I’m disheartened. For the whole scene of the Charleston church shooting. THIS IS SICK. But what burns me up is watching the police chief statement and press conferences where civilians killing black people, it seems so easy to thuggerize and criminalize blatant racist attacks. But somehow, when it is one of the men in uniform who lets say shoots Walter Scott in a blatantly inhumane way, there is a discourse around how sad it is to see such “wrongdoing by... Read more
When hate takes flesh and walks among us it is the call to us all choose ye this day whom we will serve. Will it be the god nation, kith, and kin whose cry is always the same: We Want Our Country Back! Will it be the god of race and clan whose mantra is “they don’t belong here!” Will it be the god whose apostles trade in steady streams of anti-Black sacred rhetoric flooded across the airwaves of radio... Read more
On Wednesday evening, June 17, Dylan Roof attended a Bible Study service at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina. After studying with members of the congregation for about an hour, he promptly got up and started shooting. Before he left, nine people, including the pastor, South Carolina State Senator, Clementa Pickney were dead. Here at R3, we thought we would collect some of the raw emotions from people who are grieving this act of terrorism. Noel Hutchinson I may... Read more
From the Managing Editor: One of the things that R3 was known for were our collection of Readers. When a major event happens, R3 collects reflections and opinions that examine the event through the lens of religion; highlighting the use of rhetoric and the construction of race. Many have used these as sites for research and study and we will continue to offer our Readers. This is our first Reader since joining the Patheos family. Your comments are appreciated. Rachel... Read more
I was going to write this nice (well, at least I thought it would have been nice) piece that asked what we have learned from the Rachel Dolezal kerfuffle? One of the things I planned to write is that we have now discovered the limits of and in our use of theory. I was going to talk about how we just did not have a theoretical concept or just plain language for a person who, by all accounts, did not... Read more
Bishop Henry McNeal Turner also had strong criticisms of the church and its ministers. Once when lamenting about the ministers who wanted security in their appointments above anything else, Turner wrote It is maintained in our Church that nothing can be done for God without a gold mine. It has got so that if you give a man an appointment he will halt to ask you what is there, and if you tell him God and people are there and... Read more
Posted at The Cost of a Covered Girl My friend Reginald Bell and I have a running line, “Life comes at you fast”. As we would hear about things happening in people’s lives we’d always respond, “Life comes at you fast huh?” This saying played on the idea that most people who suffer tragedy don’t see it coming. We would often say that we could bet the people didn’t know when they woke up/at the beginning of that week/beginning of that year that... Read more
In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the death of Bishop Henry McNeal Turner (February 1, 1834-May 8, 2015) Turner’s emigration thoughts grew stronger when the Supreme Court declared the 1875 Civil Rights bill unconstitutional. For Turner, the decision nullified many of the rights that African Americans gained during Reconstruction. In an open letter to B K Sampson of Memphis, Tennessee, Turner criticized leaders who called upon African Americans to take a more “conservative” or “moderate” policy after the decision.... Read more
Caitlyn Jenner is on the cover of Vanity Fair. Meanwhile, transgender guests Lucy, Jeralyn, and Patty (not their real names) were all at Manna House this week, some homeless, all poor, enjoying the hospitality.These guests at Manna House likely reflect the harshest truths about being transgendered in our society, and they face those truths without the shields of fame or wealth. Those harsh truths include homelessness as they are rejected by family, along with physical threats and beatings, and... Read more
I am a mother, a preacher, a professor, a scholar, a coach, and a number of other things. While I have hobbies that renew me and good friends who nourish my soul, sometimes it feels like something is still missing. And then I figured out what it was. I need to hear women preach. Regularly. Like protein in my diet, I need to hear from my sisters. I want to know what God is saying to them, and I want... Read more
Rhetoric Race and Religion
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