Celebrating Black History

Our scholars and audiences seek understanding about the history and faith of religious people and culture—but not just for the sake of knowledge. Faith And Reason challenges faith to confront injustice in our world. Today, that means taking a critical look at the injustice right in our own backyard. In celebration of Black History Month in the United States, we are doing a series of podcasts featuring a few exceptional individuals who are devoting their lives to making a difference for black people in Mississippi.

Black in Mississippi, Part 1 — “My Mother. My Hero.”

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Catherine C. Young shares a heart-wrenching story of what it was like as a little black girl growing up in Mississippi. Her assiduous courage was modeled by her mother, her hero, who emboldened Catherine with the resolve and endurance to become an accomplished professional black woman in Mississippi today.

Black in Mississippi, Part 2 — A Ministry of Community Restoration

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Representative Ronnie Crudup talks about shifts that have happened along race and economic lines in the last twenty years in south Jackson, as well as the results and effects of those changes. Crudup also talks about the work that’s being done to restore Mississippi’s capital city through New Horizon Ministries, and explains how getting churches to work together can better the local community.

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Black in Mississippi, Part 3 — “Growing Up Black & Gay in the Church”

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David and Debo chat with Daniel Ball, with Freedom for All Americans, about his experience growing up in the church, as well as the lack of protection for LGBTQ individuals in states like Mississippi and how religion has come to be seen as a tool that is used to weaponize and divide people.

“Not only is the liturgy about the God story, it’s also about the world story. When you get to Middle Church, you’re getting God, you’re getting people, you’re getting love. If we are people of faith, our faiths demand our participation in what the Jewish people call tikkun olam: in healing the world. Our faith demands it.”

Read on for Faith & Reason’s interview with Reverend Jacqui Lewis, Ph.D. from Middle Collegiate Church about liturgy and social justice!

Rev. Jacqui Lewis, Ph.D. on Social Media & Women in Ministry 

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“I was feeling called to ministry when I was 8-14. I told my male pastor, and he was not excited. He was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t know’. My dad told me women can’t talk in church. I was like, ‘Really? Show me where that is’. And he didn’t know where it was.”

Read on for part 2 of our talk with Reverend Jacqui Lewis, Ph.D., where we chat about Middle Collegiate Church, social media, and women in ministry!