Book Review: The Black Clergy’s Misguided Worship Leadership: Petition: No More Idol Gods for Black People
by Christopher C. Bell Jr.
Trafford Publishing (Feb 03, 2010)
Paperback, 136 pages
Nonfiction
Book Reviewed by Robert Fleming
With this defiant publication, The Black
Clergy’s Misguided Worship Leadership, Dr. Christopher C. Bell,
Jr. states his position that white idols have inflicted Blacks
with "debilitating white superiority syndrome," adding an
element of insidious "emotional emasculation" of Black men in an unfeeling
American society. For Dr. Bell, he sees the detrimental effect
upon our young males, who act out in negative ways of
delinquencies, violence, and crime leading to prison.
Framed as petition with supporting
research, Dr. Bell implores the Black Church in this book to
stop the worship of a white Jesus Christ, a blue-eyed and blonde
deity resembling the actor Jeffrey Hunter or Max Von Sydow. The
worship of a white idol stresses the traditional superiority of
whites and promotes the notion that God is a white male,
according to the author. He sees the open-minded innocence of
Black children soaking up into their little minds, absorbing all
the tenets of white racism, white privilege, and white
supremacy.
Historically, Dr. Bell understands the
Black Church is the spiritual cornerstone of wisdom, protest,
affirmation, and theological awareness. Understanding this fact,
he calls for the religious enlightenment of Black people,
feeling the instruction of "a new version of Christianity" would
spiritually benefit the souls of young Black men and women.
Given the bad behaviors and criminal situations epidemic in this
society, he knows that the church’s teaching can foster a safety
net of support and uplift, self-appreciation, and psychological
freedom from the deadly white superiority syndrome.
With this book, Dr. Bell feels it is time
to speak the truth, based on his own observations and
reflections from Dr. Frances Welsing (The Isis Papers),
Jawanza
Kunjufu (Adam, Where Are You?),
Carter G. Woodson (The
Mis-Education of the Negro),
Na’im Akbar (Chains and
Psychological Slavery) and several European educators and
academics. The evidence supporting the theories of this book is
confirmed for the most part by both Black and white experts
alike. However, Dr. Bell frequently hammers those cogent points
home time and time again, saying their themes repeatedly as if
he wants to make sure that we, as the readers, are taking him
seriously.
Some of the most controversial aspects of
Dr. Bell’s teachings go to the heart of the power of the Black
Church, to the nexus of the esteemed institution. He wants the
church to rise and awake to its purpose as an agency of
instruction, as a means to cope, adapt, and succeed. The
repudiation of myths and superstitions found in the Bible, the
author writes, will be difficult to eradicate, such as the
concept of virgin births, rising from the dead, ascension to
heaven, and walking on water. He realizes it is the magic and
spectacle of religion which often attracts the convert to it,
the idea of something bigger than human.
Gleaned from a 2006 meeting of the Maryland
Prince George’s County Chapter of the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference, the original petition, from which the
book was taken in part, was the brainchild of scholars, clergy,
faith leaders, psychologists, and sociologists. They agreed that
the goal of Black man should toss the shackles of his mind and
achieve psychological freedom and respect, and authentic
manhood.
Dr. Bell writes of the idea of mental
salvation: "Black people must look critically at themselves and
be honest with what they find"The Black Man must conquer his
fear of the white man, which means the Black Man must conquer
this fear of death.’
Generally, the Black Clergy’s response has
been lukewarm with some outright resistance. Many ministers and
bishops do not want to break with the white religious traditions
and fear a loss of prestige, income, and influence. Also, they
fear reprisals from other Christians. With that said, the
teachings of the Black Church, once revolutionary and now
mercenary, will continue to feed white idol worship, leading
Black adolescents, especially young Black males, to a diminished
sense of self-worth, and lack of motivation in academics, career
achievements, and wealth.
All in all, this is a provocative,
insightful book with many controversial social and religious
theories. It has been conceived to inspire thought and possible
action. Hope springs eternal but the Black Church will not
change easily.