|
My Holy Bible for African American Children
King James Version. by Cheryl and Wade Hudson
Book Review by
Kam Williams
|
If
you’re walking down the right path and
you’re willing to keep walking,
eventually you’ll make progress.—President
Barack Obama
Darkness
cannot drive out darkness; only light
can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate;
only love can do that.—
Inspirational quotes in
Bible for blacks kids |
Given that this is
the Easter Season, Christian parents might like to
check out this new Bible specifically designed with
black children in mind. This edition of the Good
Book is basically the complete King James Version,
but augmented by Cheryl and Wade Hudson to make it
more appealing to African-American youngsters and
teenagers.
For instance, Adam
and Eve are brown-skinned in the illustrations. This
only makes sense since the oldest human fossils
unearthed by archeologists were found in Africa.
Another bright-colored drawing features what appears
to be Harriet Tubman leading a few fugitive slaves
to safety via the Underground Railroad. A hint that
it’s Harriet is that her skirt is fashioned out of a
Canadian flag, and Canada was the final station on
her perilous trek along the freedom trail.
Tubman technically
wasn’t in the Bible, obviously, so her inclusion
might strike some as a bit of an anachronism.
However, she was deeply religious, and the page with
her picture also contains the uplifting lyrics to
the Gospel spiritual “Wade in the Water.” In
addition, a number of other influential black
Christians are quoted here, everyone from Archbishop
Desmond Tutu to Jesse Owens to George Washington
Carver to Rosa Parks to Dr. Martin Luther King to
President Barack Obama.
Given that the
scriptures can get very dull (Ever try to read the
whole Bible?), is it blasphemous to break them up
with pearls of wisdom from more recent role models?
Even the 10 Commandments enjoy a bit of an overhaul,
with the archaic-sounding “Thou shalt not steal”
being transformed into plain English as “You may not
take and keep anything that doesn’t belong to you.”
Can I get an “Amen!”
for the Hudsons for crafting a culturally-relevant
interpretation of the Bible in order to encourage
the up-and-coming generation of black youth to
establish a meaningful relationship with Jesus
Christ and the Church.
* * * * *
African-American
parents long for a Bible that can help them explain
God's Word and their faith to their children.
My Holy Bible for African-American Children
answers that need. Included are illustrations by
African-American artists, popular Negro spirituals,
Heroes of Our Faith, inspirational Christian quotes,
and information that ties scripture to a child's
life. African-American children will find meaningful
connections to God through features that speak
directly to their life experiences and heritage.
Features include: Large print type for easy reading
32 full-color tip-in pages with illustrations from
African-American artists Introductions to each book
of the Bible Dictionary-concordance, and maps
Presentation page for gift giving Complete text of
the popular King James Version with the words of
Christ in red.— Zondervan,
Publisher
* * *
* *
* * *
* *
|
The Price of Civilization
Reawakening American Virtue and Prosperity
By Jeffrey D. Sachs
The Price of Civilization is a book that is essential reading for every American. In a forceful, impassioned, and personal voice, he offers not only a searing and incisive diagnosis of our country’s economic ills but also an urgent call for Americans to restore the virtues of fairness, honesty, and foresight as the foundations of national prosperity. Sachs finds that both political parties—and many leading economists—have missed the big picture, offering shortsighted solutions such as stimulus spending or tax cuts to address complex economic problems that require deeper solutions. Sachs argues that we have profoundly underestimated globalization’s long-term effects on our country, which create deep and largely unmet challenges with regard to jobs, incomes, poverty, and the environment. America’s single biggest economic failure, Sachs argues, is its inability to come to grips with the new global economic realities. Sachs describes a political system that has lost its ethical moorings, in which ever-rising campaign contributions and lobbying outlays overpower the voice of the citizenry. . . . Sachs offers a plan to turn the crisis around. He argues persuasively that the problem is not America’s abiding values, which remain generous and pragmatic, but the ease with which political spin and consumerism run circles around those values. He bids the reader to reclaim the virtues of good citizenship and mindfulness toward the economy and one another. |
 |
* *
* * *
 |
Sex at the Margins
Migration, Labour Markets and the Rescue Industry
By Laura María Agustín
This book explodes several myths: that selling sex is completely different from any other kind of work, that migrants who sell sex are passive victims and that the multitude of people out to save them are without self-interest. Laura Agustín makes a passionate case against these stereotypes, arguing that the label 'trafficked' does not accurately describe migrants' lives and that the 'rescue industry' serves to disempower them. Based on extensive research amongst both migrants who sell sex and social helpers, Sex at the Margins provides a radically different analysis. Frequently, says Agustin, migrants make rational choices to travel and work in the sex industry, and although they are treated like a marginalised group they form part of the dynamic global economy. Both powerful and controversial, this book is essential reading for all those who want to understand the increasingly important relationship between sex markets, migration and the desire for social justice. "Sex at the Margins rips apart distinctions between migrants, service work and sexual labour and reveals the utter complexity of the contemporary sex industry. This book is set to be a trailblazer in the study of sexuality."—Lisa Adkins, University of London |
* *
* * *
posted 29 March 2010
|
