Preaching that Confronts Confederate Monuments - (T&t Clark Library of Homiletics) by David M Stark (Hardcover)

About the Book

Draws on Confederate monuments as a preaching presence and site of contested speech to suggest localized strategies for transformative anti-racist preaching.

Book Synopsis

Confederate monuments preach-at times subtly, at other times overtly-about who we are, who God is, and how we should live together.David M. Stark looks at the way many Confederate monuments provided ongoing opportunities for commemorative speeches and ceremonies that would entrench racist and white supremacist ideologies in the American South.

Stark examines key speeches and proclamations given around monuments to the Lost Cause, such as Julian Carr's Silent Sam speech (1913), and Archer Anderson's speech at the dedication of a monument to Robert E. Lee (1890), reading these as theological and homiletic moments. Stark then moves on to construct a homiletic that can confront such monuments and the racist preaching ideologies around them.

In developing this counter-homiletic, Stark analyzes the preaching strategies written into Confederate monuments and highlights best practices from recent counter-proclamations that deconstruct the troubling rhetoric and theology of Confederate monument dedication speeches. Finally, Stark presents insights from naming commission reports and clergy interviews about the values, mission, and leadership needed to work for ongoing change.

Review Quotes

David Stark wonderfully displays how preachers ought to think about and then preach to contemporary American racial realities in the light of the gospel. He confronts the history and present harm of Confederate monuments and shows us preachers how to help our listeners think like Christians about matters that many would rather left unsaid. A wonderful book not only on how to tell the truth about our past but also how to do this truth-telling from the pulpit.
Will Willimon, Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry, Duke Divinity School, USA

What a timely and necessary volume! With theological depth and prophetic clarity, David M. Stark equips pastors and public theologians to engage in transformative, anti-racist proclamation that reshapes sacred spaces and reclaims community memory. Essential reading for all who seek to preach justice in contested places.
The Rev. Sunggu A. Yang, Associate Professor of Theology & Christian Ministries, Department of Theology, George Fox University, USA

You can never look at any statue or memorial erected on our streets or in parks, or icons in a church the same way after reading this book. Using personal insight, historic dedication speeches, past and current sermons and speeches, experiences of naming commissions (to either remove statuary or build new ones), Stark will upset many who believe these graven images to whiteness are sacrosanct, and perhaps should not even be the subject of preaching. This book should be required reading for every seminarian, for every church dissecting their history as it relates to race, and anyone who truly wants a country where all are free to live into their God-given talents. This book is a blessing.
Rev Dr Gayle Fisher-Stewart, Chaplain, Takoma Park Police Department, Maryland, USA

About the Author

David M. Stark is Assistant Professor of Homiletics and Co-director of the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Center at the University of the South, USA.