Archive for the ‘culture’ Category

5 reasons it’s easier to celebrate St. Patrick’s day than Black History Monthh

Posted: March 18, 2013 in African American, Black History Month, culture, justice, Race, racism, Uncategorized
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This past weekend I saw scores of people of all different ethnicities and cultural backgrounds dressed in green. They were eating corn beef and cabbage. Drinking Guinness by the gallon and singing “Danny boy” like there was no tomorrow. I mean I even wore green to work. So here’s a question that has been on my mind all day: Why is it easier to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than black history month? They both are ethnic holidays. They both started off as a way to empower oppressed people. So what gives? Here are for reasons I came up with:

1. St Patrick’s Day is fun. You get to run around in green. Drink beer. Eat corn beef, cabbage, and potatoes.

2. St. Patrick’s Day is short. It’s only a day as opposed to a month.

3. St. Patrick’s Day is accessible. Any jerk with a green t shirt can participate. As the saying goes “Everybody’s Irish on St. Patty’s Day!”

4. St. Patrick’s Day is concentrated on one person as opposed to digging deep into all the stories and facts of Irish history

5. St. Patrick’s Day celebrates an ethnic minority that has been included in the narrative of whiteness. No dis to the Irish because theirs is a rich history. In fact in the 19th century the Irish and African American population were equally oppressed and worked and lived in close proximity. But still the powers that be found that they could include the Irish in the narrative. This narrative focuses on America as a haven for immigrants and outcasts while ignoring the sins of a nation that killed off the indigenous inhabitants and built its wealth through enslaving black bodies. To put it simply St. Patrick’s day is easier to celebrate than black history month because black history month points to White America’s sinful past.

Black history month is a prophetic time that speaks to America like the bleating of sheep in the ears of Saul (1 Samuel 15:14). It says wrong has been committed and there must be repentance and restitution. It says that halfway obedience is not enough. It says that yes progress has been made but God will not be pleased until “justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24)

Why else do you think it’s easier to celebrate St. Patrick’s day?

The Bible Series and Our Racial Perceptions

Posted: March 14, 2013 in African American, bible, church, culture, faith, Jesus, justice, Race, spirituality, Uncategorized
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I wasn’t going to say anything but Ok…I’ll take this one for the team.

The History Channel’s Bible mini series has helped to bring “The greatest story ever told” to a new generation and has certainly gained a lot of buzz due to its incredible production quality and endorsement from high profile pastors such as T.D. Jakes and Joel Osteen.

Of course trying to fit a huge narrative like the biblical story which spans multiple centuries and cultures is a daunting task even when you break it up into multiple episodes. Inevitably you get multiple scholars and armchair theologians criticizing the accuracy of the plot line and the omission and revision of different bible verses.

Why is “for himself” omitted from Abraham’s line “The Lord will provide a sacrifice”?

How come Moses strikes his staff on the ground instead of stretching it towards the sea?

All of these are valid questions and I have an equally valid one “Where are the people of African descent?” You may reply “They are in the series. There are some.” But my question is not “how come there is no one of African descent in the series?”. My question is “Where are the people of African descent? Where are they socially and culturally located?”

Yes the narrator Keith David is black. The angel that rescues Lot’s wife is of African descent. Balthazar one of the three wise men is black and Samson and his family are of African descent as well. So….What’s my beef?

Here is what I see in the casting of people of African descent. All of the black characters are either invisible, exotic “others”, or in the case of the one major role of Samson depraved, flawed, and deficient. Let’s break it down like this:

Narrator=invisible
Angel=exotic “other”
Balthazar=exotic “other”
Samson=screwed up!!!

Now don’t get me wrong. I believe this movie is very accurate. Accurate of the perceptions we have of people of African descent in the 21st century. We are either off people’s radar; seen as exotic “others” with a strange culture; or morally depraved like Samson who screwed his life up through sex and violence.

I do not believe the creators of the series Mark Burnett and Roma Downey intended this to be the case. This is not a judgment on them. They are just part of our society and culture. I applaud their efforts to bring the Bible to the public square ad adding diversity into the cast of characters. This is not a push to make all the characters black but a critique of our society’s already established racial perceptions.

Why does this even matter? It matters because pastors all across America were endorsing and promoting this before their congregations and it reinforces stereotypes and assumptions. It lets kids of African descent know that even if they are in the story they are on the outside. It matters because I get tired of having to prove to young African American adults that following Jesus is not following a white man’s religion. It matters because people of African descent were not marginal to the world of the ancient near east but major players and my children need to know that as I raise them up to consider the Bible and its teachings.

Shouldn’t it disturb us that Adam and Eve are portrayed as a white couple when the discoveries of anthropology and genetics say this cannot be the case. Shouldn’t it disturb us that Jesus the hope of every nation looks like a Vidal Sassoon model? I’m disturbed and I hope you are too.

Strength and honor!!!

The 1st Diversity: Reading for Women’s History Month

Posted: March 5, 2013 in African American, bible, change, church, culture, faith, gender, justice, sex, spirituality
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God loves diversity. From the very beginning of the Hebrew scriptures we can see diversity in action. According to the Biblical text, creation begins with difference: light and darkness, water and dry land, greater light and lesser light. Fish, birds, beasts, and creeping things reproduce after their different kinds. At the apex of creation stands humanity and the very tip of the apex is woman. Instead of making us asexual borglike robots he stamps us with difference: male and female. This is the first human diversity and all other diversity pales in comparison. Man and woman are different.

These differences govern not only how our body functions but they also give us different experiences and outlooks. There is nothing that shapes and defines us in the core of our being more than our sexuality. The fact of whether on an application or form we write an “m” or an “f” next to the word sex speaks volumes on how we approach life and see the world around us. It is more than just biology. Because of this biology we acquire a different psyche, a different perspective. This biology has over thousands of years given rise to certain roles and ways of relating in our society and culture. Irregardless of whether the society or culture conditions us to act in these ways the biology was there first and gave birth to it. The first instance of diversity set us on a trajectory that has been adventurous, exciting, and….full of conflict. Patriarchy, misogyny, polygamy, female mutilation, pornography and a whole host of other evils has sprung from the fact that men and women are different and need reconciliation. For the most part is has been men who have initiated the oppression and violence against women and this is something that still needs to be remedied even in our modern times of women’s liberation.

As an advocate for diversity I seek to be an advocate of women. This month is women’s history month and to honor that I will be exploring the perspectives of women through reading from the vantage point of my two prominent identities as black and Christian. The books on my list are:

Women, leaders, and the church by Linda L. Belleville
The Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans
Words on Fire: An Anthology of African American Feminist Thought by Beverly Guy-Sheftall
The Word According to Eve by Cullen Murphy (Male author but a survey of women scholars involved in Biblical studies)
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

I am already knee deep in a couple of these and they are already readjusting my lens and perspective. Do you have any other suggestions?

Repost: Black Theology for Black History Month Pt 5

Posted: March 1, 2013 in African American, bible, Black History Month, church, culture, faith, Jesus, justice, materialism, militarism, Ministry, poverty, Race, racism, spirituality, Uncategorized
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In conclusion, Black Theology shapes Christian ministry by showing the true distinction between “Daddy Rich” and the “Revolutionary” and compels us to choose the latter by focusing our ministry towards those who need it most: the oppressed. It is through preaching and teaching, participating in spiritual disciplines, and becoming involved in conscious social engagement that we can equip congregations to liberate the oppressed locally and globally. This means that we take a definite stance of negation against the existential five D’s-death, dread, despair, disease, and disappointment-and the isms of the larger society, namely racism, sexism, classism, and homophobism. At the same time, black theology can help create a new way of being and living as a liberated people. Using the sources mentioned above, Black theology can give us the spiritual depth and practical tools to fight against the real life issues of the prison industral complex, inadequate housing, education, and health care etc. Through these and other means, Black Theology shaping Christian ministry can provide concrete examples of “God as a way out of no way”1

