It’s been 118 days since Hamas attacked Israel, and for more than 100 of those days, hundreds of Black pastors and Christian leaders have called for cease-fires, humanitarian assistance and peace talks for Palestinians. Many Black pastors have prayed for…
Politics, faith and mission: A conversation with Leonard Hamlin Sr.
Leonard Hamlin Sr. serves as canon missioner and minister of equity and inclusion at the Washington National Cathedral. A Black Baptist pastor, Canon Hamlin oversees the Cathedral’s outreach and social justice work. Given the symbolic importance of its role as…
Black church still needed as much as in MLK’s day, youth leader says
Bianca Howard grew up in the Black church and believes it has a continued role in American faith and culture. On this anniversary of the birth of Martin Luther King Jr., she finds his legacy an encouragement for the Black…
Why the Black church must account for and attend to its own marginalized
When you hear the phrase, “the Black church,” what comes to mind? Who do you think about? Maybe high-spirited songs and impassioned sermons fill your ears as you recall attending a Sunday service where the majority of people in the…
Black religion and reparation questions
How many times have you heard Black religious leaders preach, teach and advocate about reparation for racial injustice? I have pondered that question a lot, especially since the murder of George Floyd. I have wondered why Black religious leaders are…
Scholar traces how Black churches became centers of political engagement
Black churches became centers of political engagement during the 19th century when Black Christians determined to achieve the full benefits of citizenship in U.S. society, scholar Nicole Myers Turner said during a Baptist History and Heritage Society webinar. Racial politics…
Predominantly Black churches still have a future, Tisby asserts
While research shows that many Black Christians prefer to attend racially diverse congregations, predominantly Black churches will continue to hold strong as racism surges across the nation, according to historian and author Jemar Tisby. “More than half of people in…
New Baptist Covenant shifts gears to convene, connect and communicate
A combination of COVID-19 and increased national conversations around race have prompted New Baptist Covenant to announce a change in strategy. Launched in 2007 with impetus from former President Jimmy Carter, New Baptist Covenant sought to create a movement that…
Panel proclaims the power of today’s Black church to engage younger adults
A panel of African American Christian leaders expressed optimism that the Black church is emerging from the COVID-19 and a concurrent civil rights crisis as a robust social justice movement increasingly trusted by rising generations. “We’ve seen a lot of…
Six ways white and multiethnic churches can heal the wounds of racial trauma
“Trauma” is a word that comes from the Greek term for “wound.” Often, the most painful wounds are not physical, but those that cannot be seen with the natural eye. There is a particular type of trauma that can impact…
Post-pandemic, Black churchgoers are more interested in hybrid worship while pastors are resistant
Fresh research shows a significant minority of Black Christians favor a mix of online and in-person church options going forward, but a minister known as an expert in hybrid faith expressions predicts the demand will grow as the benefits become…
Religious coalition files suit to stop Georgia’s new voter law
Bishop Carl McRae remembers growing up in the Jim Crow South as a native Georgian. What he sees happening in Georgia with new restrictive voting laws feels even worse than that, he said. “I’ve never seen anything so bold. And…