Dear Church: A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the US (eBook)

Lenny Duncan is an unlikely pastor. Formerly incarcerated, he is now a black preacher in the whitest denomination in the United States: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Shifting demographics and shrinking congregations make the headlines, but Duncan connects the church's lack of diversity to its lack of vitality. Part manifesto, part confession, and all love letter, Dear Church offers a bold new vision for the future of the church.

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An inherently fascinating, inspired and inspiring read from beginning to end unreservedly recommend and worthwhile reading.--Midwest Book ReviewLenny Duncan is the unlikeliest of pastors. Formerly incarcerated, he is now a black preacher in the whitest denomination in the United States: the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Shifting demographics and shrinking congregations make all the headlines, but Duncan sees something else at work -- drawing a direct line between the churchs lack of diversity and the churchs lack of vitality. The problems the ELCA faces are theological, not sociological. But so are the answers.Part manifesto, part confession, and all love letter, Dear Church offers a bold new vision for the future of Duncans denomination and the broader mainline Christian community of faith. Dear Church rejects the narrative of church decline and calls everyone -- leaders and laity alike -- to the front lines of the churchs renewal through racial equality and justice.It is time for the church to rise up, dust itself off, and take on forces of this world that act against God: whiteness, misogyny, nationalism, homophobia, and economic injustice. Duncan gives a blueprint for the way forward and urges us to follow in the revolutionary path of Jesus.Dear Church also features a discussion guide at the back -- perfect for church groups, book clubs, and other group discussion.