Pure Church

Yesterday I reviewed CT's list of the 50 books that have shaped evangelicals over the last 50 years and posted my reactions here. Last Friday I drafted the email below and mailed it to a list of people who might be interested in contributing to a Top 50 list of books that have shaped the African-American church in the last 50 years. I post it here as an open invitation to anyone who may wish to contribute to this little project.

Grace and peace,
Thabiti
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Recently, Christianity Today published an article listing the “Top 50 Books That Have Shaped Evangelicals” over the past 50 years. You can find the article here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/october/23.51.html.

The list was certainly interesting. But noticeably absent in the list of respondents and in the titles represented were any works that considered the African-American Christian experience. African-Americans in many regards resemble evangelicals in their attitudes toward the Bible and many of their social attitudes.

This general similarity notwithstanding, I doubt our list of titles would be very similar. That’s my hunch anyway. So, I’m conducting an informal poll. I’m asking African-American Christian scholars and scholars of African American religious history (whether or not they are Christian or African American) to offer their list of three books they think have helped shape African-American Christianity over the past 50 years.

Would you be so kind as to take a few moments and do two things:
1. Would you be willing to respond to me (thabiti@fbc.org.ky) with your nominations for the three books that have shaped African-American Christianity over the last 50 years?
2. Would you forward this e-mail poll to any scholars of African-American Christianity whose perspectives you think would be helpful?

I’m planning to compile the list and will distribute it on October 12th. If you’re interested in receiving the list, please let me know. I’m happy to spread it around far and wide. Obviously this is not a scientific poll, but its findings might point people to some valuable resources for appreciating and strengthening Christianity among African Americans.

Thank you in advance for your thoughts and contribution.

Grace and peace in Christ Jesus the Lord,
Thabiti Anyabwile
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman