Black Church Studies is an academic field that espouses linking divine justice and social justice in the development of excellence and leadership in the academy, church and community. The mission of the Black Church Studies program (BCS) at Brite Divinity School to provide an excellent teaching-learning context for shaping ministerial preparation and theological reflection for seminarians of all races and backgrounds. Our vision is for future church leaders and scholars to gain wider knowledge about, deeper appreciation of, and increased sensitivity for the Black Church within American society by emphasizing its teachings of freedom, justice, and equality.
Certificate in Black Church Studies
Students pursuing Certificate of Theological Studies, Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry and Master of Theological Studies degrees can choose to pursue a Certificate in Black Church Studies. Students pursuing a Certificate in Black Church Studies will complete “Introduction to Black Church Traditions & Cultures” in addition to four three-hour courses in Black Church Studies chosen with reference to vocational goals and in consultation with the Dr. Oluwatomisin Oredein, Director of the Black Church Studies Program.
Past Black Church Studies Course Offerings
- Womanist Literature as a Resource for Ethics
- Womanist Theology and Ethics
- African American Experiences and Perspectives in Social Ethics
- Pan-African Christian Resistance in Retrospect: From Early Church Martyrdom to Black Lives Matter
- The Bible in the Public Square: Interpreting the Bible in the Age of #BlackLivesMatter
- Introduction to Black Church Studies and Traditions
- Proclamation in the Black Experience
Past Black Church Studies Events
Liberationist Black Church Identities
February 22, 2022
Black History Month Chapel Service
February 22, 2022
Black History Month Chapel Service- February 15, 2022
Black History Month Chapel Service- February 1, 2022
2020 Black Church Studies Distinguished Lectureship