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Sermons About Black History: Celebrating Resilience, Resistance, and Redemption
Introduction:
Black history is more than just dates and names; it's a tapestry woven with threads of resilience, resistance, and redemption. It's a story of unwavering faith, profound struggles, and triumphant achievements that deserves to be celebrated, examined, and understood. This post delves into the power of sermons as a tool to explore Black history, offering examples of themes, approaches, and resources to help you craft impactful and meaningful messages. We'll explore various sermon outlines, discuss key figures and events ripe for exploration, and provide practical guidance for preachers seeking to deliver compelling and inspiring sermons on this vital topic. Whether you're a seasoned pastor or a newcomer to sermon preparation, this guide will equip you with the knowledge and resources you need to effectively share the rich legacy of Black history with your congregation. Prepare to be inspired and empowered to weave this crucial narrative into your ministry.
I. The Power of the Pulpit in Reclaiming Black History:
Sermons offer a unique platform to reclaim and reframe the narrative of Black history. Too often, the triumphs and struggles of Black communities are minimized or misrepresented in mainstream historical accounts. The pulpit provides a sacred space to correct these inaccuracies, amplify marginalized voices, and offer a spiritually grounded perspective on the enduring significance of Black contributions to society. By centering Black voices and experiences, sermons on Black history can foster empathy, understanding, and a deeper appreciation for the complexities of this rich history. This isn't simply about adding Black history month to the calendar; it's about integrating it into the ongoing spiritual journey of the congregation.
II. Themes for Powerful Sermons on Black History:
Several potent themes offer fertile ground for exploring Black history from a faith perspective:
Resilience in the Face of Adversity: This theme examines the unwavering faith and strength of Black communities throughout periods of slavery, Jim Crow, and ongoing systemic inequalities. It showcases how faith served as a source of strength and resilience, allowing individuals and communities to endure and persevere. Examples could include the spirituals sung by enslaved people, the role of the Black church in the Civil Rights Movement, and the ongoing fight for social justice.
Resistance and the Fight for Freedom: This theme delves into the various forms of resistance employed by Black people throughout history, from the Underground Railroad to the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. It highlights the courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to freedom demonstrated by countless individuals and organizations. Exploring figures like Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., and other activists provides powerful examples of faith-based resistance.
Redemption and the Promise of a Better Future: This theme explores the enduring hope and faith in a better future that has sustained Black communities throughout history. It emphasizes the belief in God's promise of justice and equality, and the ongoing struggle to achieve that promise. This theme can highlight the role of faith in healing from past traumas and inspiring future action.
Celebrating Unsung Heroes: Many contributions to Black history and culture often go unnoticed. A sermon focusing on unsung heroes – local community leaders, artists, activists, or everyday individuals who demonstrated extraordinary courage and faith – can inspire and uplift your congregation.
Connecting Black History to Contemporary Issues: Drawing parallels between historical struggles and contemporary issues facing Black communities today creates a powerful and relevant message. This approach can encourage congregation members to engage in active social justice work and become agents of change.
III. Structuring Your Sermon on Black History:
A compelling sermon requires a well-structured outline. Here’s a sample outline you can adapt:
A. Sample Sermon Outline: "The Unwavering Faith of Harriet Tubman"
Introduction: Begin with a compelling anecdote about Harriet Tubman's life and faith. Highlight her unwavering belief in God's guidance and her commitment to liberating enslaved people.
Chapter 1: The Crucible of Faith: Detail Harriet Tubman’s early life, the trauma of slavery, and how her faith sustained her amidst unimaginable hardship. Use biblical passages that reflect themes of resilience and hope.
Chapter 2: The Moses of Her People: Discuss Tubman’s role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, emphasizing her courage, resourcefulness, and reliance on God’s guidance. Use imagery and storytelling to bring her journey to life.
Chapter 3: A Legacy of Faith and Freedom: Explore the lasting impact of Tubman's work and her enduring legacy as a symbol of faith, resistance, and liberation. Connect her story to contemporary struggles for justice and equality.
Conclusion: Offer a call to action, challenging the congregation to emulate Tubman's faith, courage, and commitment to social justice.
IV. Resources for Sermon Preparation:
Books: Explore biographies of key figures in Black history, theological reflections on race and justice, and historical accounts of the Black church.
Articles and Academic Journals: Research scholarly articles and journals on Black history, religion, and social justice.
Primary Sources: Incorporate letters, diaries, speeches, and other primary sources to add authenticity and depth to your sermon.
Historical Films and Documentaries: Visual resources can provide powerful imagery and storytelling opportunities.
V. Beyond the Pulpit: Extending the Conversation:
Don't let the conversation end with the sermon. Encourage further discussion and engagement through:
Book Studies: Organize a book study on a relevant topic related to Black history and faith.
Community Outreach: Partner with local organizations to support initiatives promoting racial justice and equality.
Guest Speakers: Invite Black leaders, historians, or activists to share their perspectives and experiences.
VI. FAQ's
1. How can I avoid stereotypes when discussing Black history in my sermon? Focus on individual stories, achievements, and struggles, avoiding generalizations.
2. What are some appropriate scripture passages to use in a sermon about Black history? Consider passages that speak to themes of liberation, justice, resilience, and hope (e.g., Isaiah 61, Exodus, Psalms).
3. How can I make my sermon relevant to a diverse congregation? Acknowledge the different experiences and perspectives within your congregation and tailor your message to resonate with everyone.
4. How can I address potentially sensitive or controversial topics in a respectful and sensitive manner? Approach sensitive topics with empathy, humility, and a willingness to learn and grow.
5. Where can I find reliable resources to research Black history? Consult reputable historical sources, academic journals, and biographies.
6. How can I incorporate personal stories and experiences into my sermon? Share your own reflections and insights, but always prioritize the experiences and perspectives of Black individuals.
7. How can I ensure my sermon is engaging and inspiring? Use vivid language, storytelling, and compelling examples to captivate your audience.
8. How can I encourage active listening and engagement during my sermon? Use rhetorical questions, incorporate audience participation, and create opportunities for reflection.
9. How can I assess the impact of my sermon? Gather feedback from your congregation, reflect on your own delivery, and evaluate the overall effectiveness of your message.
VII. Related Articles:
1. The Role of the Black Church in the Civil Rights Movement: This article explores the significant role of Black churches in organizing and sustaining the Civil Rights Movement.
2. Faith and Resilience: The Spirituals of Enslaved People: Examines the powerful spirituals sung by enslaved people as a form of resistance and hope.
3. Unsung Heroes of the Underground Railroad: Highlights the contributions of lesser-known individuals who risked their lives to aid escapees.
4. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Theological Vision: Analyzes King's theological framework and its influence on the Civil Rights Movement.
5. Black Women in the Struggle for Freedom: Focuses on the significant contributions of Black women in the fight for social justice.
6. The Black Church and Social Justice Today: Explores the ongoing role of the Black church in addressing contemporary social issues.
7. Faith and the Fight Against Systemic Racism: Examines the intersection of faith and the struggle against systemic racism.
8. Celebrating Black Excellence in Arts and Culture: Highlights the significant contributions of Black artists, musicians, and writers.
9. Building Bridges: Fostering Interracial Dialogue in the Church: Offers strategies for promoting meaningful dialogue and understanding between different racial groups within the church.
| sermons about black history: The Bible is Black History Theron D Williams, 2022-08-03 We live in an age when younger African-American Christians are asking tough questions that previous generations would dare not ask. This generation doesn't hesitate to question the validity of the Scriptures, the efficacy of the church, and even the historicity of Jesus. Young people are becoming increasingly curious about what role, if any, did people of African descent play in biblical history? Or, if the Bible is devoid of Black presence, and is merely a book by Europeans, about Europeans and for Europeans to the exclusion of other races and ethnicities? Dr. Theron D. Williams makes a significant contribution to this conversation by answering the difficult questions this generation fearlessly poses. Dr. Williams uses facts from the Bible, well-respected historians, scientists, and DNA evidence to prove that Black people comprised the biblical Israelite community. He also shares historical images from the ancient catacombs that vividly depict the true likeness of the biblical Israelites. This book does not change the biblical text, but it will change how you understand it.This Second Edition provides updated information and further elucidation of key concepts. Also, at the encouragement of readership, this edition expands some of the ideas and addresses concerns my readership felt pertinent to this topic. |
| sermons about black history: Oneness Embraced Tony Evans, 2015-10-06 With the Bible as a guide and heaven as the goal, Oneness Embraced calls God's people to kingdom-focused unity. It tells us why we don't have it, what we need to get it, and what it will look like when we do. Mr. Evans weaves his own story into this word to the church. |
| sermons about black history: The Heart of Black Preaching Cleophus James LaRue, 2000-01-01 LaRue provides important insights on why black preaching is strong and active, and connects with the real-life experiences of listeners. (Christian) |
