Also see our "Racism & Reconciliation" Bibliography
Also see our "Recent Books on Ecotheology"
Pluralism in Practice: Case Studies of Leadership in a Religiously Diverse America by
Drawn from the work of The Pluralism Project at Harvard University, Pluralism in Practice provides a method of "decision-based" cases for learning about and engaging with the realities of living in an increasingly religiously diverse society. The cases range from public holiday displays and days of prayer; to the location of houses of worship; to questions of what makes up a religious community. Most of the cases are told in two parts: the (A) case brings thick description and detail to each dilemma and ends at the point of decision. This decision point structures the narrative, generates reflection, and energizes discussion as the reader pauses to consider an additional set of questions. Next, the (B) case describes how the decision or dilemma was resolved. Pluralism in Practice is a timely and unique resource particularly for students, scholars, and all those involved in or passionate about developing and fostering a multi-religious future.
Decolonizing Palestine: the Land, the People, the Bible by 
Jesus, Paul, Luke-Acts, and 1 Clement: studies in class, ethnicity, gender, and orientation by
In this book, the author draws on two original sources, on a Greek biographer, historian, and rhetorician, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, as well as on Pompeian domestic art and architecture. Generally, NT scholars read texts, but Greeks and ancient Romans loved beauty. The walls and floors of their houses were decorated with thousands of colorful frescoes and mosaics, art that two millennia later is still on display in Pompeii. Christians lived and worshipped in those typical houses; relating the art to NT texts generates many intriguing new questions! What stories/myths did Greeks and Romans see every day? What were their sports, and how violent were they? Many NT scholars know as much or more Latin than they do Greek, and they therefore cite the Latin historian Livy rather than the Greek Dionysius, who wrote a century before the first Christian historian, Luke. Dionysius' rhetoric expressed values shared across cultures, by Greeks, Romans, and Jews (e.g., by the historian--and rhetorician--Josephus), some values that Luke also shares. Dionysius makes clear that cities and ethnic groups had to praise how they treated emigrant foreigners, questions handled differently by Josephus and by Luke. This enables new interpretations of Jesus' inaugural speech in Luke 4 and of Peter's second Pentecost speech in Acts 10.
Christianity and the Nation-State: a study in political theology by
In Christianity and the Nation-State, Gary Chartier provocatively offers readers unexpected critical distance from some familiar ways of understanding, justifying, and navigating existing political arrangements. People in multiple societies are posing important questions about the authority and functions of the contemporary nation-state and about potential alternatives to this seemingly inescapable institution. Chartier seeks to develop a distinctive theological response to the conditions prompting these questions. Affirming liberalism and cosmopolitanism, he reflects critically on nationalism, localism, religious establishment, and theological accounts of political authority. He highlights links between sin and state power and underscores deficiencies in democratic rhetoric and theory. He rejects the idea of a global government, advocating a nonterritorial alternative he labels 'radical consociationalism. Moreover, he presents concrete suggestions for life under the rule of the state.
The kingdom of children : a liberation theology by 
Food Justice and Hospitality in Luke-Acts : a historical and contemporary interpretation by
Food security is a multifaceted concept and extends beyond the production of, availability of, and demand for food. This book attempts to explore the meal narrations in Luke-Acts as a source for a theology of hospitality to ascertain Luke's concern for the immigrant, the poor, the homeless, the hungry, and the outcasts. This book focuses on fifteen meal scenes in Luke-Acts and contributes to Lukan scholarship on meals, particularly in addressing the issue of food insecurity. Firstly, by incorporating cultural dimensions and anthropology to understand the social context of the first-century world, this book contributes a new perspective on the Lukan audience, which was stratified by socioeconomic and religious disparities in terms of privilege, wealth, and power. Secondly, this book analyzes the Lukan concern with the social structure and the social, political, economic, and religious setting behind his emphasis on the pto[set macron over o]choi and the marginalized concerning livelihood needs such as food and shelter. Thirdly, this book connects Lukan concern with contemporary theologies that include an emphasis on hunger and hospitality, such as liberation theology, Dalit theology, and practical theology. Thus, the book challenges readers and offers a few recommendations for implementations to combat hunger and destitution.
Monotheism and Social Justice by
The rise of monotheistic religious faith in ancient Israel and post-exilic Judaism inspired the imperative for social justice on behalf of the poor and the oppressed. Though some authors have maintained that monotheism inspires tyranny, this author maintains that real monotheistic faith affirms justice and human equality. This can be evidenced by a consideration of the Old Testament prophets and Law. Especially with the law we may observe a progression in the attempt to provide increasing rights for the poor and the oppressed.
The Church's Unholy War : Russia's invasion of Ukraine and orthodoxy by
How did religion contribute to Russia's invasion of Ukraine? Heated disputes and alienation among Orthodox Christians in Ukraine and Russia contributed to Russian aggression in Crimea and Donbas in 2014, and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This book examines attempts from the early twentieth century to the present day to liberate the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from Russian control. It explores the causes of bitter alienation, Russia's use of soft power to maintain control, the development of hate speech used to discriminate against independent-minded Ukrainians, and the transition from soft to hard power from 2014 to the present.
A Darkly Radiant Vision: the black social gospel in the shadow of MLK by
The third and final volume in the first comprehensive history of Black social Christianity, by the "greatest theological ethicist of the twenty-first century" (Michael Eric Dyson) The Black social gospel is a tradition of unsurpassed importance in American life, and it remains ongoing. So Gary Dorrien argues in his groundbreaking trilogy of books on the history of Black social Christianity. Following his Grawemeyer Award-winning book The New Abolition: W. E. B. Du Bois and the Black Social Gospel (2015) and his Breaking White Supremacy: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Black Social Gospel (2018), this third, concluding volume offers an interpretation of Black social Christianity since the early 1970s. Beginning in the shadow of Martin Luther King Jr., it examines the past fifty years of this intellectual and activist tradition, interpreting its politics, theology, ethics, social criticism, and social justice organizing. Considering the intersection of Black social Christianity with liberation theology, womanist theology, the LGBTQ+ movement, critical theory, antiracism efforts, progressive religion, broad-based interfaith organizing, global solidarity politics, and more, Dorrien shows how those who carried on the struggle in King's name were often lifted by King's moral example. A Darkly Radiant Vision features in-depth discussions of Andrew Young, Jesse Jackson, Samuel DeWitt Proctor, James Cone, Katie Geneva Cannon, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Traci Blackmon, William J. Barber II, Raphael G. Warnock, and many others.
God Is Red : a native view of religion (50th anniversary edition. Fourth edition) by
A 50th anniversary revised edition of the beloved classic, God is Red. First published in 1973, Vine Deloria, Jr.'s God Is Red remains the seminal work on Native American religious views, asking the reader to think about our species and our ultimate fate in novel ways. Celebrating five decades of publication with this new edition, Deloria's classic work reminds us to understand "that we are a part of nature, not a transcendent species with no responsibilities to the natural world." It is time again to listen to Vine Deloria, Jr.'s powerful voice, informing us about a spiritual life that is independent of Western religion and that reveres the interconnectedness of all living things. This new edition includes critical essays engaging with the original material by well-known Indigenous thinkers - Philip Deloria, Suzan Shown Harjo, Daniel Wildcat, and David E. Wilkins. Inside, the book covers a wide variety of topics including: the problem of creation, the origin of religion, Death, and Human personality. "God is Red should be read and re-read by Americans who want to understand why the United States keeps losing the peace, war after war." - Leslie Marmon Silko
Defending Democracy from Its Christian Enemies by
American democracy is in danger. How do we protect it from reactionary Christian authoritarianism? On January 6, 2021, a group of Americans stormed the Capitol to prevent the certification of their political opponent's election in the name of Jesus Christ and his representative on earth, Donald Trump. How could this have happened? David P. Gushee tackles the question in this timely work of Christian political ethics. Gushee calls us to preserve democratic norms of civil rights, rule of law, and shared governance, even as many Christians grow reactionary and antidemocratic. Broadly surveying global politics and modern history, he analyzes the ways Christians have supported authoritarianism today and in the past, aiming to understand why and how this happens--and how to prevent it. Ultimately, he develops a better model of Christian political engagement, looking to traditions of congregational democracy , dissident Black Christian politics, and covenantal theology as a guide. Defending Democracy from Its Christian Enemies advocates for sane, ethical, and compassionate politics in a world where many Christians are instigating discord and vying for power. Any concerned Christian will leave its pages with eyes clear to the dangers of our current form of political engagement and with insight into what democracy is truly meant to be.
Agreeing to Disagree : how the Establishment Clause protects religious diversity and freedom of conscience (2023) by
In one of the most thorough accounts of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, Nathan S. Chapman and Michael W. McConnell provide an insightful overview of the legal history and meaning of the clause, as well as its value for promoting equal religious freedom and diversity incontemporary America.The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion", may be the most contentious and misunderstood provision of the entire U.S. Constitution. It lies at the heart of America's culture wars. But what, exactly, is an "establishment ofreligion"? And what is a law "respecting" it?Many commentators reduce the clause to "the separation of church and state." This implies that church and state are at odds, that the public sphere must be secular, and that the Establishment Clause is in tension with the Free Exercise of Religion Clause. All of these implications misconstrue theEstablishment Clause's original purpose and enduring value for a religiously pluralistic society. The clause facilitates religious diversity and guarantees equality of religious freedom by prohibiting the government from coercing or inducing citizens to change their religious beliefs and practices.In Agreeing to Disagree, Nathan S. Chapman and Michael W. McConnell detail the theological, political, and philosophical underpinnings of the Establishment Clause, state disestablishment, and the disestablishment norms applied to the states by the Fourteenth Amendment. Americans in the earlyRepublic were intimately acquainted with the laws used in England, the colonies, and early states to enforce religious uniformity. The Establishment Clause was understood to prohibit the government from incentivizing such uniformity. Chapman and McConnell show how the U.S. Supreme Court has largelyimplemented these purposes in cases addressing prayer in school, state funding of religious schools, religious symbols on public property, and limits on religious accommodations. In one of the most thorough accounts of the Establishment Clause, Chapman and McConnell argue that the clause is bestunderstood as a constitutional commitment for Americans to agree to disagree about matters of faith.
