from Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective

We get it. You want to feed your faith and grow spiritually without being shamed or shunned. Maybe you miss attending regular religious services and the community it can provide, but you just can’t stomach the nastiness that some faith leaders espouse. You’re just out here, trying to make your way in the world and contribute to the larger society without being demonized for your commitments to justice — making or marginalized for your identity.

We’ve gotcha covered! Here are some cool, accessible and mostly free resources to deepen, grow and fortify your faith without the damaging and harmful rhetoric that can often come along with it:

1. The Churched Feminist: This increasingly popular blog by Kimberly Peeler-Ringer is a must for those looking for insightful, accessible commentary on contemporary topics through a Biblically-sound, decidedly inclusive lens. Peeler-Ringer is a licensed minister with graduate degrees in biblical and religious studies and over 20 years of preaching and teaching experience. Check her out on social media under #AlignYourselfWednesday and read her most recent blog post about *that* eulogy at Aretha Franklin’s funeral here.

2. Our Bible App: With a mission to “support the belief that we are each trying to understand our place in this grand universe,” Our Bible App is quickly becoming a favorite resource to find “devotionals highlighting pro LGBT, pro-women” and “interfaith inclusivity.” You can download Our Bible App for free and begin using this wonderful resource today to support your meditation and prayer needs!

3. The Millennial Womanism Project: Just passing their first anniversary, The Millennial Womanism Project “is an enterprise committed to enhancing the wellbeing of Black millennial women of faith and justice.” Follow their work on social media under #MillennialWomanism and check out their website for profiles showcasing folks “doing incredible work in ministry, the academy and in social justice.”

4. Rev. Wil Gafney + #BriteBible: Speaking of womanists, we are smitten with the work of Rev. Wil Gafney, an Episcopal priest and Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at the Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth Texas. You can follow her “Intro to Interpreting the Hebrew Bible” course on twitter under #BriteBible, check out her brilliant blog here and deepen your knowledge of women in the Hebrew Bible and related topics by purchasing her books here.

5. Father Lenny Duncan + Jehu’s Table/ Rev. Leslie D. Callahan + St. Paul’s Baptist Church: These faves bless folks regularly across the country thanks to the magic of technology! If you need weekly worship but distance is an issue, check out Father Lenny Duncan + Jehu’s Table on FaceBook Live! Jehu’s Table is a Brooklyn-based mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, rooted in the worship styles and cultural traditions of people of African-descent and living out their faith as a community for all marginalized people. We are also grateful to Rev. Leslie D. Callahan + St. Paul’s Baptist Church for their regular livestream and archive of past worship services that you can access on-demand at anytime! St. Paul’s Baptist Church is a historic fellowship in Philadelphia, PA that “strives to be a progressive Christian congregation proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ through vibrant worship, committed discipleship, and active community ministry.”

6. Tripp Fuller + Transform Network: Tripp Fuller has been in these streets for over a decade with the very dope and insightful Homebrewed Christianity podcast. Now, Fuller and others are droppin’ blessings through the Transform Network, whose mission is “to be a resource for people and communities of faith seeking to express their love through justice and ministry that heals, restores and innovates.” You can sign up for the “pay what you can” ($20 is suggested) 4-week Theologies of Resistance course, cosponsored by Transform Network and Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza here.

7. Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza Activist Theology Project: Dr. Espinoza is a badass Queer Activist, Latinx Scholar and Public Theologian. They are a part of the Activist Theology Project, “a collaborative team of public theologians, practitioners of restorative practices, and strategy-minded people situated in the hybrid space of church, academy, and movements.” Check out Dr. Robyn’s soundcloud page for sermons and other recordings, follow them on twiiter @iRobyn and learn more about the Activist Theology Network here.

8. Vahisha Hasan + Movement in Faith: Vahisha Hasan is the architect of Movement in Faith which provides “training, organizing, infrastructure, resources, and long-term support for faith community-led efforts in justice work.” Through Movement in Faith, Vahisha “supports communities of faith to identify their intersection in social justice as well as be a positive faith presence in justice movement.” Support and learn more about Movement in Faith’s goals and holla at Vahisha for speaking engagements here.

9. Bishop Yvette Flunder + The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries: Committed to “creating, sustaining and celebrating community on the margin,” The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries is a “multi-denominational group of primarily African American Christian leaders and laity representing churches and faith-based organizations from the USA, Africa, and Mexico.” Lead by Presiding Bishop Yvette Flunder, TFAM supports religious leaders and laity in moving toward a theology of radical inclusivity. You can find TFAM affiliated-congregations here and learn more about Bishop Flunder’s church, City of Refuge, here.

10. Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU) Organizing Collective + #BLUUBox: If you’ve read this far, allow us to include a *shamless plug* for our work! Established in 2015, the Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU) Organizing Collective works to provide support, information & resources for Black Unitarian Universalists and to expand the role and visibility of Black UUs within our faith community. We’ve recently launched the BLUU Spiritual Subscription Box (#BLUUBox,) a one-of-a kind, innovative way for individuals, small group ministries and congregations to inform, grow and deepen their faith. You don’t have to be a UU to subscribe to #BLUUBox — We are proud to say that #BLUUBox is for everyone! Learn more about BLUU, download free sample content and subscribe to #BLUUBox here.

We know our list isn’t exhaustive and doesn’t wrap around every religious identity. Our hope is that you’ll be inspired by these inclusive, multifaith and interfaith resources and encouraged to find ways to feed your faith beyond the boundaries sometimes imposed by religion or even consider building your own dope resources!

More from Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism:

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