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Practical Virtues: Readings, Sermons, Prayers, and Hymns for the African American Family – An Indispensable Collection for Spiritual and Ethical Living
As pastors of one of New York City's largest churches, Reverend Floyd Flake and his wife, Reverend M. Elaine McCollins Flake, are frequently sought after by those in need of guidance. Throughout their ministry, the Flakes have drawn from a distinguished array of stories, letters, hymns, narratives, and poems -- from James Baldwin and Maya Angelou to Arthur Ashe and Colin Powell -- to inspire families to live ethically in an often unethical world. Now, with Practical Virtues, they've gathered their favorites into a single, indispensable collection, paired with spiritual exercises for the soul.
416 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2004
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October 14, 2009
Practical Virtues is a wonderful collection of biblical parables, classic excerpts and quotations from slaves and prominent political, social, and literary giants. It addresses the age old question, "How Are We To Live?" by offering practical "living virtues with soul," i.e., those that reflect core values that can be acted upon in daily life and are centered on God and biblical teachings.
The book centers on twelve basic virtues: Courage, Diligence, Faith, Forbearance, Forgiveness, Honesty, Love, Loyalty, Prudence, Responsibility, Service, Trustworthiness. Each section defines the virtue in layman's terms, synopsizes its importance and relevance in our lives, and provides 5-10 excerpts with constructive tips on how to exercise the virtue following the examples outlined in the passages. The book cites works of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Anita Hill, Nella Larson, Asha Bandele, Gwendolyn Brooks, Colin Powell, Chester Himes, Rosa Parks, Arthur Ashe, Ann Petry, J. California Cooper, and countless others.
I enjoyed and benefited from both the spiritual/moralistic vibe and the historical facets of the book. I learned a lot regarding African American history, social movement, and challenges - this book encouraged me to research specific topics further. This is an impressive anthology (even though that was not the intent of the authors) that demonstrates that the faith of our ancestors moved mountains, love sustained them, and biblical and yesteryear wisdom and observations are still relevant and applicable in modern times.
The book centers on twelve basic virtues: Courage, Diligence, Faith, Forbearance, Forgiveness, Honesty, Love, Loyalty, Prudence, Responsibility, Service, Trustworthiness. Each section defines the virtue in layman's terms, synopsizes its importance and relevance in our lives, and provides 5-10 excerpts with constructive tips on how to exercise the virtue following the examples outlined in the passages. The book cites works of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Anita Hill, Nella Larson, Asha Bandele, Gwendolyn Brooks, Colin Powell, Chester Himes, Rosa Parks, Arthur Ashe, Ann Petry, J. California Cooper, and countless others.
I enjoyed and benefited from both the spiritual/moralistic vibe and the historical facets of the book. I learned a lot regarding African American history, social movement, and challenges - this book encouraged me to research specific topics further. This is an impressive anthology (even though that was not the intent of the authors) that demonstrates that the faith of our ancestors moved mountains, love sustained them, and biblical and yesteryear wisdom and observations are still relevant and applicable in modern times.
Displaying 1 of 1 review