Worship at a Crossroads : racism and segregated Sundays by
This book calls Protestant churches, and the ELCA in particular, to a church-wide conversation about racism. It is a response to the 2019 book Dear Church by Lenny Duncan, a former Lutheran pastor who is Black and who, among other reparations, calls for changing the church's worship in order to address segregated Sundays. Changes in worship affect theological foundations. Informed consideration is essential. Because entering into life-changing conversations requires vulnerability and commitment, this book includes several narratives: my life as a White woman and pastor, the history of the Black church as defined by Black theologians, the development of the liturgical renewal movement, and my experiences as a professor navigating worship conflicts as my seminary struggled with financial constraints and a changing student body. The seminary conflicts offered me a window into how better to address racism inspired by the example of post-WWII German truth-telling and how some US Southern states have come to grips with the history of the Jim Crow South (described in Susan Neiman's Learning from the Germans). This book outlines a way forward for churches in responding to racism by encouraging healthy engagement with contentious relationships as a necessity for healing.
Inner-City Blues : Black theology and Black poverty in the United States by 
Ancient Echoes : refusing the fear-filled, greed-driven toxicity of the far right by
In Ancient Echoes, Walter Brueggemann -- one of our most influential biblical scholars -- responds to eight "truth claims" made by the radical right in US politics. In his book Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America: A Recent History(Random House 2020), Kurt Andersen enunciates eight "truth claims" made by the political right that champion aggressive self-sufficiency and self-security at the expense of the community. In the process, any hint of "the common good" among neighbors disappears from the scene. Brueggemann responds to each of these mistaken "truth claims" through the witness of scripture and an insistence upon a common good -- a neighborly practice of generosity, hospitality, forgiveness, justice, compassion, and mercy. The echoes of biblical faith reveal that these right wing "truth claims" contradict our long-running legacy of biblical faith.
The Everyday Advocate: living out your calling to social justice by
As Christians, we are called and anointed to bring good news to the poor, release to the captives, and freedom to the oppressed. In The Everyday Advocate, Ross Murray helps Christians explore our individual callings to justice and start taking practical steps to live that out. The Everyday Advocateis for the layperson who feels overwhelmed by the world's troubles and helpless to address them. It is for the person who goes to church, hears the gospel, seeks to apply it to their lives, and yearns to be connected to, or create, a community that amplifies their voice and actions. It is also for pastors and faith leaders who want to help people think through their calling to advocacy and help connect them with the communities that can use their gifts and talents. Murray builds on two questions: Where is God? And what are we called to do? Viewing every action and phenomenon as theological, he stakes out values and shows readers how to work toward those values. He also distinguishes between direct service and cultural change, discussing the balance between them and acknowledging both are needed. Drawing on his own experience and exercising his pastoral spirit, Murray encourages readers to discern their own call to advocacy, learn to identify injustices that still reign, and respond faithfully by incorporating big and small actions into their everyday lives.
Babel: political rhetoric of a confused legacy by
In Babel: Political Rhetoric of a Confused Legacy, Samuel L. Boyd offers a new reading of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1-9. Using recent insights on the rhetoric of Neo-Assyrian politics and its ideology of governance as well as advances in biblical studies, Boyd shows how the Tower of Babel was not originally about a tower, Babylon, or the advent of multilingualism, at least in the earliest phases of the history and literary context of the story. Rather, the narrative was a critique against the Assyrian empire using themes of human overreach found in many places in Genesis 1-11. Boyd clarifies how idioms of Assyrian governance could have found their way into the biblical text, and how the Hebrew of Genesis 11:1-9 itself leads to a different translation of the passage than found in versions of the Bible, one that does not involve language. This new reading sheds light on how the story became about language. Boyd argues that this new understanding of Babel also illuminates aspects of the call of Abram when the Tower of Babel is interpreted as a story about something other than the origin of multilingualism. Finally, he frames the historical-critical research on the biblical passage and its reception in ancient Jewish, Christian, and Islamic sources with the uses of the Tower of Babel in modern politics of language and nationalism. He demonstrates how and why Genesis 11:1-9 has become so useful, in often detrimental ways, to the modern nation-state. Boyd explores this intellectual history of the passage into current events in the twenty-first century and offers perspectives on how a new reading of the Tower of Babel can speak to the current cultural and political moment and offer correctives on the uses and abuses of the Bible in the public sphere.
