What's Faith Got to Do with It?: Black Bodies/Christian Souls

by Kelly Brown Douglas

Book Overview

Inspired by a challenge from one of Douglas's students: "How could you, a black woman, possibly be a Christian?", this book begins as a reflection on the historical sins of Christians, particularly... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1570756090
• ISBN13: 9781570756092
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Orbis Books
• Length: 252 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Body and soul -- Christian and black history

This is a book that challenges your thinking and theology! Starting from the traditional creeds of the Christian church, and the creedal emphasis of the full humanity of Jesus at the same time that He was fully divine, it goes beyond the Platonic idea of "spirits" and "shadows" to emphasize the importance of how we treat the human body. It creates parallels between the Crucifixion of Jesus and lynching of blacks in their violation of the body (the sanctity of which is affirmed by Jesus' incarnation), the use of trees, the religious justification used by many for the violation of the body. While the first part of book seems a bit heavy and academic, it does establish a new way of looking at matters of faith and analyzing what we believe about the nature of Jesus, the nature of man, and the actions that our beliefs call for us to espouse or renounce.

Challenging but Helpful

What an amazing and engaging read! This book will challenge your faith, but in the end leave it stronger than before. While I didn't agree with everything the author analyzed, she made an arguement that is worthy of more attention and focus. I will say that her book has refined how I view Christianity and history's influece upon it. The first chapter appears to paint Christianity in a bad light, but if you wait for the second chapter, you'll see the difference become clearer as Douglas begins seperate Today's Christianity from true Christianity. I am still munching on some of this material months later.

Take A Step Of Faith

This is an excellent book to help preachers think about what and they preach and how they preach. I wish I had the funds to purchase the book for every preacher in a America!!!!!!!