Repost: Black Theology for Black History Month Pt 4

Posted: February 28, 2013 in African American, bible, Black History Month, church, culture, faith, Jesus, justice, materialism, militarism, poverty, Race, racism, spirituality, Uncategorized
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Our fourth and final source for black theology is the social and analytical tools needed for prophetic thought and practice. In other words, the tools that enable us to see the situations of oppression and speak truth to power. It is the social analytical tools and political praxis of prophetic Christian thought given by Cornel West (yes the dude with the fro from the Matrix) that provide what is needed to examine oppression and its causes. This is crucial for black theology because we need to know what we are being liberated from if we are going to talk about liberation. They also expose the interconnectedness of race, gender, age, and sex discrimination with class oppression. Although West’s endorsement of progressive Marxism may not be the one true answer to the problem of capitalist oppression he does provide foundational principles to realistically tackle oppression locally and globally. His identification of Christianity and Marxism’s commonality in their progressive and prophetic wings as possessing a “commitment to the negation of what is and transformation of the prevailing realities in the light of the norms of individuality and democracy”1 gives a guiding framework for changing the system that oppresses African Americans and others worldwide.

Repost: Black Theology for Black History Month Pt 2

Posted: February 27, 2013 in African American, bible, Black History Month, church, faith, Jesus, justice, materialism, militarism, Ministry, poverty, Race, racism, spirituality, Uncategorized
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Another source for black theology is the faith tradition of African Americans. From this source, it is the Womanist Christ of Kelly Brown Douglas that makes a unique and necessary contribution to black theology. This view of Christ shows us that Jesus not only values the soul but the body; especially black female bodies that have borne much of the pain of white oppression. This honoring of soul and body can be seen in Jesus’ ministry as he healed the sick, fed the hungry, and lived life among the poor. This is the Christ who sides with the oppressed and calls to account “any congenial relationality that oppressive power seeks with sacred authority.”1 Douglas sees the crucifixion event of the Womanist Christ as a protest to the platonized Christian alliance with unjust power inasmuch as it is connected to Jesus’ ministry on earth as well as his resurrection. In this way Jesus’ whole life is seen as redemptive and not just the crucifixion event. This holisic viewpoint stands as a critique of the platonized Christian tradition. This critique has been supported and affirmed by the African American faith tradition through black male and female bodies fighting for freedom and justice against overwhelming odds in a society designed to degrade them

Repost: Black Theology for Black History Month Pt 1

Posted: February 27, 2013 in African American, Black History Month, church, faith, Jesus, justice, materialism, militarism, Ministry, poverty, Race, racism, spirituality, Uncategorized
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Black Theology?!?!? Yes. Theology is not God. Theology is people speaking about God. This means that it can be formed and shaped by a variety of perspectives. One perspective that most do not know about or have a misunderstanding about is the African American or black perspective. I have had the privilege of studying black theology under a great teacher Dr. Ralph Watkins at Fuller Theological Seminary. This class stretched me and pulled me in very good ways. In honor of Black History Month I am going to publish my take on black theology from it’s sources in the cultural and religious roots of Africa, the faith tradition of African Americans, the emphasis on scripture and revelation, and the social/analytical tools and political praxis of prophetic Christian thought:

The sources of black theology are the cultural and religious roots of Africa, the faith tradition of African Americans, the Black Hermeneutical school’s emphasis on scripture and revelation, and the social analytical tools and political praxis of prophetic Christian thought. All of these sources combined inform the definition of black theology which is a multifaceted interpretation of Christianity as a black struggle against oppression and an unwavering faith in the liberating activity of God. First, the sources of black theology and their purpose will be explained. Next, the definition of black theology will be given in light of its sources. Lastly, an agenda shaped by black theology will be given for Christian ministry.

