I tend to have very different views than most black and white Christians I encounter or read. Few people embody much of my values, worldview, and beliefs as did Tom Skinner. He was a courageous evangelist who dared to both proclaim the good news and challenge injustice, of which he saw as inherently intertwined. While he has gone to be with the Lord, his ideas, books, and words live on. I am very grateful for him and others who have paved the way for folks like me. If you ever get a chance, read a book by Tom Skinner, you won’t be disappointed.
Published by Drew G. I. Hart, PhD
Rev. Dr. Drew G. I. Hart is an associate professor of theology at Messiah University and has 10 years of pastoral experience prior to teaching. He currently directs Messiah University's "Thriving Together: Congregations for Racial Justice" program and co-hosts Inverse Podcast with Jarrod McKenna, an award-winning peace activist from Australia. Hart is the author of Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism (2016) and Who Will Be A Witness?: Igniting Activism for God's Justice, Love, and Deliverance (2020). And he is also a co-editor and contributor to the recently published book entitled Reparations and the Theological Disciplines: Prophetic Voices for Remembrance, Reckoning, and Repair (Nov. 2023). Hart received bcmPEACE’s 2017 Peacemaker Award, the 2019 W.E.B. Du Bois Award in Harrisburg, PA, and most recently in December 2023 Life Esteem Ministries recognized him in Harrisburg with the Harambee Award for the Nguzo Saba Principle of Umoja—Unity for his faith-based activism and public scholarship in the community. Drew and his family live in Harrisburg, PA.
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Drew G. I. Hart 
I appreciate the fact that he was a very intelligent man, well rounded, bold gregarious and stuck to the simple message of salvation through grace by faith. Every time I turn around I see evidence of racism and I often wonder what should be done… Mr. Skinner’s answer was to keep things scripturally based. Laws can be passed one upon another but not until there is a change of heart will things change and Mr Skinner went about seeing to it that he was winning hearts as well as minds to Christ so that this would occur. I just Read “If Christ is the answer, what is the question” in one sitting and “Black and Free in two nights. He is that good a read.
I love Tom Skinner… I think he best represents my “stream” of theology. I am not sure if you picked up on his theological growth since you read “Black and Free” last. But that was his earlier book, and “If Christ is the Answer…” was a later book. He really developed his theology much more by the time he wrote that. I am amazed, you read those books in less days than I did. I think I read “Black and Free” in one day, and “If Christ is the Answer” over a week. I think he has another one called “Words of Revolution”, or something like that. I will probably try to read it this summer during my break from school.
Sister Skinner, I met you last at Howard years ago when I was a doctoral student. Would you be able to send me a copy of Words of Revolution as I have completed a manuscript on African Revolution? I will pay for the book which greatly influenced my life as a young Nigerian Christian years ago. I hope that you are in good health. My number is 301-333-8755.