About things in your life. And you realize if you could turn that passion to politics, it would be a really incredible force. Now, regardless if i agreed or disagreed with the politics of the people who served over me, i liked the fact they wanted to engage people, i liked the fact they wanted people to express and learn about their own political leanings and feelings. And every once in a while id jump in there and get a little bloody, but when you challenge one another, when you really learn what you believe and why you believe it, itll make you a better person for it. She spoke to booktv at this years freedom fest in las vegas. Along with our schedule, you can also see our programs anytime at booktv. Org. And get the latest updates throughout the week. Follow us on facebook and twitter. We were right, in my view, to fully fund the military since 9 11, but what we did was we deprived the state department and the u. S. Agency of International Development of funds. And there is, as a re
When we hire people to run our choice churches we want them to have a voice. Instead, we call them pastor, we want this them to be administrator, financial officer, so they instead of being a progressive voice they wind up running an institution. So progressive voices fall for the main problem of churches that is civil religion. What would be wrong with hiring someone for a church and calling him prophet . And we would expect the main job she or he did was bring together a community of compassion and justice, and with the spirits help. Help us to learn that salvation comes through a compassionated and Just Community struggling to find salvation . Okay. I think my answer would be that you should stop putting pastors up if you think the primary focus and energy is found in that. I would rather go with James Luther Adams called the property fete prophet of all believer. Everybody who is brought to the church and baptized should be told that part of what be baptized is in to is a tradition
Like me is the most times they are not to. I said why isnt that exist . It is now the online publication and you can see what is current or upcoming and no way to see what is hot and what is not before you buy your voice felt that the Schomburg Center the author events. What is it . For research in black culture is probably the most preeminent Research Center for black culture in america. Were pleased to be a partner. We are so pleased, peter. Host were going to let max go because he has to introduce the first panel of the day. So i want to let you know, if you happen to be the in the area. We eave a booktv crew, were passing out booktv book bags. Come and stop by and say hi and grab a bag and a booktv pen. Live allday coverage begins right now with the fir panel of the day, and it is on science and health. This is live coverage on booktv. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] good afternoon and welcome to the 15th annual harlem book fair. Thank
Commentators engaging leaders that i want to quickly stay themes of our panel and introduce a panelist and open it up for conversation. Of course this evening our event is entitled the New Jerusalem black life life the church in the struggle for democracy. Our hosts have given us the charge of taking on the theme of the fact that religious belief religious institutions and religious people came to be seen as essential to social freedom. This remains the central paradox in africanamerican life and political history. Our discussion will examine the overlapping challenges of creating a basis for collective activism building independent black institutions determining the place of men women politics and religion in leadership. Now to our panelists who all have long is such that they could take up the entire night so i will list the titles of their books and move into the conversation. First to my most immediate right and moving further along the panel. First is anthea butler, the author of
Maybe before we open it up i would be interested to hear where do you see that sight of hope . Where do you see something being made out of nothing, the sort of black tradition . Is there a possibly that there is, if the black church is dying, some sort of resurrection . Is there collaboration . Was the prospect of moving the conversation in a meaningful way in this moment . Real good question, and in my experience theres a lot of hope in the pew, the pulpit is largely in the way. A critique of clergy, because folks know whats wrong. They know that something has to change, but if you are raised like i was initially, youve got this old time religion, you know somethings wrong but you dont know what to do about it. Or you feel something is wrong but you dont know what it is. What that says is that remedial christianity has to be consciousnessraising christianity. For instance, we touched on democracy but democracy is something that is not just some abstract word thats out there. Somethin