{"id":33564,"date":"2023-10-20T08:17:35","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:17:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=33564"},"modified":"2023-10-23T06:52:05","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T13:52:05","slug":"a-christian-response-to-black-dignity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/a-christian-response-to-black-dignity\/","title":{"rendered":"A Christian Response to Black Dignity"},"content":{"rendered":"

Black Dignity<\/em>\u00a0by Vincent Lloyd is a powerful and thought-provoking book that addresses the struggle against domination in a world marked by anti-Blackness.[1]<\/a> As leaders in the Christian community, we find that this work offers valuable insights and lessons for understanding and participating in the ongoing fight for justice, equality, and dignity. Lloyd’s exploration of domination and the primal scene of master\/slave relations parallels the Christian mission of combating injustice and oppression in the world.<\/p>\n

A Christian Response to Domination<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the book, Lloyd emphasizes that the purpose of “Black Dignity” is to develop a new language of Black dignity that can be harnessed to combat domination in all its forms, with a specific focus on anti-Black violence. As Christian leaders, we recognize that the call to love our neighbors[2]<\/a> as ourselves extends to all, irrespective of their race, ethnicity, or background. We are inspired by Lloyd’s dedication to probing the moral vocabulary that has emerged from the Black Lives Matter movement, acknowledging that the fight for Black dignity is part of the broader Christian mission of pursuing justice and righteousness.<\/p>\n

Black oppression in many ways still exists and it\u2019s a shame but I believe the media perpetuates the culture and perhaps their agenda. I was appalled by the story Lloyd told in the podcast about the seminar he was leading and how quickly things changed from the previous time he was the keynote speaker.[3]<\/a> The T.A. in the story was devious but it begs the question, was she out of line or justified? Why is it that the issues that arose recently were not of concern in the previous sessions? Unfortunately, negativity can be contagious and I believe in some instances it is not a battle of race or even dignity, it is a battle of good versus evil.\u00a0 In this case, I believe there was some “reverse racism” (if there is such a thing) connected and domination by the strong-willed TA.<\/p>\n

Black Dignity as a Way of Life\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lloyd defines Black dignity as a way of life that allows individuals to discern and respond to domination. This resonates with Christian teachings that encourage believers to stand up against oppression and advocate for the vulnerable. Drawing from the wisdom of Black leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Lloyd showcases how the concept of “dignity” within Black political thought aligns with the Christian principle of struggling against injustice.<\/p>\n

Building a World of Freedom and Beauty<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lloyd creatively weaves together the moral vocabulary that has arisen from the Black Lives Matter movement, connecting terms like “Black rage,” “Black love,” “Black family,” “Black futures,” and “Black magic” to develop a philosophy of building a world that is both radically free and beautiful.[4]<\/a> In doing so, he demonstrates that the struggle for Black dignity is inherently connected to the Christian pursuit of a more just, loving, and equitable world.<\/p>\n

Conclusion\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The book concludes by imagining a collective struggle for liberation, echoing the Christian commitment to liberation, which is grounded in the freedom to resist and rebel against all powers that threaten human life. Just as theologian James H. Cone emphasized the centrality of struggle in his book Black Theology of Liberation, Lloyd’s “Black Dignity” reminds us that, whether viewed through political or theological lenses, the core concern is the freedom to resist and exist with dignity in the world.[5]<\/p>\n

As Christian leaders, we find “Black Dignity” to be a deeply resonant and morally stimulating work that aligns with our commitment to justice, love, and the pursuit of dignity for all. This book serves as a reminder that the struggle against domination is a mission that transcends individual backgrounds and calls us all to work toward a world where justice, dignity, and love reign supreme.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Lloyd, Vincent; Black Dignity<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Mark 12:30<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Conversations with Coleman, S4, E15, Debating Race and Incarceration with Vincent Lloyd, May 5, 2023.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Lloyd, Vincent; Black Dignity, 4<\/p>\n

[5] Cone, James H.’ Black Theology of Liberation<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Black Dignity\u00a0by Vincent Lloyd is a powerful and thought-provoking book that addresses the struggle against domination in a world marked by anti-Blackness.[1] As leaders in the Christian community, we find that this work offers valuable insights and lessons for understanding and participating in the ongoing fight for justice, equality, and dignity. Lloyd’s exploration of domination […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2309,1],"tags":[2836,2869],"class_list":["post-33564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-doctor-of-leadership","category-uncategorized","tag-lloyd","tag-black-dignity","cohort-dlgp01"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33564"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33564\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33589,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33564\/revisions\/33589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}