Black Voices Book Club

It begins with humbly listening to the voices of our Black brothers and sisters. The Black Voices Book Club is an attempt to do just that. 

Each month, from October to May, we’ll engage with a different book by a Black author and come together to discuss what we’re learning. Come to one or come to all—let’s learn together. 

December 3

Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope by Esau McCaulley

Reading While Black is a personal and scholarly testament to the power and hope of Black biblical interpretation. At a time in which some within the African American community are questioning the place of the Christian faith in the struggle for justice, New Testament scholar McCaulley argues that reading Scripture from the perspective of Black church tradition is invaluable for connecting with a rich faith history and addressing the urgent issues of our times.

Wednesday, December 3
6:30-8pm
H2 Classroom [across from the Welcome Center]
Led by: Holly VanderYacht

January 7

The Hate U Give [a novel] by Angie Thomas

Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does - or does not - say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.

Wednesday, January 7
6:30-8pm
H2 Classroom [across from the Welcome Center]
Led by: Holly VanderYacht