The Black Church will be the focus of a series of lectures offered by Wingate University’s Unity House Multicultural Center April 19-22. The virtual events are open to the public via Zoom links.

“Our goal is to provide an opportunity to engage in conversations to learn more about the history, community impact and overall significance of the Black church, dating back to slavery,” Dr. Antonio Jefferson, the University’s director of Lyceum and Multicultural Programming, said.

Dr. Christy Cobb, assistant professor of religion at Wingate, will kick off the week’s events with a lecture on slavery and the Bible. The ensuing talks on Martin Luther King Jr., Black Baptists and Presbyterians, and attacks on Black churches, will be delivered by Dr. David Evans of East Mennonite University, Dr. Julia Moore of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Dr. David Canton of the University of Florida.

Following is a description of each of the events:

The Bible and Slavery – Monday, April 19, 7 p.m.

Dr. Christy Cobb will provide a brief overview of the role that slavery plays in the Bible as well as characters within the biblical text who were enslaved. She will look closely at a couple of passages that were used both to support and to oppose slavery. Providing historical context as well as the history of interpretation, she will also discuss ways that the Bible continues to be used to harm the Black community, through the repercussions of slavery.

Join via zoom here: https://wingate.zoom.us/j/95774525053

Martin Luther King and the Black Radical Tradition – Tuesday, April 20, 7 p.m.

Martin Luther King Jr. was not always the most respected Black Christian figure in America.

That was not for lack of effort. Influenced by the teachings of Howard Thurman, King used the strategy of non-violent resistance to gain the respect of White people in American society. But King surrounded himself with people who were not persuaded by the politics of respectability.

These radicals — Ella Baker, Bayard Rustin and Stokely Carmichael — pushed King to organize, preach and imagine possibilities that agitated White society. Without these radicals, King would not be the man celebrated today. Speaker, Dr. David Evans.

Join via zoom here: https://wingate.zoom.us/j/98344639879

Racism in the Faith: The Emergence of Black Baptists and Presbyterians —North and South of the Promise Land – Wednesday, April 21, 7 p.m.

The struggle for equality for African Americans actually began within the hallowed walls of the American church. In addressing what many scholars call the “walk out narratives” of African American Christians in both the North and the South, this presentation by Dr. Julia Moore will expose the ways in which the Black Church navigated the terrains of racism within the sacred
spaces of Christianity through the lens of Black Baptist and Presbyterians.

Join via zoom here: https://wingate.zoom.us/j/98488584494

A Violent History: Attacks on Black Churches – Thursday, April 22, 7:30 p.m.

Throughout history, violent attacks on Black churches have routinely been at the center of instilling fear in the African American community. Dr. David Canton will explore the reasoning behind the attack on Black churches and the significance of churches in African American communities. He will also discuss the impact of the bombing of the 16th Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama and the shooting at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

Join via zoom here: https://wingate.zoom.us/j/97096541288

To have the Zoom links emailed to you, contact Dr. Antonio K. Jefferson at
a.jefferson@wingate.edu or 704-233-8349.