African American Sermons: Preaching With Sacred Fire
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Date: 15 July 2010
Preaching as a Liberation Art Form
When we listen to the call and response of a jazz trio, we are hearing echoes of black preaching. When we tap our feet to a hip hop song, we are also hearing black preaching. And when we get caught up in the words of a powerful storyteller, that too is black preaching. As an art form, African-American sermons have inspired great works of music, dance and literature. As a religious expression, they have offered hope and liberation to generations of African-Americans dealing with the legacy of slavery. This week we listen to some of the most riveting examples of African-American sermons with the publisher of the journal The African-American Pulpit.
Martha Simmons, co-editor of Preaching with Sacred Fire: An Anthology of African American Sermons, 1750 to the Present
World Religions 101: Yoruba Religion
Begins at 22 min 30 sec
The Yoruba religion is a tapestry of myths, magic, spirits, and secrets. Stephen Prothero calls it "a tradition about hanging onto tradition," a way for people scattered by the African diaspora to connect to their common origins. The gods of Yoruba, called Orishas, are like super-powerful humans, with their own personalities, stories, and tastes in music. And they're often wonderfully mischievous.
The Yoruba religion is distinct from the Yoruba people, and is part of a much broader tradition that includes Santeria in Cuba and Candomblé in Brazil. This is part five in our series on Prothero's picks for the world's greatest traditions.
Pictured: Babalu Aye, the Orisha of illness and disease.
Stephen Prothero, religion blogger for CNN and author of God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions that Rule the World and Why Their Differences Matter
Ooh, Vah! It's Jews on Vinyl
Begins at 39 min
Most record collections end up in boxes in basements and attics. Music critic Roger Bennett turned his collection into a book, a Web site and now, a museum exhibit. “Jews on Vinyl” spans the history of Jewish recorded music from the 40s through the 80s, with a special focus on the bizarre, the kitschy and the obscure. Laura Kwerel sits down with Bennett for an audio tour through Jewish ephemera.
Roger Bennett, co-curator (with Josh Kun) of Jews on Vinyl, an exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles
