Voices in the Wilderness: Why Black Preaching Still Matters

by John L. Thomas Jr.

Overview

FINALLY, a scholarly description of the development of Black preaching in the United States that is accessible to the average reader, but also contributes to the academic conversation about both style and theological content. Written from the perspective of a seasoned practitioner and tenured practical theologian, Thomas surveys Black preaching as it has responded to various social and historical time periods. Starting with the brutality of chattel slavery, early formations in segregated Southern life, rapid migration to and urbanization in Northern cities, and various events throughout the post-civil rights era, the book gives convincing details and examples of how the Black preacher helped to guide and sustain the masses of African American people through the wilderness of social change. At the heart of the book, three prime examples are presented as models of the real "genius" of Black preaching. The reader will never again think about Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and the Reverend Jesse Jackson in the same way. A special chapter is devoted to the contributions of Black women preachers along with a closing chapter that makes new proposals for the future. The book is a provocative and critical analysis of why Black preaching still matters.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498238984
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	01/30/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

John L. Thomas Jr. is Associate Professor of Practical Theology at Phillips Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Introduction 1

1 What Makes Black Preaching Black? 19

2 The Contextual Necessity of Black Preaching 39

3 The Theology in Black Preaching 51

4 The Wilderness: A Historical Perspective 65

5 Emerging Ecclesiologies and the Challenge for Black Preaching 82

6 Jordan River: Four Theological Streams 99

7 Three Voices in the Wilderness: Martin, Malcolm, Jesse 128

8 Women Preaching in the Wilderness 159

9 The Way Out 171

Conclusion 184

Bibliography 189