| sermons about black history: Introduction to the Practice of African American Preaching Frank A. Thomas, 2016-11-15 The Introduction to African American Preaching is an important, groundbreaking book. This book acknowledges African American preaching as an academic discipline, and invites all students and preachers into a scholarly, dynamic, and useful exploration of the topic. Author Frank Thomas opens with a “bus tour” study of African American preaching. He shows how African American preaching has gradually moved from an almost exclusively oral to an oral/written tradition. Readers will gain insight into the history of the study of the African American preaching tradition, and catch the author’s enthusiasm for it. Next Thomas traces the relationship between homiletics and rhetoric in Western preaching, demonstrating how African American preaching is inherently theological and rhetorical. He then explores the question, “what is black preaching?” Thomas introduces the reader to methods of “close reading” and “ideological criticism.” And then demonstrates how to use these methods, using a sermon by Gardner Calvin Taylor as his example. The next chapter considers the question, “what is excellence in black preaching?” The next chapter seeks to create bridges and dialogue within the field of homiletics, and in particular, the Euro-American homiletic tradition. The goal of this chapter is to clearly demonstrate connections between the African American preaching tradition and the field of homiletics. Thomas next turns to questions about the relevancy of the church to the Millennial generation. Specifically, how will the African American church remain relevant to this generation, which is so deeply concerned with social justice? |
| sermons about black history: Minding the Web Stanley Hauerwas, 2018-11-06 For over forty years Stanley Hauerwas has been writing theology that matters. In this new collection of essays, lectures, and sermons, Hauerwas continues his life’s work of exploring the theological web, discovering and recovering the connections necessary for the church to bear faithful witness to Christ in our complex and changing times. Hauerwas enters into conversation with a diverse array of interlocutors as he brings new insights to bear on matters theological, delves into university matters, demonstrates how lives matter, and continues in his passionate commitment to the matter of preaching. Essays by Robert Dean illumine the connections that have made Hauerwas’s theological web-slinging so significant and demonstrate why Hauerwas’s sermons have a crucial role to play in the recovery of a gospel-shaped homiletical imagination. |
| sermons about black history: Daughters of Thunder Bettye Collier-Thomas, 1998 Encompassing themes ranging from racial and gender discrimination in the church and society to the tenets of their shared theology, their sermons reveal women of great faith, courage, and wisdom. Dr. Collier-Thomas provides the reader with vital background information about these women's lives, their theology, and the issues that moved them to preach. In addition to a broad historical overview, she discusses the specific circumstances of each preacher and gives insightful analysis of her sermons. |
| sermons about black history: Preaching on Wax Lerone A Martin, 2014-11-14 The overlooked African American religious history of the phonograph industry Winner of the 2015 Frank S. and Elizabeth D. Brewer Prize for outstanding scholarship in church history by a first-time author presented by the American Society of Church History Certificate of Merit, 2015 Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research presented by the Association for Recorded Sound Collections From 1925 to 1941, approximately one hundred African American clergymen teamed up with leading record labels such as Columbia, Paramount, Victor-RCA to record and sell their sermons on wax. While white clerics of the era, such as Aimee Semple McPherson and Charles Fuller, became religious entrepreneurs and celebrities through their pioneering use of radio, black clergy were largely marginalized from radio. Instead, they relied on other means to get their message out, teaming up with corporate titans of the phonograph industry to package and distribute their old-time gospel messages across the country. Their nationally marketed folk sermons received an enthusiastic welcome by consumers, at times even outselling top billing jazz and blues artists such as Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey. These phonograph preachers significantly shaped the development of black religion during the interwar period, playing a crucial role in establishing the contemporary religious practices of commodification, broadcasting, and celebrity. Yet, the fame and reach of these nationwide media ministries came at a price, as phonograph preachers became subject to the principles of corporate America. In Preaching on Wax, Lerone A. Martin offers the first full-length account of the oft-overlooked religious history of the phonograph industry. He explains why a critical mass of African American ministers teamed up with the major phonograph labels of the day, how and why black consumers eagerly purchased their religious records, and how this phonograph religion significantly contributed to the shaping of modern African American Christianity. Instructor's Guide |
| sermons about black history: The Sounds of Slavery Shane White, Graham J. White, 2005 Publisher description |
