With “Sacred Slam,” Rev. Dr. Wanda Bynum Duckett uses poetry and hip-hop to revive Black church traditions and connect with Gen Z and millennials. By Rev. Dorothy S. BoulwareWord In Black Overview: As younger generations seek meaning beyond traditional pews, the Black church is experimenting with new forms of worship. One pastor’s spoken word approach […]
Tag: Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware
Posted inWord In Black
What is Lent? A guide to fasting, prayer and sacrifice
Lent is the 40-day Christian season of prayer, fasting and sacrifice leading up to Easter, commemorating Christ’s suffering and resurrection. While many believers give up favorite foods or habits, others practice various forms of fasting or add meaningful spiritual disciplines to deepen faith and prepare for renewal.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Bridging the ‘Black-Blue Divide’ — one congregation at a time
Faith and Blue, a national initiative launched in 2020 by MovementForward, invites police officers into houses of worship to foster trust and dialogue with communities that have often viewed law enforcement with skepticism. At Set the Captives Free Outreach Center in Maryland and hundreds of churches nationwide, congregations are bridging the “Black-Blue divide” through worship, conversation, and shared activities with local officers.
Posted inWord In Black
Rev. Jamal Bryant: Target is canceled. Dollar General’s next
On the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, faith leaders held prayer vigils outside Target stores to protest the company’s retreat from its racial equity commitments, leading Rev. Jamal Bryant to announce a full cancellation of the retailer. Calling it the most successful Black boycott since Montgomery, Bryant said the movement has cost Target $1 billion in valuation and is now turning its focus to holding Dollar General accountable for failing Black communities.
Posted inReligion
A Black pope? Francis made it a possibility
Pope Francis, who died at age 88, leaves behind a legacy of advocacy for marginalized communities, including Black people, through actions like appointing the first African-American cardinal and condemning racism as a sin. His inclusive leadership reshaped the Catholic Church’s global power dynamics and opened the possibility for the election of the first Black pope.
Posted inReligion
What is Holy Week and why does it matter?
Holy Week commemorates the final days of Jesus’ life, highlighting both his sacrifice and his acts of resistance against empire and injustice, culminating in his resurrection on Easter Sunday. While many see Jesus as a loving savior, Holy Week invites believers to also recognize his radical challenge to power and the modern-day church’s call to carry on that spirit through justice, reflection and community action.
Posted inReligion
Black marriage on the decline? These pastors have another opinion
Faith leaders such as Pastor Corey Cunningham and Dr. Derren Thompson are promoting marriage among Black people by offering advice, lessons, and a philosophy to help newly married couples consider themselves partners or teammates, rather than lovers or rivals.
Posted inReligion
Blood clot awareness group to tour Southern Black churches
The National Blood Clot Alliance is launching a six-city bus tour to raise awareness of blood clots and their impact on the Black community, with a focus on preventing blood clots, identifying warning signs, and managing the condition.
Posted inReligion
Forging a new path, uplifting Black women of faith
Dr. Suzan “Sujay” Johnson-Cook founded Women In Ministry International to provide resources and support for women of faith in the male-dominated profession, and to help them thrive in non-traditional ministries.
Posted inHealth
On a mission to end the Black maternal mortality crisis
Black churches in New Jersey are taking action to improve maternal and infant health outcomes by providing culturally congruent care and support, with the goal of abolishing structural racism and liberating public policy theologically.
Posted inWord In Black
Faith and labor leaders continue to fight arm-in-arm
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the faith community have long been partners in the fight for justice, with leaders like Rev. William J. Barber II and unions like the AFL-CIO carrying the torch, advocating for fair wages, voting rights, and economic equity.
Posted inReligion
When the hands do the preaching: Black ASL in church
Black American Sign Language has a distinct tradition and cultural sensitivity is required when interpreting in a Black church setting, allowing deaf congregants to stay connected to the sermon, songs, and spirit of the service.