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The Mt. Level Community Partnership for Racial Justice Book Study
October 23, 2023 @ 7:00 PM - November 14, 2023 @ 8:30 PM
“Becoming Human”
In “Becoming Human,” Dean Powery contrasts a view of humanity that sees the diversity of human bodies as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Published by Westminster John Knox Press and winner of the 2023 Book of the Year award from the Academy of Parish Clergy, the book gets its title from the 1968 eulogy for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. given by the theologian Dr. Howard Thurman.
About this event
- Book: Becoming Human: The Holy Spirit and the Rhetoric of Race (Luke Powery)
- 6 Weeks
- Start: Tues, Oct 3rd
- End: Tues, Nov 14th
- Time: 7-8:30 pm
Duke Chapel Dean Luke A. Powery discusses his latest book, “Becoming Human: The Holy Spirit and the Rhetoric of Race,” with two leading scholars in fields that are important to the book. Dean Powery, an associate professor of homiletics at Duke Divinity School, is joined by the Rev. Dr. Willie James Jennings, associate professor of systematic theology and Africana studies at Yale University Divinity School, and Dr. Charmaine Royal, the Robert O. Keohane Professor of African and African American Studies, Biology, Global Health, and Family Medicine and Community Health at Duke University. The moderator for the conversation is Dr. Patrick Smith, director of the Program in Bioethics at Duke’s Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History of Medicine and also an associate research professor of theological ethics and bioethics at Duke Divinity School.
In “Becoming Human,” Dean Powery contrasts a view of humanity that sees race as essential and valuing some bodies over others with a theological understanding of humanity, shaped by the biblical account of Pentecost, that sees the diversity of human bodies as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The book gets its title from the 1968 eulogy for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. given by the theologian Dr. Howard Thurman. “[Dr. King] was killed in one sense because [hu]mankind is not quite human yet,” Dr. Thurman said. “May he live because all of us in America are closer to becoming human than ever before.”
Study Plan
Study questions will be provided to guide break out discussions.
Week 1: Oct 3
Becoming Human:
Watch in advance (see description above): Scholars Discuss Becoming Human
Read in advance: Forward (Willie James Jennings) and Introduction (Luke Powery) for Becoming Human
Leader: Rev. Linda Vanhook
7:00 Welcome, prayer, remarks
Include explanation of creating a running list of “actions” in response to the book study, and of arriving at consensus by Week 6 of the one(s) collectively or individually participants will commit to
7:30 Small groups
8:15 Whole group wrap up
8:30 Closing prayer
Other possible resources(?):
HW: Read summary of chapters 1 & 2
Week 2: Oct 10
Becoming Human:
Chapter 3: Every Time I Feel the Spirit: A Pneumatology for Particularity
Leader: Dr. Deborah Boston
7:00 Welcome, prayer, remarks
7:30 Small groups
8:15 Whole group wrap up
8:30 Closing prayer
Other possible resources(?):
Must Reads, Episode 19, with Dr. Luke A. Powery, featuring his book “Becoming Human.” In episode 19 of Must Reads, Dr. Luke A. Powery discusses his book, “Becoming Human: The Holy Spirit and the Rhetoric of Race.” He makes connections between race and the theology of the Holy Spirit, exposes colonial racialization, and encourages the church to be a place where people of all backgrounds can come together and celebrate their shared humanity.
Week 3: Oct 17
Week 4: Oct 24
Week 5: Oct 31
7:00
Start right away in small groups: Prayer and discussions of group-specific material that each group will draw upon in Week 6 “fishbowl” discussion of a question related to Becoming Human. The number of Fall book study participants will determine the number of groups.
8:00
Decide the key points to include during the “fishbowl” discussion, who from the group will talk, and the list of actions to propose
8:30
Closing prayer in small groups (no return to whole group)
Possible book excerpts, essays, podcasts, documentaries, lectures, etc: