Recently, in a sermon to his predominantly black congregation, pastor Jamal H. Bryant appropriated troubled singer Chris Brown’s song, Loyal. To be sure, using any of Brown’s music in a context that claims to empower mostly black female congregants through “the Word” is questionable. Bryant’s use of the popular in sacred space isn’t novel. The Black Church and black folk have long remixed black religion with black popular culture. Just visit the black religio-cultural archives and check out Thomas A. Dorsey, James Cleveland, C.L. Franklin,... Read more

The memorial or homegoing service of Dr. Maya Angelou. You can see the official program of the service here. Wake Forest has a page dedicated to Dr. Angelou here. The speaking starts at 29:03. Read more

by Verdell WrightR3 Contributor Comments from a well-known preacher, Rev. Jamal Bryant, set the internet ablaze over the past few days. During the sermon entitled, “I Am My Enemy’s Worst Nightmare,” Rev. Bryant quoted a lyric from a popular Chris Brown song saying, “These hoes ain’t loyal.” The news of the Baltimore pastor’s pop culture reference spread. The response, while varied, leaned on the side of rebuke rather than praise. I’m not opposed to using pop culture to discuss the... Read more

by Andre E. Johnson R3 Editor   Anthony B. Pinn and Benjamin Valentin, Editors, Creating Ourselves: African Americans and Hispanic Americans on Popular Culture and Religious Expression. Durham: Duke University Press, 2010. Pg 432 Cloth: $89.95, Paper: $24.95   In 2001, African American and Latino/a scholars discovered that despite the “unique web of historical and cultural relations that links African Americans and Latinos/as” and “despite the parallel history of struggle,” African American and Latino/a theologians and religious scholars did not... Read more

Yesterday I saw a doctrine. I’m at the annual Hampton University Ministers’ Conference in Virginia, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. This year it gathers some 8,000 African American bishops, pastors, “first ladies,” music directors, and assorted church leaders for mutual encouragement and inspiration. These brothers and sisters love to “do church,” which means (among other things) getting heart, mind, soul, and body involved in worship. It also means they take seriously the doctrine of the illumination of Scripture. That... Read more

In a recent sermon posted on YouTube called, “I’m My Enemy’s Worst Nightmare,” Dr. Jamal H. Bryant quoted a song by troubled R&B; singer, Chris Brown, when Bryant exclaimed, “These hoes aint loyal!” While his congregation responded enthusiastically at the time, Bryant has come under fire from others outside of his church for referring to women as “hoes,” once the Tom Joyner Morning Show got ahold of the clip. Bryant took to Twitter to defend himself, arguing that the original YouTube... Read more

I grew up in church culture. Most of what I recall from those early childhood and teenage years bring memories of good things.  People genuinely taught me that loving Jesus matters more than anything else in the world.  The world, after all, is corrupt and the place we truly long for is far, far away – heaven.  So we are to love Jesus and hate the world. Now, this is not hatred toward the people on earth.  I did not grow... Read more

by Peter Gathje R3 Contributor Some mornings at Manna House are mostly ordinary.  I arrive at 6:40a.m., and Montrell is there waiting at the front gate to greet me.  He’s always there earlier than me and he always jokes that I’m late.  After I get the gate open and get into the house, there is more routine:  plug in the coffee pots, unlock all the interior doors, open a few shut windows, open blinds, check laundry, sit and read, reflect and... Read more

What is the prevailing belief system in America? While some will argue that Christianity is the domestic devotion of the masses, I contend that there exist a well institutionalized civil religion in America that can be better branded as American Christianity or “The American Way of Life” rather than simply Christianity. This civil religion exists alongside of Christianity and it shares much of the same vocabulary. Although the terminology may be the same, it is not Christianity; it is a... Read more

Thou shalt not steal another pastor’s sermon? Recent cases of high-profile pastors who have been accused of lifting others’ material are raising questions about whether pulpit plagiarism is on the rise — and whether it has become a more forgivable sin. Seattle megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll was accused last year of plagiarism in material he wrote with Tyndale House Publishers and InterVarsity Press. “Mistakes were made that I am grieved by and apologize for,” Driscoll said in a statement. Most... Read more