Leading While Black by
The American workplace exhibits a growing imbalance when it comes to human identity. Leaders are frequently defined in the absence of their critical social identifiers, but the exclusion of these identifiers is a mistake and ignores essential physical, cultural, and spiritual realities. Their exclusion is especially problematic for leaders of the Black identity and the Christian faith. Color-blind ideology harms people of color, while religion-blind systems damage people of faith, and both are especially problematic for individuals who reckon with both realities. Rather than abandoning an individual's social identities, the ones we choose and the ones we do not, Leading While Black draws on the lived experiences of executive-level leaders of the Christian faith and Black identity, and offers a testament to the power of a living God in the social fabric of public life. Instead of ignoring the narrative arc of social identities and the weight they carry when considering an individual's conception of leadership, Torrance Jones leans into the value of those identities and asserts their integral importance for Black leaders and for those who work with and for Black voices. The reality of those who live with the experience of being Black and Christian in the workplace matters for the grand narrative of leadership in the United States. Through conversations and deep attention to the lived experience of leaders, Torrance Jones explores the intersectionality of these two worlds--Black and Christian--and inspires readers to lead from the context of all that they are.
Race, Racism, and the Biblical Narratives: on use and abuse of sacred scripture by
Race, Racism, and the Biblical Narrativesis a critical essay from Stony the Road We Trod: African American Biblical Interpretation written by the project's editor, Cain Hope Felder, now in a concise stand-alone book. In this important work, Felder clarifies the profound differences in racial attitudes in the biblical world and now. The book reveals the processes at work in both the New and Old Testaments that reflect ancient ambiguity about what we call race. Felder uncovers misuses of the biblical text (such as the so-called curse of Ham) in subsequent interpretation and shows how the Bible has been used to trivialize African contributions and demean and enslave Black people. Race, Racism, and the Biblical Narrativeschallenges scholars and church people alike to a deeper and more honest engagement with the biblical text.
Guerrillas of Grace : prayers for the battle by
For four decades, this classic collection of tough, beautiful, and earthy prayers has lightened hearts and dared spirits to soar.
Divine Rage: Malcolm X's Challenge to Twentieth Century Christians by
Malcolm X asked: did Christianity have nothing more to offer Black Americans than spiritual "novocaine," enabling them to suffer peacefully? Malcolm's vision-in which the world's oppressed would join together to make God's righteous judgment on racism, colonialism, and all forms of slavery-galvanized, outraged, and troubled many. Divine Rage shows how Christian activists and theologians wrestled with it, including Albert B. Cleage, Jr., a Congregationalist minister who based his community, the Shrine of the Black Madonna, on Malcolm's message; a young scholar, James Cone, who developed a Christian theology of Black Power; Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons, a Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) leader who embraced Islam and pushed SNCC to espouse a more radical Black consciousness; Thomas Merton, a Catholic monk and public figure who struggled with how to relate Catholic nonviolence with the Black Power movement; and Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, queer activists of color who moved fluidly between the revolutionary language of Black Power and a religious practice grounded in the saints.
Transforming church : participating in God's mission through community development by 
We Will Be Free: the life and faith of Sojourner Truth by 
On the Significance of Religion for Deliberative Democracy by
This exciting volume pioneers the study of the complex relationship between religion and deliberative democracy, a practice that places importance on the need for citizens to come together to identify shared concerns and issues, work through choices and options for action, weigh consequences and trade-offs, and possibly take collective action to influence decisions and policies. Chapters use case studies to demonstrate instances where deliberative democracy has advanced the positive role of religion and where religious practices have advanced the role of deliberative democracy. The authors look at the actions of various denominations of Christianity in Africa, the United States of America, and the South Pacific, as well as examining how such groups operate within the context of indigenous religions such as African Traditional Religion. This volume also explores instances where the absence of deliberative practices in religion has curtailed the ability of people to realise their full potential, and the ability of religious groups to act decisively for the common good to influence the politics of the times. Combining innovative research with case studies and practical implications and recommendations for religious leaders, academics, policy makers, and practitioners, this concise and easily accessible volume instructs on how religious and democratic institutions can symbiotically address community and national challenges.
Walking the Way of Harriet Tubman : public mystic & freedom fighter by
Harriet Tubman, freedom fighter and leader in the Underground Railroad, is one of the most significant figures in U.S. history. Her courage and determination in bringing enslaved people to freedom have established her as an icon of the abolitionist movement. But behind the history of the heroine called "Moses" was a woman of deep faith. In Walking the Way of Harriet Tubman, Therese Taylor-Stinson introduces Harriet, a woman born into slavery whose unwavering faith and practices in spirituality and contemplation carried her through insufferable abuse and hardship to become a leader for her people. Her profound internal liberation came from deep roots in mysticism, Christianity, nature spirituality, and African Indigenous beliefs that empowered her own escape from enslavement--giving her the strength and purpose to lead others on the road to freedom. Harriet's lived spirituality illuminates a profound path forward for those of us longing for internal freedom, as well as justice and equity in our communities. As people of color, we must cultivate our full selves for our own liberation and the liberation of our communities. As the luminous significance of Harriet Tubman's spiritual life is revealed, so too is the path to our own spiritual truth, advocacy, and racial justice as we follow in her footsteps.
