Sexuality and the Black Church: A Womanist Perspective

by Kelly Brown Douglas

This book tackles the “taboo” subject of sexuality that has long been avoided by the Black church and community. Douglas argues that this view of Black sexuality has interfered with constructive responses to the AIDS crisis and teenage pregnancies, fostered intolerance of sexual diversity, frustrated healthy male/female relationship, and rendered black and womanist theologians silent on sexual issues.

Genres: Theology, Religion, Christianity, Nonfiction, Sexuality, Spirituality, Feminism

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 1, 1999

About the author

Kelly Delaine Brown Douglas is an African-American Episcopal priest, womanist theologian, and the inaugural Dean of the Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary. She is also the Canon Theologian at the Washington National Cathedral.

In 1995 Kelly was awarded Denison’s Grace Lyon Alumnae Award, presented to distinguished female graduates by the Department of Women’s Studies and the Office of Women’s Programs. She was also the recipient of a number of awards and scholarships during her student years. Kelly is an active participant in the Ecumenical Associate of Third World Theologians, the Society for the Study of Black Religion, and the American Academy of Religion.

Reviews

[Rae Lewis-Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to make sense of African-Americans and sexuality this book will help shed some light. This Theologian does a great job at deconstructing.. Helped me to understand some of the homophobia in the black church and all this uptightness around sex in the black community... I read it when I was in seminary and honestly I didn't want to, but it was assigned reading... I was surprised and I highly recommend it... Even if you don't have a theology background you should still be able to follow...

[TheObsessiveCupcake · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was eye-opening and so well written. The issues Kelly Brown Douglas brings up and discusses are important for readers of all skin colors to understand. Her historic examples are well researched and explained to connect the past in the age of slavery to the present American atmosphere where racist stereotypes and oppression are all too plentiful. I would recommend this book to any individual who wants to learn more about why America is racist today. So now go and read!

[Michael Sasson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. The first three chapters laid a lot of important groundwork but depending on who else was participating could probably be skipped in a book club setting. The final three chapters were breath-taking and ground-breaking... Honestly, before reading Kelly Brown Douglas I couldn't understand what the Christ narrative added to Black Christian theology. The Freedom Struggle seemed well-informed by Exodus and the Prophets but Jesus... perhaps a comfort when nothing could be done.

Kelly Brown Douglas doesn't deny the place of Hebrew Scripture but makes Jesus more useful than the slave-master's henchman.

[Jared Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eye opening examination into the black community’s complex relationship with sexuality, and how many of our discomfort around sexuality stems from white patriarchal hegemony. Douglas does a phenomenal job of walking us through the history of black subjugation in America, explaining how white culture’s exploitation of black bodies dehumanized us. Douglas also calls upon the black church to address the devastation of homophobia and its pernicious effect on the lives of black gay men and lesbians. Insightful and thought provoking.

[Cassidy Yarborough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where to even start?

What a powerful challenge and charge to specifically the black church to eradicate the interlocking methods that the same white heterosexist hegemonic power structures have used to demonize, subjugate, and destroy Black wholeness and freedom...to the very livelihoods of women and the queer community.

This book came from the emergence of Kelly's question, "Why were womanist theologians, who so aptly criticize Black and feminist theologians for their failure to comprehend the complexity of Black women's oppression, so disinclined to confront the oppression of lesbians or broadly the presence of homophobia/heterosexism within the black community?"

This became deeply troubling to her, especially as she began to recognize the alienation experienced by not only her friend Lloyd, but the many Black people (especially those in the gay community) during the HIV/AIDS epidemic from the Black church and their communities. A haunting statistic shows that African Americans only make up 13% of the population, whereas they accounted for 57% of all new cases. As laid out by the author, 56% of Black women make up the total # of cases among females through heterosexual sex, amd yet there is a huge stigma assigning it as a "gay" disease.
This association with homosexuality and HIV has caused Black churches to link it to condemnation of same-sex relations ultimately seeing it as an "abomination." How could the church turn their cheek away from the suffering of their own community members?
Douglas could no longer tolerate such rhetoric and remain silent as those she loved were subjected to such hatred and degradation of the fullness of their humanity. As she puts it, she had to broaden her theological discussion of such matters.

This book explores how the Black church has come to its stance on the taboo of sexuality, and how to develop a healthier way of cultivating the wholeness of the Black church through what she calls a sexual discourse of resistance. She talks about how White culture has used black sexuality as its pawn to sell stereotypes of the black body to fit their narratives, the impact of such revolting methods on Black life, the Black self, and the relationship with the Creator. As well as how such an impact, has left an imprint on the Black psyche which has caused the community to turn into itself and remain silent (which fuels White Hegemony further). Towards the latter half of the book, she then goes in and talks about the blatant sin of homophobia and sexism used in the church. I loved this chapter, because of how it expanded on the idea of "sin" being this alienation from God and one's humanity. And for one to know and be in a relationship with God, one must be in active participant in the liberation of the oppressed. Therefore, sin is something that comes in between that and/or lifts oppressive power structures. This was a direct echo of the voices of black & womanist theologies, and in this case, as stated, by James Cone. Sin, was something that was not, just internal, but external. V interesting. V cool.

