The passing of Revd Dr Joel Edwards has rightly been acknowledged and mourned by so many in Church and society in Britain and Ireland. To say that Joel was a titan in the Church, would be an understatement: He was a shining light, a trailblazer and a leader, a preacher who was nurtured in the Black Pentecostal church, but who seamlessly traversed the evangelical and ecumenical terrains with aplomb.
I first got to know Joel when I worked at the Evangelical Alliance when it was then based in Kennington, south London. My arrival at the organisation, in 1997, coincided with Joel becoming the General Secretary of the EA, after previously holding the position of UK Director. At the time, many at the EA said I was starting at the right time, as I would get an opportunity to see Joel’s vision for the EA from the outset (prior to that, he was the head of what became the African Caribbean Evangelical Alliance). However, in all those roles he exemplified professionalism, integrity, vision and creativity. Equally, at the time he became head of the EA he was arguably the most senior Black person in any Christian organisation, and was very much a pioneer – a Black face occupying a largely white space.
When I think of Joel during those years, what really came over was his warmth and generosity. While he had a myriad of talents (or ‘giftings’ as the evangelicals like to call them), what really came across was this sense that he was a genuinely nice guy. Joel was someone with whom you could talk easily, and he always made you feel at ease. I’ll never forget those times when after spending some time on the road on EA business, he would always insist on going around the entire EA offices and take his time to talk with all the staff. This talk would rarely be about work but focus on you and how you were doing. This always made me smile and served to reinforce the stature of the man – a people person who had time for everyone. While I will be the first to say that we did not always agree on everything, with Joel it was possible to disagree agreeably, which meant you always remained friends.
After leaving the EA our paths would often cross as the Church world is indeed a small one. We often met at conferences, talks and church services, and I was always impressed at his sterling contributions in whichever activity he was participating. He invariably had the right word to say at the appropriate moment, an ability few have, but most need.
His book, Let’s praise him again, was one of the first major publications to explore Black Christian faith in Britain, and remains a seminal publication for anyone interested in Black ecclesiology, theology and praxis. Moreover, it is a book to which I still turn today for ideas and inspiration, and it remains a mystery as to why it is out of print and has not been revised. Perhaps a fitting legacy to Joel would be the updating of this book.
His sermon to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the arrival of the SS Empire Windrush at Westminster Abbey in central London, was the best one I ever heard him preach. Indeed, it was one of the best sermons I have ever heard preached, and his phrase ‘over policed but under protected’ with reference to how sections of the Black communities in Britain feel with regard to the police, is one of the most perceptive and prescient statements that I have ever heard. What’s more, if you have ever heard me use this phrase, then you know from whom it was cribbed!
The last time we spoke was when he asked me to stand in for him at a preaching engagement at Bury St Edmunds Cathedral. Joel had agreed to preach on the subject of justice, but was unable to fulfil this commitment due to his illness. I was more than happy to step into his massive shoes, albeit I regretted the circumstances. On the day itself, it was encouraging and comforting to hear and feel love that those in attendance had for Joel, and the programme itself mentioned Joel’s illness and the call to pray for him.
In the end, God had other plans for Joel, and he will be greatly missed, especially by all those who knew him. Let us pray for his family as we consider his life and legacy as someone who blessed so many with his words, ideas and very presence.
Richard Reddie, Director of Justice and Inclusion, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
Front page original photo: © Dean & Chapter of Westminster
(Taken at the Windrush Service at Westminster Abbey on 22nd June 2018)