| sermons about black history: The Heart of Racial Justice Brenda Salter McNeil, Rick Richardson, 2022-01-11 Racial and ethnic hostility is one of the most pervasive problems the church faces. What should our response be in a work torn apart by prejudice, hatred, and fear? In this book, Brenda Salter McNeil and Rick Richardson provide a model of racial reconciliation, social justice, and spiritual healing that creates both individual and communal transformation. |
| sermons about black history: Preaching with Sacred Fire: An Anthology of African American Sermons, 1750 to the Present Martha Simmons, Frank A. Thomas, 2010-08-16 One hundred sermons that display the victorious, although sometimes painful, historical and spiritual pilgrimage of black people in America. A groundbreaking anthology, Preaching with Sacred Fire is a unique and powerful work. It captures the stunning diversity of the cultural and historical legacy of African American preaching more than three hundred years in the making. Each sermon, as editors Martha Simmons and Frank A. Thomas reveal, is a work of art and a lesson in unmatched rhetoric. The journey through this anthology—which includes selections from Jarena Lee, Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., Gardner C. Taylor, Vashti McKenzie, and many others—offers a rare view of the unheralded role of the African American preacher in American history. The collection provides new insights into the underpinnings of the black fight for emancipation and the rise and growth of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. Sermons from the first decade of the twenty-first century point toward the future of African American preaching. Biographies of the preachers put their work in the cultural and homiletic context of their periods. The preachers of these sermons are men and women from a range of faiths, ancestries, and educational backgrounds. They draw on a vast and luminous landscape of poetic language, using metaphor, rhythm, and imagery to communicate with their congregations. What they all have in common is hope, resilience, and sacred fire. “Even during the most difficult and oppressive times,” Simmons and Thomas write in the preface, “the delivery, creativity, charisma, expressivity, fervor, forcefulness, passion, persuasiveness, poise, power, rhetoric, spirit, style, and vision of black preaching gave and gives hope to a community under siege.” This magnificent work beautifully renders the complexity, spiritual richness, and strength of African American life. |
| sermons about black history: Tears We Cannot Stop Michael Eric Dyson, 2017-01-17 “A hard-hitting sermon on the racial divide, directed specifically to a white congregation.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review A New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and Boston Globe Bestseller As the country grapples with racial division at a level not seen since the 1960s, Michael Eric Dyson’s voice is heard above the rest. In Tears We Cannot Stop, a provocative and deeply personal call or change, Dyson argues that if we are to make real racial progress, we must face difficult truths, including being honest about how Black grievance has been ignored, dismissed, and discounted. In the tradition of James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time—short, emotional, literary, powerful—this is the book that all Americans who care about the current and long-burning crisis in race relations need to read. Praise for Tears We Cannot Stop Named a Best/Most Anticipated Book of 2017 by: The Washington Post • Bustle • Men’s Journal • The Chicago Reader • StarTribune • Blavity• The Guardian • NBC New York’s Bill’s Books • Kirkus Reviews • Essence “Elegantly written and powerful in several areas: moving personal recollections; profound cultural analysis; and guidance for moral redemption. A work to relish.” —Toni Morrison “Here’s a sermon that’s as fierce as it is lucid . . . If you’re black, you’ll feel a spark of recognition in every paragraph. If you’re white, Dyson tells you what you need to know—what this white man needed to know, at least. This is a major achievement. I read it and said amen.” —Stephen King “One of the most frank and searing discussions on race . . . a deeply serious, urgent book, which should take its place in the tradition of Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time and King’s Why We Can’t Wait.” —The New York Times Book Review |
| sermons about black history: Say It! Eric C Redmond, 2020-02-04 Say It! A Celebration of Expository Preaching in the African American Tradition argues that Biblical Exposition is most dynamic when coupled with the African American preaching tradition. Charlie Dates, Romell Williams, George Parks, Jr., Terry D. Streeter and a cast of pastors and preaching professors collaborate to demonstrate the power of exposition in the cradle of the Black pulpit. The contributors in this volume give examples of African American Biblical exposition in every section of the Old Testament and New Testament. They also explain how to preach from narrative, poetical, prophetic, epistolary, and apocalyptic genres throughout the Scriptures. This important and powerful resource celebrates the faithful, biblical preaching of African Americans that is so often overlooked because it's stylistically different than the style of most white preachers. Appropriate for training associate ministers or use as a textbook in homiletics, Say It! will give the preacher what is needed to speak to real life from every page of the Book! |
| sermons about black history: Radical Welcome Stephanie Spellers, 2006-08 A theological, inspirational, and practical guide for congregations that want to move beyond diversity and inclusion to present a vision for the church of the future: one where the transforming gifts, voices, and power of marginalized cultures and groups bring new life to the mainline church. |
| sermons about black history: God's Trombones James Weldon Johnson, 1927 The inspirational sermons of the old Negro preachers are set down as poetry in this collection -- a classic for more than forty years, frequently dramatized, recorded, and anthologized. Mr. Johnson tells in his preface of hearing these same themes treated by famous preachers in his youth; some of the sermons are still current, and like the spirituals they have taken a significant place in black folk art. In transmuting their essence into original and moving poetry, the author has also ensured the survival of a great oral tradition. Book jacket. |
| sermons about black history: The Journey and Promise of African American Preaching Kenyatta R. Gilbert, 2011-04-01 The Journey and Promise of African American Preaching is a constructive effort to examine the historical contributions of African American preaching, the challenges it faces today, and how it might become a renewed source of healing and strength for at-risk communities and churches. --from publisher description |
| sermons about black history: Our Voices Amanda Johnson, 2009-10-01 What are the key issues facing black women in America today? Does God's Word offer guidance in how to navigate the realities and difficulties posed by those issues? After surveying black women across America to determine which topics are heaviest on their hearts, the authors of Our Voices present a very personal and practical overview. Ten women share with the reader their journeys and what they have learned from God's Word about His perspective on key issues facing them as black women. This book provides a powerful challenge to the reader to walk in obedience to God's Word, amid a culture that is bent on rebellion and that beckons us to do likewise. |
| sermons about black history: Outstanding Black Sermons Milton E. Owens, 1976 The thirteen sermons included in this volume were born of a unique cultural perspective and an unwavering Christian faith. These sermons were chosen because they are examples of the best preaching done in black churches today. |
| sermons about black history: The Motif of Hope in African American Preaching during Slavery and the Post-Civil War Era Wayne E. Croft, 2017-10-16 The Motif of Hope in African American Preaching during Slavery and the Post-Civil War Era: There's a Bright Side Somewhere explores the use of the motif of hope within African American preaching during slavery (1803–1865) and the post-Civil War era (1865–1896). It discusses the presentation of the motif of hope in African American preaching from an historical perspective and how this motif changed while in some instances remained the same with the changing of its historical context. Furthermore, this discussion illuminates a reality that hope has been a theme of importance throughout the history of African American preaching. |
| sermons about black history: The Genesis of Liberation Emerson B. Powery, Rodney S. Sadler Jr., 2016-04-04 Considering that the Bible was used to justify and perpetuate African American enslavement, why would it be given such authority? In this fascinating volume, Powery and Sadler explore how the Bible became a source of liberation for enslaved African Americans by analyzing its function in pre-Civil War freedom narratives. They explain the various ways in which enslaved African Americans interpreted the Bible and used it as a source for hope, empowerment, and literacy. The authors show that through their own engagement with the biblical text, enslaved African Americans found a liberating word. The Genesis of Liberation recovers the early history of black biblical interpretation and will help to expand understandings of African American hermeneutics. |
| sermons about black history: The Faithful Preacher (Foreword by John Piper) Thabiti M. Anyabwile, 2007-03-02 The cliché is that those who do not learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. But Thabiti Anyabwile contends that it is not the mistakes we must study; it is the people who have overcome them. So he presents three of the most influential African-American pastors in American history who can teach us what faithful ministry entails. Lemuel Haynes (1753-1833) reminds pastors that eternity must shape our ministry. Daniel A. Payne (1811-1893) stresses the importance of character and preparation to faithful shepherding. And Francis J. Grimké (1850-1937) provides a vision for engaging the world with the gospel. While they are from the African-American tradition, they, like all true saints, belong to all Christians of every background and era. Distinctive for its use of rare and out-of-print messages, Anaybwile's work is valuable as a reference as well as a devotional resource. |
| sermons about black history: Power in the Pulpit Cleophus James LaRue, 2002-01-01 In this book, scholar and preacher Cleophus J. LaRue brings together the voices of twelve of America's most influential African-American preachers. Each of these renowned preachers describes his or her method of sermon preparation and includes a sample sermon for illustration. An excellent how-to manual for pastors and students,Power in the Pulpitis both sage wisdom on the art of preaching and an inspiring look at some of the most prominent figures in the black church. |
