The Ground Has Shifted

“An exuberant, thought-provoking assessment of the dilemmas facing black churches” examining their historic role in today’s cultural landscape (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

In The Ground Has Shifted, Walter Earl Fluker discusses the historical and current role of the Black church and argues that the older race-based language and metaphors of religious discourse have outlived their utility. He offers instead a larger, global vision for the Black church that focuses on young Black men and other disenfranchised groups who have been left behind in a world of globalized capital.

Lyrically written with an emphasis on the dynamic and fluid movement of life itself, Fluker argues that the church must find new ways to use race as an emancipatory instrument if it is to remain central in Black life. He points the way for a new generation of church leaders, scholars and activists to reclaim the Black church’s historical identity and to turn to the task of infusing character, civility, and a sense of community among its congregants.

Honorable Mention, Theology and Religious Studies PROSE Award