Jewish Muslims: how Christians imagined Islam as the enemy by 
The Concept of Human Rights in Judaism, Christianity and Islam by 
Compelling Lives : five Methodist abolitionists and the ideas that inspired them by
What motivates people to work for justice? Recent studies have moved away from an emphasis on specific principles and toward an understanding of social and cultural forces. But what about times in history when distinct ideas were critical for positive change?The pre-Civil War abolitionist movement represents one such time. During an era when race-based slavery was buttressed by the machinery of civil law, many people developed arguments for freedom and equity that were grounded in divine law. There were Methodist witnesses for justice who lived by this distinction between civil and godly authority. While Methodism, as an institution, betrayed its founding opposition to slavery, many within the movement expressed a prophetic vision. A vibrant counterculture borrowed from Scripture and modern philosophy to argue for a "higher law" of justice.The world-changing ideas that overcame slavery in America were not disembodied and ethereal. They were mediated through the lives of multidimensional individuals. Sojourner Truth, Luther Lee, Laura Haviland, Henry Bibb, and Gilbert Haven were very different from one another. Yet they were animated by similar ideas, grounded in faith, and shaped by a common commitment to human rights.
Authentic Selves: celebrating trans and nonbinary people and their families by
Groundbreaking in its depictions of joy and community, Authentic Selves celebrates trans and nonbinary people and their families in stunning photographs and their own words. Foreword by transgender activist Jazz Jennings and her mom and fellow activist, Jeanette Jennings. So often trans and nonbinary people's stories are told only through the lens of their struggles and challenges, including their political battles for legal rights, but trans and nonbinary people live rich and fulfilling lives full of joy and community too. Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families is a sweeping compilation of life stories and portraits of trans and nonbinary people, as well as their partners, parents, children, siblings, and chosen family members. The compelling stories in Authentic Selves provide a glimpse into the real lives, both the challenges and the triumphs, of these remarkable people and their families--people like Senator Sarah McBride, disability justice advocate Parker Glick, drag entertainer TAYLOR ALXNDR, September 11th first responder Jozeppi Angelo Morelli, model Lana Patel, youth activist Elliott Bertrand, and so many others--all of whom are working to create a more just, diverse, and compassionate world. Developed in collaboration with PFLAG National and Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.
Multiracial Cosmotheandrism: a Practical Theology of Multiracial Experiences by
In this book, Aizaiah G. Yong critically considers how the lives and spiritual experiences of mixed-race people can transform efforts for racial justice across the planet. Yong is inspired by the life and philosophy of Raimon Panikkar, a twentieth-century interreligious spiritual leader whose own experiences of the world were foundationally shaped by his life as a mixed-race person. This book focuses on the experiences of mixed-race people and challenges practical theology to broaden its own attention to practices of spirituality beyond mono-racial paradigms. Mixed-race people have profound resources for confronting and healing from racism and racial oppression within their lives and their stories, and this book demonstrates calls for strengthened collective efforts to tend to the beautiful depths of spiritual formation for mixed-race people.
Circling the elephant : a comparative theology of religious diversity by 
The Full Armor of God : the mobilization of Christian nationalism in American politics by
Academic research on Christian nationalism has revealed a considerable amount about the scope of its relationships to public policy views in the US. However, work thus far has not addressed an essential question: why now? Research by the authors of this Element advances answers, showcasing how deeper engagement with 'the 3Ms' - measurement, mechanisms and mobilization - can help unpack how and why Christian nationalism has entered our politics as a partisan project. Indeed, it is difficult to understand the dynamics of Christian nationalism without reference to the parties, as it has been a worldview used to mobilize Republicans while simultaneously recruiting and demobilizing Democrats. The mechanisms of these efforts hinge on a deep desire for social dominance that is ordained by God - an order elites suggest is threatened by Democrats and 'the left.' These elite appeals can have sweeping consequences for opinion and action, including the public's support for democratic processes.
Roadmap to Reconciliation 2. 0: moving communities into unity, wholeness and justice by
We can see the injustice and inequality in our lives and in the world. We are ready to rise up. But how, exactly, do we do this? How does one reconcile? What we need is a clear sense of direction. Based on her extensive consulting experience with churches, colleges and organizations, Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil has created a roadmap to show us the way. She guides us through the common topics of discussion and past the bumpy social terrain and political boundaries that will arise. In this revised and expanded edition, McNeil has updated her signature roadmap to incorporate insights from her more recent work. Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0 includes a new preface and a new chapter on restoration, which address the high costs for people of color who work in reconciliation and their need for continual renewal. With reflection questions and exercises at the end of each chapter, this book is ideal to read together with your church or organization. If you are ready to take the next step into unity, wholeness and justice, then this is the book for you.