| sermons about black history: Bullies and Saints John Dickson, 2021-05-11 Is the world better off without Christianity? Combining narrative with keen critique of contemporary debates, author and historian John Dickson gives an honest account of 2,000 years of Christian history that helps us understand what Christianity is and what it's meant to be. To say that the Christian Church has an image problem doesn't quite capture it. From the Crusades and the Inquisition to the racism and abuse present in today's Church--both in Catholic and Protestant traditions--the institution that Christ established on earth has a lot to answer for. But the Church has also had moments throughout history when it has been in tune with Jesus' teachings--from the rise of charity to the invention of hospitals. For defenders of the faith, it's important to be able to recognize the good and bad in the church's history and be inspired to live aligned with Christ. For skeptics, this book is a thought-provoking introduction to the idea that Christianity is, despite all, an essential foundation of our civilization. Bullies and Saints will take you on a big-picture journey from the Sermon on the Mount to the modern church: Giving contextual accounts of infamous chapters of Christian history, such as the Crusades, and acknowledging their darkness. Outlining the great movements of the faith and defending its heroes and saints, some of whom are not commonly recognized. Examining the Church beside the teachings and life of Jesus and how it has succeeded in its mission to imitate Christ. |
| sermons about black history: Plain Theology for Plain People Charles Octavius Boothe, 2017-09-20 Everyday Christians need practical and accessible theology. In this handbook first published in 1890, Charles Octavius Boothe simply and beautifully lays out the basics of theology for common people. Before the charge 'know thyself,' Boothe wrote, ought to come the far greater charge, 'know thy God.' He brought the heights of academic theology down to everyday language, and he helps us do the same today. Plain Theology for Plain People shows that evangelicalism needs the wisdom and experience of African American Christians. Walter R. Strickland II reintroduces this forgotten masterpiece for today. Lexham Classics are beautifully typeset new editions of classic works. Each book has been carefully transcribed from the original texts, ensuring an accurate representation of the writing as the author intended it to be read. |
| sermons about black history: Afrocentric Sermons Kenneth L. Waters, 1993 Afrocentricity seeks to rescue African history and heritage from its exile within our culture and encourage within African Americans the God-given self-esteem and dignity that have been eroded over the years. What better forum is there than the pulpit to proclaim hope through a clear message of freedom and worth? --from the Forword by Cain Hope Felder. |
| sermons about black history: Race and the Power of Sermons on American Politics R. Khari Brown, Ronald E Brown, James S. Jackson, 2021-09-15 This book examines the intersection of race, political sermons, and social justice. Religious leaders and congregants who discuss and encourage others to do social justice embrace a form of civil religion that falls close to the covenantal wing of American civil religious thought. Clergy and members who share this theological outlook frame the nation as being exceptional in God’s sight. They also emphasize that the nation’s special relationship with the Creator is contingent on the nation working toward providing opportunities for socioeconomic well-being, freedom, and creative pursuits. God’s covenant, thus, requires inclusion of people who may have different life experiences but who, nonetheless, are equally valued by God and worthy of dignity. Adherents to such a civil religious worldview would believe it right to care for and be in solidarity with the poor and powerless, even if they are undocumented immigrants, people living in non-democratic and non-capitalist nations, or members of racial or cultural out-groups. Relying on 44 national and regional surveys conducted between 1941 and 2019, Race and the Power of Sermons on American Politics explores how racial experiences impact the degree to which religion informs social justice attitudes and political behavior. This is the most comprehensive set of analyses of publicly available survey data on this topic. |
| sermons about black history: Black Fire Estrelda Y. Alexander, 2011-05-03 Many American Christians remain ignorant of black Pentacostalism. In this expansive historical overview, Estrelda Alexander recounts the story of African American Pentecostal origins and development. Whether you come from this tradition or you just want to learn more, this book will unfold all the dimensions of this important movement's history and contribution to the life of the church. |
| sermons about black history: Ready from Within Septima Poinsette Clark, 1990 Septima Clarke played one of the most essential, but little-recognized roles in the Civil Rights Movement. Born in 1898 in Charleston, South Carolina, she was a public school teacher until 1956, when she was dismissed for refusing to disavow her membership in the National Association for the advancement of Colored People. Subsequently, she worked for the Highlander Folk School, helping to set up Citizenship Schools throughout the South where Black adults could learn to read and prepare to vote. During the 1960s she worked with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and was a close associate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. From 1978 to 1983 she served as the first Black woman on the Charleston School Board. This is a first-person narrative of her life in the context of the Civil Rights Movement. Her story constitutes a major thread in the tapestry of that movement. Book jacket. |
