Womanish Theology

A deeply insightful book. A brilliant story written for a reader who is interested about learning new perspectives of black women surrounding the themes of Theology. 😌

Growing up in a Baptist church and raised by my granny to stay in my word and let it shape my life I connect very intensely with this story. Being black and having faith can be difficult at times especially when you think about slavery and all the injustice we face as a people. This book explained all of that very eloquently.

As a black woman of Caribbean descent living in the United States, I found Womanish Theology to be refreshing. Although much of my girlhood was spent between Jamaica and the Greater NYC area, many of Adams' own childhood stories were relatable. For example, a deep reliance on prayer was also emphasized in the community in which I grew up. Praying into the New Year during Watch Night Service was something my parents considered to be non-negotiable.

I resonated with the statement in the introduction where Adams writes: "To me, this was the standard for theological thought: older, White, male theologians." Adams demonstrates throughout the book that White males do not own theology, and that Black women and girls have great theological insights.

For example, Adams describes the role of Black parents and grandparents in the spiritual formation of young black girls. Particularly, Black grandmothers were the matriarchs of the family and modeled Christ-like lives for Black girls to follow. She artfully notes: "Our foremothers may not have been academy trained, but the wisdom gained through their life experiences qualified them as leading voices of the faith."

Chapter 3, "Womanish Theology of the Imago Dei," was my favorite. Adams makes an important point: Black girls believe that they are made in the image of God because they hear it so often. However, they also hear conflicting messages about their identities and worth. They are often encouraged to change themselves through hair straightening, skin lightening, etc. to fit into White society. Adams suggests that the same society that states Black girls are made in the image of God seems to whisper "Not quite."

Chapter 4, which addressed evil and suffering, was another great one. Adams highlights how Black girls practice "womanish resistance" by choosing gratitude in the face of evil and suffering. However, she also notes that Black girls are rarely given the opportunity to sit with and process trauma.

Throughout the book, Adams acknowledges certain theologies passed down to Black girls that were not necessarily helpful. For example, while memorizing scripture is good, Black girls are not often taught how to interpret scripture. As she says, we should teach Black girls to interpret scripture. While the scriptures are "instructive" and "medicinal," they have also been incorrectly used to harm Black girls. Black girls are empowered when they can know and interpret scripture themselves.

My only critique is that the book could benefit from a bit more scholarly explanation behind some of the themes. While the memoir style and personal anecdotes are powerful, additional research into African American studies, history, sociology, etc. could provide a deeper understanding for readers unfamiliar with the Black girl experience. However, Adams does include the work of Womanist theologians, which adds insight to the book.

Overall, I deeply enjoyed reading this book. It can be helpful for anyone interested in theology, gender studies, or Black cultural studies. Black women may feel seen as they read through Adams' personal stories; White men and women as well as people of other ethnicities will benefit from hearing Black stories.

While I fully acknowledge that I am not this book’s intended audience, I’m so glad for the opportunity to learn under a gifted teacher/preacher.

Womanish (black girl) Theology uses Scripture, scholarly writings, gender studies, and personal stories to paint a picture of the deep well that is the inner spiritual lives/thoughts/gifts of young black women.

I particularly loved the chapters on Imago Dei, and hospitality.

While I have the unfortunate tendency to #notallwhitewomen, this book allowed me to deal with Caught Feelings in my own head, rather than out in the world where I might hurt someone.

Thanks to NetGalley and Brazos Press for this illuminating ARC.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I found this book really enlightening. I have seen from documentaries, the news and some films that God and religion is deeply ingrained in many Black women’s lives but never took too much time to think about it, not being so myself. But this book not only explained the general link but goes more in depth such as through prayer, hospitality, and scripture. I liked the combination of theory alongside little quotes by different women and girls, as well as an age to contextualise it more in terms of stages of life.

Adams' perspective about being a Black girl into a Black woman who is of faith encompasses a wide range of ideals and beliefs. I learned about theodicy, a word I think about its definition often. There are more anecdotes than data, which truly brings a human experience to faith.