The Black Church Studies Reader

The Black Church Studies Reader addresses the depth and breadth of Black theological studies, from Biblical studies and ethics to homiletics and pastoral care. The book examines salient themes of social and religious significance such as gender, sexuality, race, social class, health care, and public policy. While the volume centers around African American experiences and studies, it also attends to broader African continental and Diasporan religious contexts. The contributors reflect an interdisciplinary blend of Black Church Studies scholars and practitioners from across the country. The text seeks to address the following fundamental questions: What constitutes Black Church Studies as a discipline or field of study? What is the significance of Black Church Studies for theological education? What is the relationship between Black Church Studies and the broader academic study of Black religions? What is the relationship between Black Church Studies and local congregations (as well as other faith-based entities)? The book's search for the answers to these questions is compelling and illuminating.

'The Black Church Studies Reader adds breadth, depth, and clarity to a field of study within the theological curriculum and the teaching ministry of the church. The contributors represent a broad array of fields, but they are uniform in the quality of their credentials and in the scholarly contribution. We owe a debt of gratitude to all who have contributed to this seminal publication.' - Marvin Andrew McMickle, President and Professor of Church Leadership, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, USA

'This is a vital contribution to Black Church Studies and a must-have for the classroom. Pollard and Duncan have captured the essence of the Black Christian tradition in this celebration of the theological imagination and moral vision born at the interstices of bondage and freedom. The volume's interdisciplinary breadth is unparalleled in the field. The Black Church Studies Reader is a milestone text for anyone who is inspired and affirmed by the rich traditions of the Black Church.' - Eboni Marshall Turman, Assistant Research Professor of Theological Ethics and Black Church Studies and Director of the Office of Black Church Studies, Duke University, USA

'The Black Church Studies Reader adds breadth, depth, and clarity to a field of study within the theological curriculum and the teaching ministry of the church. The contributors represent a broad array of fields, but they are uniform in the quality of their credentials and in the scholarly contribution. We owe a debt of gratitude to all who have contributed to this seminal publication.' - Marvin Andrew McMickle, President and Professor of Church Leadership, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, USA

'This is a vital contribution to Black Church Studies and a must-have for the classroom. Pollard and Duncan have captured the essence of the Black Christian tradition in this celebration of the theological imagination and moral vision born at the interstices of bondage and freedom. The volume's interdisciplinary breadth is unparalleled in the field. The Black Church Studies Reader is a milestone text for anyone who is inspired and affirmed by the rich traditions of the Black Church.' - Eboni Marshall Turman, Assistant Research Professor of Theological Ethics and Black Church Studies and Director of the Office of Black Church Studies, Duke University, USA

Alton B. Pollard, III is Dean and Professor of Religion and Culture at Howard University School of Divinity, USA. His publications include Mysticism and Social Change, How Long this Road, and a new edition of Dubois's The Negro Church. He is lead researcher for Equipping the Saints: Promising Practices in Black congregational life.

Carol B. Duncan is Professor and former chair of the Department of Religion and Culture at Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada. She is the author of This Spot of Ground: Spiritual Baptists in Toronto, co-author of Black Church Studies: An Introduction and co-editor of Womanist and Black Feminist Responses to Tyler Perry's Productions.