Douglas throughout chapters 5 & 6, continuously affirms the inherent dignity and beauty of the sensual, fleshly, divine body. That God's revelation to humaity was the embodiment of Jesus.This then should compel an appreciation of our bodies, which are the mediums of God's love as shown through Christ Jesus. That our bodies are good. (Freak Plato) That the divinity of God is intrinsically relational to the Humanity of Jesus. To deny sexuality is to deny the full embodiment, the Imago Dei in which they were created. To look into the eyes of another and see an abomination, is the direct opposition of the creator who breathed life into one's body.
So what does this mean for ourselves, in which divine energy and the face of one's humanness are looking into the eyes of another? Does this mean that to engage in a relationship with one another we get to know and fully appreciate what it means to be children of God created in the image of God, without conditions? I think yes. So what does this mean if we deny that from certain individuals.

I feel like there was so much in this book, that needs to be talked about. I hope that the Black church will begin to incorporate and empower its leaders in the communities to put on a sexual discourse of resistance. One that not only calls out the harm that is being done, but is moved into action to protect the precious lives that were beautifully and wonderfully made. I hope that we all can move into this posture of resistance, and stand for the liberation of all peoples, especially those on the margins. The ones that White society and the Church deem unworthy of the flourishing and wholeness of their lives. That we wouldn't be complacent and silent when it matters most. And it matters now.

[Ananya · Rating 4 out of 5]

For class lol but pretty interesting !!

[Joe T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

With a surgeons percussion Douglas dissects things such as whiteness, the historic nature of white cultures exploitation of Black sexuality,Sarah Bartman and historical stereotypes of black men and women's sexuality, the black church and homophobia and the benefit of exploiting black sexuality and how the church can promote a discourse of self love and healthy relationships by engaging womanist fiction and engaging pop culture.

To sum up the boom in one word: DOPE!

[Shahidi Islam · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the Best Books I've Read in a Long Time

Douglas takes a look at sex and sexuality from the perspective of a Christian theologian of the womanist variety.

Within she challenges the Black Church for its neglect of the LGBTQ+ community and in particular those suffering with HIV/AIDS.

As sex and sexuality play such a large role in my only theological understanding this was a must read for myself and is definitely important for any liberation theologian seeking to explain sexual liberation to the church or mosque.

Indeed, Black theology would have suffered a terrible blow had it not taken seriously the challenges laid out in this book.

I highly recommend it to all liberation theologians and womanist theologians.

[Thomas (Tom) Baynham,Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read. My DMin advisor highly suggested that I read "Sexuality and the Black Church in its entirety. Even though the book is dated, (1999), Douglas describes in depth the struggle of the Black Church with regard to sexuality and answering the question of why this is an area where the Black church is less progressive, or to use Douglas' language, it's "sin". The most useful part of the book for my context were Parts 2 and 3 where Douglas examines in depth the challenge of addressing sexuality with black congregations. This is a classic.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book which I read because it was the basis of a sermon series in my church call "Let's talk about sex, baby. Yes, I go to a cool church :) It was interesting to read some of the contexts for why so many individuals and communities have such an unhealthy relationship with sex.

[Zach Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t let the title fool you if you are not Black. Anyone from a Christian background (especially White) would do well to heed the words of Douglas and use them to help shape a way forward with, not only their sexuality, but the language they use to discuss it.

[Joel L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring Read

Great book on human sexuality and its impact on African Americans. The book addresses homophobia in the Black Church and from a spiritual viewpoint how it should be addressed.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Challenging, clear and concise.

[Ci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in awhile I encounter a book that leaves me with the feeling that I will never be the same.

[Brooke Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for all believers.

[Kari]

Read for class

[Alane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Kelly Brown Douglas is engaging, thoughtful, and gives clear ways to begin transforming the church and the world.

[Madeleine Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading. This is an excellent book by an excellent theologian, with a specific focus on Black sexuality with lessons that are still broadly applicable to humanity at large. There is not a person who would not benefit from reading this.

[Mimi Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. Kelly Brown Douglas is one of my favorite scholars and this book is certainly a staple.

[Mquzama · Rating 3 out of 5]

To say the relationship between Christianity and sexuality (and sexual orientation) is contentious, would be an obvious understatement. Despite espousing the “Let love lead” philosophy, Christianity has been a useful defence against the vehement hatred directed towards people from the LGBTQ+ community.

But how did we get here? What are the historical and theological origins of this tension? Is it all a matter of interpretation? Why are sexual matters a taboo within the black church and the broader community? Is there anything that can be done about this? Should something be done? Sexuality and the Black Church sets out to engage with these specific issues.

For full review: https://open.substack.com/pub/mquzama...

[Noah Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This woman was actually my advisor at undergrad. I have a signed copy of the book ^_^ I called her on some of her more radical viewpoints expressed here, but overall it was good treatise with some decent points.

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic work and should be read by all. I enjoyed it!

[J Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for any intellectual interested in understanding the why and how of the culture an needed shift in the church in having a dialogue about the taboo of sexuality.

[Alisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provocative & challenging! A must read.

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

a macro level analysis about Black spirituality in the Americas...wish it was a little more aggressive