Violent crime including gang warfare and the use of firearms affects many urban communities, with a growing number of alarming incidents reported in the media. Churches often struggle to find appropriate ways to respond to these crises and the pastoral needs that arise from them.Robert Beckford, lecturer in Black Theology at the University of Birmingham, attempts to provide some much-needed theological tools for an understanding of the rise of disaffection among black urban youth. Offering a clear analysis of the cultural and political factors at work, he argues for an approach based on reflection and action to seek life-transforming responses. Accessibly written, God and the Gangs is essential reading for those seeking to resource themselves for urban work or ministry. Includes a foreword by the Archbishop John Sentamu.