The Feeling of Forgetting : Christianity, race, and violence in America by
A provocative examination of how religious practices of forgetting drive white Christian nationalism. The dual traumas of colonialism and slavery are still felt by Native Americans and African Americans as victims of ongoing violence toward people of color today. In The Feeling of Forgetting, John Corrigan calls attention to the trauma experienced by white Americans as perpetrators of this violence. By tracing memory's role in American Christianity, Corrigan shows how contemporary white Christian nationalism is motivated by a widespread effort to forget the role race plays in American society. White trauma, Corrigan argues, courses through American culture like an underground river that sometimes bursts forth into brutality, terrorism, and insurrection. Tracing the river to its source is a necessary first step toward healing.
Do Black Lives Matter?: how Christian scriptures speak to Black empowerment by
In this book Lisa Bowens and Dennis R. Edwards collate a virtual manifesto on the way the Bible serves as inspiration, theological grist, and even the language needed to be the change to people of good faith everywhere. The authors of this book challenge the forces of racism that are so deeply entrenched in church and society today offering prophetic insight into Black resilience and the historic and ongoing importance of Scripture to that resilience. The authors also forefront the significance of Scripture to the Black struggle for justice by bringing together here prominent, gifted Black scholars in biblical studies, ethics, history, and theology, as their work and writing contribute so much to the ongoing struggle against injustice. The book will offer both biblical reflection celebrating an African American theological reading and a prophetic call to arms by means of sermons and other reflections.The book includes contributions from: Jaime L. Waters, Jennifer Kaalund, Angela Parker Reggie, Williams Antonia Daymond, Brian Bantum, Danjuma Gibson, David Daniels, Y. Joy Harris-Smith, Vince Bantu, Marcia Clarke, Valerie Landfair, Antipas Harris, Luke Powery, Efrem Smith, Donyelle McCray, Jamal-Dominique Hopkins.
Ecosystems of Jubilee: economic ethics for the neighborhood by
Ecosystems of Jubilee, by José Humphreys and Adam Gustine, is a deeply theological yet highly practical look at the economic ethics and practices of the Old Testament, their fulfillment in Jesus, and their application for seeking justice today. Focusing on the triad of gleaning, sabbath and jubilee, this book will not only motivate Christians embedded in local communities to embrace a serious commitment to economic development as a way of seeking justice, but it will also guide people in the application of these principles through stories and examples, models, and practices. These applications include personal, church, and systemic expressions to help Christians engaged in the broader society as well as those looking to engage this work from a church-centered view.
Why the Cross? : divine friendship and the power of justice by
In this book, Ligita Ryliskyte addresses what is arguably the most important and profound question in systematic theology: What does it mean for humankind to be saved by the cross? Offering a constructive account of the atonement that avoids pitting God's saving love against divine justice, she provides a biblically-grounded and philosophically disciplined theology of the cross that responds to the exigencies of postmodern secular culture. Ryliskyte draws on Bernard J. F. Lonergan's development of the Augustinian-Thomist tradition to argue that the justice of the cross concerns the orderly communication and diffusion of divine friendship. It becomes efficacious in the dynamic order of the emergent universe through the transformation of evil into good out of love. Showing how inherited theological traditions can be transposed in new contexts, Ryliskyte's book reveals a Christology of fundamental significance for contemporary systematic theology, as well as the fields of theological ethics and Christian spirituality.
The(y)ology: mythopoetics for queer/trans liberation by
Every body contains multitudes, but no body is immune to the ideology of oneness: one true self, one sexuality, one gender, one vision of the world, one true God. For many who identify (or who have been named by others) as transgender, queer, and nonbinary, the refusal to fit within the illusion of one set of sex and gender expectations has been met with violence and suppression. While the myth of oneness is a powerful story that shapes the contours of our societies and our selves, it is not the only myth. Performances, fictions, rituals, and theologies can transform current realities. The(y)ology: Mythopoetics for Queer/Trans Liberation is a manifesto for artists, teachers, theologians, clergy, and activists looking for ways to resist rigid paradigms of gender, sexuality, self, and the sacred. In these pages, we are called to tell new stories about who we are and how we relate to each other within our ecosystems. The myths discussed wrestle with and transform the complex mytho-histories that have birthed and, often, harmed us. No story comes from nothing, and, more radically, perhaps no story is fully irredeemable. In The(y)ology, feminist philosophies join with trans poetics, literary theory with liberation theologies, drag performance with kabbalah, ecologies with pornographies, and ancient theater with queer autobiographies. However ambitious its scope might be, The(y)ology is fundamentally about encouraging us all to think playfully and to play thoughtfully with the mythologies that define our lives. Max Yeshaye Brumberg-Kraus is a poet, playwright, drag artist, and independent scholar living in Saint Paul, Minnesota. They are the co-founder of the House of Larva Drag Co-operative, performing as drag ogress Çicada L'Amour, producing one acts, full-length shows, and cabarets since 2014. In and out of drag, Max has performed at the Guthrie Theatre, Pangea World Theatre, 20% Theatre, In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, Rimon (The Minnesota Jewish Arts Council), the Rochester Arts Center, and have also directed a full length show (Circe: Twilight of a Goddess) with Siren Island in Point San Pablo, California. After majoring in classics and theatre at Beloit College, they received their MA in Theology and the Arts from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. Max is former fellow and facilitator with Arts Religion Culture (ARC), and a member of the Green Sabbath Project. They are currently pursuing their MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts at Goddard College, with a focus on queerness and the medieval imagination.