The first sources of black theology are its African cultural and religious roots. These sources of black theology help to correct culturally constructed Western Christianity with its blind spots and biases. In Tribal Talk, Will Coleman digs into the West African roots of slave religion especially how the ancestral memory of the Vodun influenced the cosmology, epistemology, mythology, and ontology of African American spirituality. This approach shows that African slaves did not come to the United States as blank slates but had their own religion, theology, and spirituality. Going back even further in history than Coleman, Oden’s book, How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind challenges the assumption that Christianity is a Western religion that is foreign to African soil. In reaching back to the patristic period he provides a link between Africa and Christianity that has previously been muffled. One of the important concepts that stand out in Oden’s book is that the early Christian church of Africa was a church of the persecuted and martyred who were influenced and energized by a unique understanding of the Hebrew and Christian stories of oppression and liberation. In this light, early African Christianity can be seen as a “countercultural, risk-laden, sacrificial, pre-Constantinian struggle for integrity in the face of overwhelming political power.”1 Although the relationship of West African traditional religion to early African Christianity and Early African Christianity’s relationship to the rest of the African Diaspora remains to be investigated; the sources given by Coleman and Oden are a much needed contribution to Black Theology. To be continued……..

30 Reasons I Love Being Black Part 4

Posted: February 20, 2013 in African American, bible, Black History Month, church, culture, Race, Uncategorized
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Continuing with the series on 30 Reasons I love being black. Here are reasons 11-13:

11. Soul Train Line. The Afros. The bell bottoms. The chance to show off the latest dance moves. . Whether it was the Freak or the Roger Rabbit the Soul Train line is what made Soul Train. RIP Don Cornelius. Peace, Love, and Soul!

12. The weddings. I have been to a few black weddings in my day and they are so unique and special. Especially when the bridal party and the groomsmen march down the aisle. Even that is done with rhythm and soul. And usually there is some good singing! Bringing down the house with K-Ci and Jo Jo, Musiq Soul Child, or Alicia Keys.

13. The funerals. For black folks funerals have never been a mourning of death but a celebration of life. Even when there is weeping there is joy because of the strong belief in the afterlife. This belief causes black funerals to be events of tears mingled with dancing where death is not so much an end but a transition point.

14. Chicken and waffles. Who knows where this came from? Some say it was when Harlem was off the hook back in the 20′s and musicians got out of the jazz club so late they didn’t know whether to eat breakfast or dinner. I don’t know if that is true or just a rumor but I do know that I can get down with some chicken and waffles. This is not an everyday thing and if it is for you then you need some help. But every now and then I like to head down to Roscoe’s in LA or Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles in Atlanta.

15. Hair. Yes I love black hair. Fros. Dreads. Braids. Cornrows. Twists. Baldheads. Fades. Perms. Our hair is a work of art. Nowadays I keep it low but I loved my high top fade back in the day. Especially when the barber would carve a Nike or a Public Enemy sign in the back :)

If you love black culture and history then check out my new book “His Story Our Story for the Kindle or get the print edition as well. It’s a Christian devotional based on black history figures. It comes complete with questions, prayers, and a resource guide at the end.

30 Reasons I Love Being Black Part 3

Posted: February 17, 2013 in African American, art, Black History Month, inspiration, Race, Uncategorized
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Continuing on with our series 30 Reasons I love being black. Here are reasons 6-10

6. George Washington Carver (That dude that made 400 products from the peanut and sweet potato). Carver is an example of an incredible mind. Not only do I love peanut butter but Carver introduced it to the United States. He also wasn’t limited to peanut butter. You have to have an extraordinary capacity for creativity to create an after dinner mint from sweet potato. On top of all that he helped to save the ruined agricultural economy of the South.

7. Negative means Positive. Have you ever wondered why “bad” means “good”? It is a carryover from slave days where the slaves who fought and rebelled against their oppression were characterized as “bad”. The other slaves on the plantation looked up to these slaves and heroes and therefore “good”. This inversion of language has carried over to where “sick” means great and “dope” means awesome.

8. The whoop! The whoop is one of the most distinguishing features of black preaching. Without the whoop! black folks say that your preaching is just teaching. It is the sing songy way that the message is given and an indicator of the level and depth of the emotion that the preacher is feeling. The whoop! lets the congregation know that you are committed to the message, you believe in the message, you are feelin it!

