Loyal Sisters: Womanist Spirituality and the British Church
Ebook
Although Loyal Sisters is about Loyal Sisters it is not only for them. From ethnographic exploration into mainly two churches: Messa Pentecostal and High Parish, the religiosity and faith in the Triune God, through the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), of Loyal Sisters is realized. They are faithful and avid ecclesiastical worshipers amidst a tide of dwindling church-attendance. We can reflect on their faith-lifestyle and ontological passion for God which propels them into action in the British church. We discover their values and beliefs and how they transcend and redeem adversity and/or immigration, patriarchy, and racism, "come what may," and seek for womanist, cultural, and religious change in the church through the Spirit. Furthermore, this book provides an insight into my autobiography/womanist testimonies as a British, Black, female practicing, ecumenical Christian who is an ally with Loyal Sisters.
You do not have to be a Loyal Sister or identify as female of color to read this book. There is much we can learn from Loyal Sisters and about the British church which can enrich our understanding, epistemology, and/or spirituality as faith-believers or persons of no religious faith: whether we agree with all, some or none of their womanist spirituality.
“Doreen McCalla offers a rare glimpse into the spirituality and faithfulness of Black and Brown British women. She exhorts the church to celebrate their callings, to recognize their ministries and their faithfulness, and to repair the harm done to them over the generations. Her volume complicates and internationalizes womanist religious studies for a global audience.”
—Margaret Aymer, vice president for academic affairs, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
“Honed from the heart, Doreen McCalla tells the hidden story of Black and Brown women’s unsung yet powerful struggle to literally change the face of the White British ecclesiastical establishment. McCalla documents her own and the Loyal Sisters’ tenacity in overcoming the trials and tribulations of exclusion and rejection, highlighting the camaraderie of a global sisterhood united by their womanist spirituality and enduring commitment to decolonize the church they love. A brilliant and much-needed voice in the scholarly field of race, faith, and religion.”
—Heidi Safia Mirza, professor emeritus of race, faith and culture, Goldsmiths College, University of London
“Loyal Sisters is an important contribution to theological discourse in the British context. Doreen McCalla creatively brings her rich experiences and theological expertise to recover and further Womanist theological reflections and insights, a much-needed contribution to both the academy and the church. This is a book that is deeply personal, but also deeply reflective, that gives us a view into the real lives and ingenuity of Black and Brown Christian women.”
—Carlton John Turner, Anglican tutor in contextual theology and mission studies, The Queens Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education
- Title: Loyal Sisters: Womanist Spirituality and the British Church
- Author: Doreen W. McCalla
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Print Publication Date: 2024
- Logos Release Date: 2024
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Ebook
- ISBNs: 9798385206780, 9798385206766, 9798385206773
- Resource ID: LLS:9798385206780
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2024-09-16T20:45:47Z
Doreen W. McCalla is a freelance researcher and professor of religiosity, theology and ethics. She is the founder of a social enterprise, Divine Ministries Education Enterprise (Nonprofit) Ltd. She has a PhD from King's College London (1998) and is the author of Unsung Sheroes in the Church (2007), Black Success in the UK (2003), and Local Nurseries for Local Communities (2001).