American Kairos : Washington National Cathedral and the new civil religion by
A history of Washington National Cathedral and the theory of an American civil religion. In 1792, Pierre Charles L'Enfant, the first city planner of Washington, DC, introduced the idea of a "great church for national purposes." Unlike L'Enfant's plans for the White House, the US Capitol, and the National Mall, this grand temple to the republic never materialized. But in 1890, the Episcopal Church began planning what is known today as Washington National Cathedral. In American Kairos, Richard Benjamin Crosby chronicles the history of not only the building but also the idea that animates it, arguing that the cathedral is a touchstone site for the American civil religion--the idea that the United States functions much like a religion, with its own rituals, sacred texts, holy days, and so on. He shows that the National Cathedral can never be the church L'Enfant envisioned, but it can be a starting point for studying the conflicts over belonging, ideology, and America's place in the world that define the American civil religion. By examining correspondence between L'Enfant, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and others, and by diving into Washington National Cathedral's archives, Crosby uncovers a crucial gap in the formation of the nation's soul. While L'Enfant's original vision was never realized, Washington National Cathedral reminds us that perhaps it can be. The cathedral is one of the great rhetorical and architectural triumphs in the history of American religion. Without government mandate or public vote, it has claimed its role as America's de facto house of worship, a civil religious temple wherein Americans conduct some of their highest, holiest rituals, including state funerals and National Day of Prayer services.
Groaning : sounds in search of a witness by
When a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd, that cop seared on to the American consciousness a lasting symbol of the injustices that communities of color have submitted to since slavery. Many people used the word "groaning" to describe their response to this murder. This book seeks a better understanding of this visceral reaction, and its pastoral importance.In Lamentations 1, groaning plays a pivotal role, and a witness to groaning is indispensable to relief. Groans are sounds in search of such a witness. This points up the silence of God as witness, crystalized in the symbol of the anti-shepherd. The book ends with the stark, impending reality of baleful, divine rejection. Yet, God does not intend for silence to be the final result. This book probes several openings to a cruciform model in which groaning is contextualized and transformed. Lamentations functions creatively in canonical relationship with Second Isaiah, the Gospel narrative of Jesus, and Paul's description of the Spirit's intercessory work. A range of Black religious thinkers--Cone, Evans, Glaude, Copeland--are analyzed for insights into addressing groaning. Finally, the indispensability of a witness challenges communities of faith to serve as witnesses to persons who struggle to flourish even as they carry their scars.
All God's Children : how confronting buried history can build racial solidarity by
The more you understand someone's history, the better you can see their humanity. This is true for individuals as well as for society at large. Race relations have suffered because of the erasure of important Black history and cultural context. As we fill in the gaps of our collective knowledge, communities can grow in understanding, empathy, and solidarity. Terence Lester shares the buried history of the struggles Black people have faced against unjust systems. He tells powerful stories of courage, injustice, pain, and triumph, including ones from his own history. He also unpacks the sociological and cultural dynamics of unconscious bias and inattentional ignorance that keep us apart, and how they can be overcome. This honest account of what it's like to be Black in America paves the way for the church to move beyond showing support from a distance toward loving one another in long-term solidarity, advocacy, and friendship.
From Pandemic to Renewal : practices for a world shaken by crisis by
The pandemic changed the world on a global scale. Not only was it devastating in terms of loss of life, it also revealed deep layers of anxiety and brokenness throughout society. Mental exhaustion, economic disparities, and escalating divisions now mark our times. But award-winning author Chris Rice sees the challenges of our day as a historic opportunity for renewal and fresh growth. As he examines eight interrelated crises exposed by the pandemic era, he provides pathways for followers of Christ to bring transformation and healing to their lives and communities. Covering topics ranging from a burnout society and a dangerous bipolar world order to our own divided selves, Rice helps readers to understand this emerging world that will reshape our lives for decades to come. Drawing from his work across divides domestically and around the world, and writing with vulnerability and honesty about his own failings, he sets forth transformative practices that can move us toward social healing and spiritual renewal.
Theology and Protest Music by
This interfaith collection of essays on theology in diverse genres of protest music examines Habakkuk, Brazilian eschatology, Black liberation, esoteric Islam in rap, heavy metal as anti-theology, Howard Thurman's relevance to jazz, Santería drumming, Jay-Z, Funkadelic, Marvin Gaye, Sweet Honey in the Rock, and the social justice chorale movement.
Uncivil Disobedience: theological perspectives by
In this book, the contributors cover traditional historical and theological responses to political unrest as a foundation for considering or evaluating attempts to address theologically present-day manifestations of uncivil disobedience.
Moved by the Spirit : religion and the movement for Black lives by
This volume examines the complex ways religion is present in Black Lives Matter Movement and the way the movement is changing religion. The book argues that Movement for Black Lives is changing and challenging our understanding of religious experience and communities.
Follow the New Way: American refugee resettlement policy and Hmong religious change by
An incisive look at Hmong religion in the United States, where resettled refugees found creative ways to maintain their traditions, even as Christian organizations deputized by the government were granted an outsized influence on the refugees' new lives. Every year, members of the Hmong Christian Church of God in Minneapolis gather for a cherished Thanksgiving celebration. But this Thanksgiving takes place in the spring, in remembrance of the turbulent days in May 1975 when thousands of Laotians were evacuated for resettlement in the United States. For many Hmong, passage to America was also a spiritual crossing. As they found novel approaches to living, they also embraced Christianity--called kev cai tshiab, "the new way"--as a means of navigating their complex spiritual landscapes. Melissa May Borja explores how this religious change happened and what it has meant for Hmong culture. American resettlement policies unintentionally deprived Hmong of the resources necessary for their time-honored rituals, in part because these practices, blending animism, ancestor worship, and shamanism, challenged many Christian-centric definitions of religion. At the same time, because the government delegated much of the resettlement work to Christian organizations, refugees developed close and dependent relationships with Christian groups. Ultimately the Hmong embraced Christianity on their own terms, adjusting to American spiritual life while finding opportunities to preserve their customs. Follow the New Way illustrates America's wavering commitments to pluralism and secularism, offering a much-needed investigation into the public work done by religious institutions with the blessing of the state. But in the creation of a Christian-inflected Hmong American animism we see the resilience of tradition--how it deepens under transformative conditions.
Ecomartyrdom in the Americas : living and dying for our common home by
Against the background of ecological devastation in the Americas, a growing list has emerged of environmental defenders whose care for our common home has cost them their lives. In Ecomartyrdom in the Americas, Elizabeth Gandolfo explores the meaning of their witness in relation to three recent developments in Catholic theology: the expanded understanding of martyrdom to include those who die in defense of gospel values; the expansion of Catholic social teaching to include care for creation; and the call for interreligious dialogue and cooperation.
Jesus the Refugee : ancient injustice and modern solidarity by
Images of modern refugees often invoke images of the infant Christ and the historical circumstances of the holy family's flight to Egypt in the face of persecution. But rather than leaving this association at the merely symbolic level, Jesus the Refugee explores Jesus's flight through modern legal conventions on refugee status in the United States and the European Union. Would Jesus and his parents be protected from refoulement? Would they receive rights to employment and civic engagement? Would they be turned away? Is the holy family a refugee family? Jesus the Refugeeargues that the holy family has a limited set of legal options for protection, but under current law is unlikely to receive any. This shocking claim stands or falls on legal details like the ability to demonstrate reasonable fear of persecution, or whether fleeing Palestine (but not the Roman Empire) affords protection for internally displaced migrants. Besides introducing the basics of modern refugee law and processes, Jesus the Refugee aims to raise ethical challenges to our current refugee system by highlighting Jesus as one of the "least of these," indicting our moral failures and challenging us to make amends.
Deconstructing Racism : a path toward lasting change by
Barbara Crain Major and Joseph Barndt bring ninety combined years of experience as community organizers, teachers, and anti-racism trainers in community and church settings to this book. In Deconstructing Racism, they propose the deconstruction of racism's roots within systems and institutions that have been created, both structurally and legally, to serve white people. The authors propose that the deconstruction of racism must take place through the reconstruction of these systems and institutions. The authors seek to unmask the complexities of racism and the invisible patterns that keep it in place. There is no quick fix, but they believe racism can be deconstructed and undone. In order to do this, they identify and address race-based identity, history, and cultural issues rooted in current systems. Three chapters specifically address societal systems and provide anti-racism strategies for community organizers. Three chapters address racism as rooted in systems in the church and challenge people of faith to seek racial healing through understanding, honest confession, true reconciliation, and reconstructed church institutions. A final chapter outlines a way forward to and through a new era of anti-racist reconstruction. This way forward includes a new anti-racist mission statement, a new model of decision-making power, and new processes for accountability.
Receiving Back One's Deeds: a Protestant reading of justification and final judgment according to works in 2 Corinthians by 
Resisting Apartheid America: living the badass gospel by 