, and writer. He was president of Oakwood University from 1971 to 1985, and a general vice president of the General Conference from 1985 until his retirement in 2002. He has been an active participant in North American Adventism's continuing discussions of race relations. He holds a BA degree in theology from Oakwood University, an MA in sociology from the University of Detroit, and DMin and PhD degrees in religious ethics from Vanderbilt University.

This is one of the most important books that I have read in a long while. Written with unswerving honesty, it traces the struggles of African-American Seventh-day Adventists for justice and equality. I found much to admire and applaud, but much that made me sad. Dr. Rock makes a powerful case for the continuance of Regional conferences. Highly recommended, indispensable for administrators and Seminary students. --William G. Johnsson, former editor, Adventist Review and Adventist World

In my judgment, Protest and Progress is the most important book ever published on race relations in the Adventist church. It is essential reading for anyone desiring a well-informed perspective on the racial issues that continue to challenge the Adventist church. It combines first-rate scholarship with the kind of insight that could only come from the author's deep personal roots and decades of leadership in the Black Adventist experience. Dr. Rock guides the reader through four definitive episodes in the quest for more just, equitable, and mission-effective church structures in a racially-divided nation, telling much that has never been told in print before, with an abundance of documentation, much of it never before made public. He then deploys his expertise in theology and sociology of religion to chart a way forward. Even those inclined to take issue with aspects of Dr. Rock's proposal will find their knowledge expanded and perceptions sharpened by a careful reading of his analysis. Lucid, candid, provocative, yet redemptive, Protest and Progress is an exceptionally rare and invaluable gem given the church by one who has long loved it and served it with high distinction. --Douglas Morgan, Professor of History, Washington Adventist University

Calvin Rock's book traces segments of the journey of the Seventh-day Adventist Church from the perspective of Black Adventists in its founding nation, the United States. It appears at a most timely point in human history. It comes after thousands of years of so-called improvements in human relations which purportedly have led to increased acceptance between racial and ethnic groups. Yet, while many gains have been realized, society and the Church continue to face challenges of immense magnitude in regard to full inclusion for all people, particularly in leadership, worldwide. Dr. Rock's vivid portrayal of what he calls the "push" for legitimate involvement of Black Adventists in the full array of church affairs is compelling for those from whom it evokes memories for reflection and healing; and for those whose personal experiences are different, it provides insights for greater understanding. This work calls for general civility among people groups and for the intentional elimination of racial and ethnic competition in support of all people in the Church's opportunities for ministry and service. Perhaps it points to a Seventh-day Adventist Church that is defined by the love of which its equality testifies. --Ella Smith Simmons, General Vice President General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists