Liberating Church: A Twenty-First Century Hush Harbor ManifestoBrandon Wrencher, Venneikia Samantha Williams While the North American church grapples with an eroding position of privilege in society, there is a liberating vision of church from the margins. This manifesto defines eight marks of liberating churches that were identified through research of antebellum hush harbors. Hush harbors were the covert gatherings of enslaved Africans to worship and organize for change free from the surveillance of plantation Christianity. Liberating Church explores how the marks of antebellum hush harbors are being lived out now in several faith communities. This book offers a guide for anyone who wants to embrace innovative models for building spaces of faith and activism with structural critique and spiritual power. |
Contents
A Changing Landscape | 1 |
The Eight Marks | 9 |
The Six Communities | 49 |
Conclusions | 66 |
Interview Themes Defined | 79 |
Reflection Questions | 101 |
Further Readings and Resources | 116 |
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activists American ancestors antebellum Anthony Smith Bible biblical Birth Community AME Black church Brandon building called Children Got Shoes Christian color commitment Community AME Church cultural decolonizing deep Duke Divinity School eight marks embodies enslaved Africans Fannie Lou Hamer folks formerly enslaved freedom gathering God’s God's Children Greenway Community Harriet Tubman healing heaven Hidden in Plain Howard Thurman hush harbors Interviews with Leaders James Baldwin Jasolyn Jesus Joy Unspeakable leadership Liberating Church lives Member Surveys member-leader Members and volunteers ministry Mission House Neighbor Movement neighborhood North Star off-the-grid oppressed organized pastor plantation churches political practice pray prayer preacher preaching QC Family Tree queer and trans Raboteau radical REFLECTION QUESTIONS religious responses Ring Shout Sankofa Scripture sing six communities slaveholders slavery social justice song spaces spiritual community Stay Woke Steal stories Talking Book Terrance Hawkins themes theological Ubuntu Venneikia wake white supremacy worship