The Divided Mind of the Black Church – Theology, Piety, and Public Witness: Religion, Race, and Ethnicity

"This contribution to the enduring subject of piety and protest in black theological discourse is of special importance because it is written from the vantage point of one who stands in the gap—a competent theologian with a pastoral vocation—validating his craft in the trenches of social justice advocacy and community transformation."-Cheryl J. Sanders,Howard University School of Divinity"Refusing to be content with the piety or protest divide between the Black Church and Black Theology, Warnock argues with scholarly rigor and pastoral fire for a vital partnership between the two. As a dedicated pastor and astute theologian, Warnock persuasively argues for a fifth movement in the Black Christian tradition—a self-critical liberationist community that represents a public theology founded on the pietistic and liberationist dimensions of the Church. This is a must read for clergy, laity, and the academy."-Emilie M. Townes,Dean and Professor of Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Divinity School"Embodied in this book is the sharpness of mind of one with an earned Ph.D. in theological studies and the human compassion of a pastor of one of the major churches in the United States. Rarely, if at all, do we get to relish such combined matters of the head and heart. Moreover, this groundbreaking work is rooted in deep spirituality and progressive commitment to the Bible. The ponderings in these pages echo the insightful eyes of the prophetic mystic, Howard Thurman and the scholarly activism of Martin Luther King, Jr." -Dwight N. Hopkins,editor of The Cambridge Companion to Black Theology“Raphael Warnock is known as one of the most brilliant orators of his generation. This excellent new book reveals him to be a brilliant scholar as well. It is the first major work to critically explore the `double-minded’ relationship between the social practice of black churches and the radical implications of their historical witness against the social oppression of the black masses. Warnock’s path-breaking periodization of the social activism of the black church is a major contribution to understanding the role of black churches in this nation’s often stumbling march toward a racially just society. . . . The Divided Mind of the Black Church is a must read for every black pastor, theologian, scholar, and anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the history and political culture of black churches and the expanding contours of black theological scholarship.”-Obery M. Hendricks, Jr.,author of The Universe Bends Toward Justice"With historical detail and theological nuance, Raphael Warnock has provided an insightful treatment of the complex relationship between the institution of black churches and black theology. His call for a fifth, integrative moment in the expression of a liberationist faith—what he sees as the flowering of a self-critical liberationist community—is a bold and imaginative gesture from someone who occupies one of the most important pulpits in the world. With this book, Warnock has done a great service for black theology and for black churches."-Eddie S. Glaude, Jr.,William S. Tod Professor of Religion and African American Studies, Princeton University
"This contribution to the enduring subject of piety and protest in black theological discourse is of special importance because it is written from the vantage point of one who stands in the gap - a competent theologian with a pastoral vocation - validating his craft in the trenches of social justice advocacy and community transformation."-Cheryl J. Sanders,Howard University School of Divinity"Refusing to be content with the piety or protest divide between the Black Church and Black Theology, Warnock argues with scholarly rigor and pastoral fire for a vital partnership between the two. As a dedicated pastor and astute theologian, Warnock persuasively argues for a fifth movement in the Black Christian tradition - a self-critical liberationist community that represents a public theology founded on the pietistic and liberationist dimensions of the Church. This is a must read for clergy, laity, and the academy."-Emilie M. Townes,Dean and Professor of Ethics and Society, Vanderbilt University Divinity School"Embodied in this book is the sharpness of mind of one with an earned Ph.D. in theological studies and the human compassion of a pastor of one of the major churches in the United States. Rarely, if at all, do we get to relish such combined matters of the head and heart. Moreover, this groundbreaking work is rooted in deep spirituality and progressive commitment to the Bible. The ponderings in these pages echo the insightful eyes of the prophetic mystic, Howard Thurman and the scholarly activism of Martin Luther King, Jr." -Dwight N. Hopkins,editor of The Cambridge Companion to Black Theology"Raphael Warnock is known as one of the most brilliant orators of his generation. This excellent new book reveals him to be a brilliant scholar as well. It is the first major work to critically explore the 'double-minded' relationship between the social practice of black churches and the radical implications of their historical witness against the social oppression of the black masses. Warnock's path-breaking periodization of the social activism of the black church is a major contribution to understanding the role of black churches in this nation's often stumbling march toward a racially just society... The Divided Mind of the Black Church is a must read for every black pastor, theologian, scholar, and anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the history and political culture of black churches and the expanding contours of black theological scholarship."-Obery M. Hendricks, Jr.,author of The Universe Bends Toward Justice "With historical detail and theological nuance, Raphael Warnock has provided an insightful treatment of the complex relationship between the institution of black churches and black theology. His call for a fifth, integrative moment in the expression of a liberationist faith - what he sees as the flowering of a self-critical liberationist community - is a bold and imaginative gesture from someone who occupies one of the most important pulpits in the world. With this book, Warnock has done a great service for black theology and for black churches." -Eddie S. Glaude, Jr.,William S. Tod Professor of Religion and African American Studies, Princeton University