Currently off of the shelf and into my hands, a pair of books:
The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois is one of the seminal works on African-American Studies. Written in the early years of the previous century, Du Bois focuses on the problems of the "color line" in the US, with particular attention to the South. Many of the issues that existed at that time have built the foundation for modern racial disparities; Du Bois's famous "Veil" has yet to lift.
Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark's Story of Jesus by Ched Meyers is my first venture into Liberation Theology. Meyer's book, a Catholic Book Award winner, demands a socio-political reading of the gospel, with particular attention to who was writing (a Jew oppressed by Roman colonialization during the Jewish revolt in 66 A.D), to whom he was writing (other oppressed Jews and Christians) and about whom he was writing (a non-violent, and thus unwelcome, Messiah who demanded a new social order). The book is heavy and academic, but with a penchant for history and revolution, I have eaten it up thus far. Reading it as part of a book club, I am eager to discuss it with a group with a variety of theological and political backgrounds.
As the semester's end approaches quickly, I am looking for another book or two to help me through December. I am considering some writings of Martin Luther King, Jr., and perhaps a long-overdue reunion with my good friend Wendell Berry. Your suggestions are welcome.
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