Interview: Kristie Anyabwile: When Women of Color Write, the Whole Church Gains

A conversation with the editor of "His Testimonies, My Heritage."

Over the years, Kristie Anyabwile has found herself returning to Psalm 119 during her daily devotions. “The psalm itself is full of reminders of the beauty and the benefits of God’s Word,” she says. “It has always drawn me in. It not only encourages me, but it helps to whet my appetite more for God’s Word.”

It was during one of these times of personal study that she birthed the idea for His Testimonies, My Heritage: Women of Color on the Word of God. The multiauthor book—which received an Award of Merit in this year’s CT Book Awards—explores the 22 stanzas of Psalm 119 through exposition, essays, and poetry.

Anyabwile, who served as both general editor and contributor, spoke to CT about the vision behind the project.

The title of the book is derived from Psalm 119:111, which says, “Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart” (ESV). Tell us more about the title and how this verse captures its focus.

There are three aspects to this. First is the idea of ethnic and cultural heritage. Psalm 119:111 tells us that God’s Word is our spiritual heritage. But I think oftentimes we don’t consider that God’s Word is for me, as an individual, in all the ways that God has made me.

Once, a while back, I tweeted that all the women of the Bible are women of color. That statement had a lot of resonance with people. So part of the vision for His Testimonies, My Heritage is that God’s Word is for me as a person of color, and I need to embrace the Scriptures knowing that.

The second part is the idea of faith and spiritual heritage. We worship a God who has gathered to himself a people from every tribe and language and nation, ...