9. The Ring Shout. The ring shout is a carryover from West Africa. When the emotional temperature rises in a church setting and the people experience divine joy they have to express it in dance and vocal praise. The ring shout can be seen in not only Pentecostal but also many other black churches. When the congregation is committed to the message, believes in it, and starts feeling it then it’s time to dance!

10. The Wiz. Frank L. Baum’s Wizard of Oz is a great story but the Wiz took it to another level. Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow. Nipsey Russell as the Tin Man. Diana Ross as Dorothy. And Richard Pryor as the Wiz. Although the film was not received well by critics I loved the fact that it had an all black cast and gave the Wizard of OZ a gritty urban feel. Ease on down! Ease on down! The road!

If you love black culture and history then check out my new book “His Story Our Story for the Kindle or get the print edition as well. It’s a Christian devotional based on black history figures. It comes complete with questions, prayers, and a resource guide at the end.

30 Reasons I Love Being Black Part Two

Posted: February 7, 2013 in African American, art, Black History Month, culture, inspiration, Race, Uncategorized
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So in the last post I wrote out the 30 reasons I love being black. In the next couple of weeks I am going to unpack each of the reasons and I hope that if you are black you begin to love and understand yourself and if you are not black I hope that you get a better understanding and perspective of black culture as well as a love of it.

1. Family Reunions. I loved going to Stewart (my grandmother Reola Jessie’s maiden name) family reunions in Arkansas. The food was amazing. Hangin out with all of my cousins and great aunts and uncles was amazing. And we even got to get a talent show and a fashion show thrown in for good measure. Black family reunions are a time to celebrate the bonds of love that kept hope alive when the absurdity of slavery and Jim Crow kept us apart. I think we need to put a greater emphasis on these things as a people in a time where materialism and busyness can keep us apart. I wish somebody would organize another family reunion. The only reason why I’m not putting myself out there is because if I organize it then it will be a disaster. LOL

2. Pouring out a little liquor. The ancient African practice of pouring out libations for the ancestors traveled to America. I first witnessed this sitting on my block and watchin the O.G.’s pour out some of their malt liquor for the “ones who ain’t here”. I thought this was strange but little did I know this is a tradition that goes all the way back to Africa. It is meant to honor the ones who have gone before us.

3. Soul Food. Ok. So some of it is leftover scraps that the slave master used to give us. But not all of it. Black eyed peas and okra are eaten in West Africa like no tomorrow. And fried chicken. Everybody loves fried chicken. I think most of soul food is unhealthy but it also testifies to the ways that we as a people take the scraps that life gives us and turn them into a meal. It shows our creativity and the way we add spice to life. As far as the health thing goes just modify some recipes and reduce some of the salt and fat. You can eat healthy and celebrate the culture.

4. Jazz and Blues. Jazz is the music that shows the African American way of improvisation. Keeping up with the rhythm of life but singing your own song. It is born out of the desire to keep your own unique swagger but to also stay connected and in community. Blues is the way that black folk dealt with the sorrow of life. It is a protest against life’s absurdity. Where other people would have committed suicide than deal with the atrocities of lynching and Jim Crow oppression. Black folk down South sang the blues.

5. Hip Hop. Take away government programs for music and the arts. Give us a bland disco radio playlist. Enlist some help from Caribbean DJs. And what do you get? Hip Hop. Hip Hop as a culture has been attacked for its promotion of violence, materialism and sexual immorality. But truth be told Hip Hop is the protest of youth who said even though we have been oppressed and forgotten we will make you listen. The swagger and truth-telling are reminiscent of jazz and blues. The stories and oral traditions are similar to that of the West African griot and the black preacher. I remember hearing “The Message” being played at a party next door to our apartment in Compton when I was 7. Ever since then I’ve been hooked and although I don’t write rhymes anymore hip hop is in my blood.

What do you like/not like about soul food? Jazz and blues? Family reunions? Hip Hop? Pouring out a little liquor? Are you familiar with any of these things?

While you are at it check out my new book “His Story Our Story for the Kindle or get the print edition as well. It’s a Christian devotional based on black history figures. It comes complete with questions, prayers, and a resource guide at the end.

Let’s keep celebrating Black History Month!

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