Just three months after he was installed as president of the Rainbow Push Coalition, the Rev. Freddie Haynes II abruptly resigned this week as leader of the historic Civil Rights organization. Last July, the Rev. Jesse Jackson had selected Haynes to lead the organization starting in 2024.
Read More(ANALYSIS) One of the most important components of the Democratic coalition is the Black church. But I have to wonder if there are not cracks beginning to form in the alliance between the Democratic Party and Black Protestant Christianity.
Read More(REVIEW) “The Gospel Woman” is a brilliant new play produced by National Black Theatre. It’s an American family drama that focuses on grief, faith and healing — and it features some incredible gospel music.
Read MoreAt Harlem’s famous Abyssinian Baptist Church, the Rev. Calvin Butts III went from counseling engaged couples to counseling the U.S. president — from advising the brothers in Harlem to advising diplomats at the United Nations. That is why a long line has wrapped around the block of the megachurch over the last two days as the ordinary and extraordinary paid their final respects.
Read MoreIt’s easy to miss amid the upscale apartment complexes of Nashville’s Bellevue neighborhood. But the Old Hickory Boulevard Church of Christ is rich with history, standing on one of the oldest settlements continuously owned by an African American family in the state of Tennessee.
Read More(OPINION) For a variety of reasons, many African Americans face barriers to mental health care. But as a sociologist who focuses on community-based organizations, Brad Fulton finds that strengthening relationships between churches and mental health providers can be one way to increase access to needed services.
Read More(OPINION) After centuries of slavery and racial persecution in U.S. history, a fascinating era emerged when the Bible was used to promote peace and equality rather than strife and subjugation.
Read MoreThe Minneapolis Central Church of Christ, led by Russell A. Pointer Sr., is the only predominately Black Church of Christ in the state. The church serves its community, feeding over 200 families a week and more. And, just six miles away from the convenience store where George Floyd was killed, the church has become a center fighting for justice. “The fight has just started,” Pointer Sr. says.
Read More(OPINION) “White privilege” is about the distribution of material possessions and honor in this world. It is a reality that White people are better off in terms of both material riches and honor at the present moment. But this is not the type of privilege that should concern Christians, who are passers-by in this world.
Read MoreStreaming service Amazon Prime contains three documentaries by Black creators that delve into the history of racism in the church, back to the origin of slavery in the U.S. and often further. Each takes a different focus, whether White Jesus, BLM or the structure of worship services.
Read MoreEbenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Ga. has a long history in the Black church. It was the spiritual home of the civil rights leader, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. It is now the home of the state’s first Black senator – the Rev. Raphael Warnock, the senior pastor at the church.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights efforts by Black churches to encourage members to take advantage of the COVID-19 vaccines. Plus, check out all the top headlines and best reads in the world of faith.
Read More(OPINION) The COVID-19 pandemic and political turmoil have left Black communities and faith-based groups struggling and in need of a large-scale response that can stabilize and strengthen their vital role in American society.
Read MoreSt. Bartley Primitive Baptist Church is celebrating its 200-year anniversary as the first Black church in Alabama, a state that both played a big part in the Civil Rights movement and also continues to stir controversy around claims of voter suppression. The St. Barley’s congregation is weighing in on the presidential election by volunteering to drive members in need to the polls and encouraging them to vote.
Read MoreA group of racist “zoombombed” the Sharpe Road Church of Christ, a predominantly Black congregation in North Carolina. The church filed a report with authorities, the minister says.
Read More(OPINION) Prayer is paramount and education is critical. But is it essential that they lead us to act. We cannot hide in our prayer closets or behind our books. Perhaps what is most important for the current moment, is for us as Christians to do all we can to support structural changes that will reduce the frequency of incidents such as the death of George Floyd.
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