| sermons about black history: God, Himself Tony Evans, 2020-09-01 How often do we stop to consider who the God is that we worship? When we draw near and learn more about this God, we become amazed at who He truly is. Join Tony Evans as he dives into the character of our awesome God—one attribute at a time. In God, Himself, we are invited, with unveiled faces, to behold the glory of the Lord—just as the Apostle Paul instructed the Corinthians to do. Dr. Evans offers insights about the character of God that will challenge you to pursue greater intimacy with Him and help you understand more fully what it means to be made in His image. For after all, as image-bearers knowing who He is defines who we are. You’ll learn about attributes like God’s wisdom and word, His sufficiency and sovereignty, and His goodness, grace, and glory that make Him the great God that He is. Dr. Evans also includes activities and challenges to help you know how to both process and respond to learning about God. Find your heart encouraged and your worship enriched as you learn about the beautiful nature of our God, the source of all goodness and life. |
| sermons about black history: Brown Church Robert Chao Romero, 2020-05-26 The Latina/o culture and identity have long been shaped by their challenges to the religious, socio-economic, and political status quo. Robert Chao Romero explores the Brown Church and how this movement appeals to the vision for redemption that includes not only heavenly promises but also the transformation of our lives and the world. |
| sermons about black history: The Black Church Henry Louis Gates, Jr., 2021-02-16 The instant New York Times bestseller and companion book to the PBS series. “Absolutely brilliant . . . A necessary and moving work.” —Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., author of Begin Again “Engaging. . . . In Gates’s telling, the Black church shines bright even as the nation itself moves uncertainly through the gloaming, seeking justice on earth—as it is in heaven.” —Jon Meacham, New York Times Book Review From the New York Times bestselling author of Stony the Road and The Black Box, and one of our most important voices on the African American experience, comes a powerful new history of the Black church as a foundation of Black life and a driving force in the larger freedom struggle in America. For the young Henry Louis Gates, Jr., growing up in a small, residentially segregated West Virginia town, the church was a center of gravity—an intimate place where voices rose up in song and neighbors gathered to celebrate life's blessings and offer comfort amid its trials and tribulations. In this tender and expansive reckoning with the meaning of the Black Church in America, Gates takes us on a journey spanning more than five centuries, from the intersection of Christianity and the transatlantic slave trade to today’s political landscape. At road’s end, and after Gates’s distinctive meditation on the churches of his childhood, we emerge with a new understanding of the importance of African American religion to the larger national narrative—as a center of resistance to slavery and white supremacy, as a magnet for political mobilization, as an incubator of musical and oratorical talent that would transform the culture, and as a crucible for working through the Black community’s most critical personal and social issues. In a country that has historically afforded its citizens from the African diaspora tragically few safe spaces, the Black Church has always been more than a sanctuary. This fact was never lost on white supremacists: from the earliest days of slavery, when enslaved people were allowed to worship at all, their meetinghouses were subject to surveillance and destruction. Long after slavery’s formal eradication, church burnings and bombings by anti-Black racists continued, a hallmark of the violent effort to suppress the African American struggle for equality. The past often isn’t even past—Dylann Roof committed his slaughter in the Mother Emanuel AME Church 193 years after it was first burned down by white citizens of Charleston, South Carolina, following a thwarted slave rebellion. But as Gates brilliantly shows, the Black church has never been only one thing. Its story lies at the heart of the Black political struggle, and it has produced many of the Black community’s most notable leaders. At the same time, some churches and denominations have eschewed political engagement and exemplified practices of exclusion and intolerance that have caused polarization and pain. Those tensions remain today, as a rising generation demands freedom and dignity for all within and beyond their communities, regardless of race, sex, or gender. Still, as a source of faith and refuge, spiritual sustenance and struggle against society’s darkest forces, the Black Church has been central, as this enthralling history makes vividly clear. |
| sermons about black history: Tony Evans Speaks Out on Prayer Tony Evans, 2000-10-01 The Christian life isn't very complicated; but we've made it so through our ignorance of principles central to the Christian walk. There are some basics with which people need to be equipped to live a more victorious Christian life. Tony Evans has heard the people's cry for these sometimes difficult principles to be made simple and explained clearly and succinctly. In his new Tony Evans Speaks Out . . . booklet series, Evans tackles four basic elements of Christianity with a clarity and simplicity characteristic of his popular style. |
| sermons about black history: A City Upon a Hill Larry Witham, 2009-10-06 “Witham’s highly readable history of the American sermon strongly bolsters the contention that words change minds and alter the course of events.” —Booklist Pivotal moments in U.S. history are indelibly marked by the sermons of the nation’s greatest orators. From colonial times to the present, the sermon has motivated Americans to fight wars as well as fight for peace. Sermons have provoked the mob mentality of witch hunts and blacklists, but they have also stirred activists in the women’s and civil rights movements. A City Upon a Hill tells the story of these powerful words and how they shaped the destiny of a nation. A City Upon a Hill includes the story of Robert Hunt, the first preacher to brave the dangerous sea voyage to Jamestown; Jonathan Mayhew’s “most seditious sermon ever delivered,” which incited Boston’s Stamp Act riots in 1765; early calls for abolition and “Preacher-Captain” Nat Turner’s bloody slave revolt of 1831; Henry Ward Beecher’s sermon at Fort Sumter on the day of Lincoln’s assassination; tent revivalist/prohibitionist Billy Sunday’s “booze sermon”; the challenging words of Martin Luther King Jr., which inspired the civil rights movement; Billy Graham’s moving speeches as “America’s pastor” and spiritual advisor to multiple U.S. presidents; and Jerry Falwell’s legacy of changing the way America does politics. A City Upon a Hill provides a history of the United States as seen through the lens of the preached words—Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish—that inspired independence, constitutional amendments, and military victories, and also stirred our worst prejudices, selfish materialism, and stubborn divisiveness—all in the name of God. |
| sermons about black history: Paradoxology Krish Kandiah, 2017-01-14 Many of us have big questions about God that the Christian faith seems to leave unanswered. But what if that tension is exactly where faith comes alive? Paradoxology boldly claims that the paradoxes that seem to undermine belief are actually the heart of our vibrant faith, and it is only by continually wrestling with them that God is most clearly revealed. |
| sermons about black history: The Negro Bible - The Slave Bible , 2019-10-25 The Slave Bible was published in 1807. It was commissioned on behalf of the Society for the Conversion of Negro Slaves in England. The Bible was to be used by missionaries and slave owners to teach slaves about the Christian faith and to evangelize slaves. The Bible was used to teach some slaves to read, but the goal first and foremost was to tend to the spiritual needs of the slaves in the way the missionaries and slave owners saw fit. |
| sermons about black history: On Being Black and Reformed Anthony J. Carter, 2003 How Can an African-American consciousness and Reformed theology benefit each other? Where was God in the Atlantic Slave Trade? How does Christianity triumph among people historically oppressed in part by the church itself? Anthony Carter brings positive, informed responses to such questions, thereby enriching our understanding and furthering racial reconciliation. Book jacket. |
| sermons about black history: American Sermons (LOA #108) Various, 1999-03 58 sermons displaying the eloquence, prophetic force, and spiritual fervor of American preaching, from the first New England settlements to modern evangelism and ecuemenism. |
| sermons about black history: Stewardship in African-american Churches Melvin Amerson, 2015-09 When the church embraces the responsibility of living as faith managers of God's vast resources [as Psalm 24:1 teaches], the community of faith will prosper. So begins this practical and theological study of stewardship, both in the context of the African-American church tradition and beyond. After all, a systematic approach to stewardship undergirds the ministry and mission of the church universal. A stewardship consultant, Amerson draws upon his experience to help churches develop a theology of generosity; define stewardship leadership roles; celebrate the offering each week; and establish endowment giving. While recognizing still-relevant traditions, he also points to newer tactics and strategies convenient to both members and congregations--including electronic giving, contribution statements, and year-end giving. A highlight of the book is Amerson's explanation of the development of a narrative budget/narrative spending plan. He also writes about stewardship education at multiple levels. This book is a solid resource for financial stewardship education. |
| sermons about black history: I Love Black History Janiah Hinds, 2021-02 Children's coloring book featuring 20 Black History figures. This book was created by a female, black, teen, who is passionate about seeing young and old learn about the history of African Americans. |
| sermons about black history: Our Dead Behind Us Audre Lorde, 1994 A collection of poetry by the African-American activist and artist describes her personal identities as a lesbian, mother, black woman, and cancer survivor, and notes the tension created by the often conflicting drives of these identities. Reissue. |
| sermons about black history: The Gospel for the Ghetto Manuel Lee Scott, 1973-01-01 |
