Tilling Sacred Grounds: Interiority, Black Women, and Religious Experience

Tilling Sacred Grounds explores Black women's interiority, race, gender, and sexuality in religious spaces and practices, emphasizing the exchange between interiority and public spaces and the retrieval of Black women's interiority as religious space.

Format: Hardback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 13 April 2022
Publisher: Lexington Books

Tilling Sacred Grounds delves into the profound depths of Black women's interiority, exploring their intricate negotiations of race, gender, and sexuality within religious spaces and practices. In her insightful work, Phillis Isabella Sheppard emphasizes the vital interplay between interiority and public realms, shedding light on the multifaceted dimensions of religion in cyberspace, art, ritual, and street ministry. Through a meticulous retrieval of Black women's interiority, Sheppard reimagines the very essence of religious experience, repositioning it as a sacred space that encompasses their complex and often unconscious relationship with religion.

This book serves as a groundbreaking exploration, as it often goes overlooked in Black religious studies. Interiority, a concept that encompasses subjective, intersubjective, conscious, unconscious, and relational dimensions, emerges as a crucial thread that weaves together the intricate tapestry of Black women's lives. It is through the lens of interiority that we gain a deeper understanding of their complex and multifaceted relationship with religion, as it encompasses not only their conscious beliefs and practices but also the unconscious depths of their emotional and spiritual selves.

By emphasizing the historical and social contexts that shape interiority, Tilling Sacred Grounds offers a rich tapestry of insights. It sheds light on the ways in which Black women have navigated the complexities of race, gender, and sexuality within religious spaces, often facing marginalization and exclusion. Through their experiences, they have forged unique paths of spiritual fulfillment and resilience, challenging traditional narratives and creating new spaces for self-expression and empowerment.

Moreover, the book's exploration of religion in cyberspace, art, ritual, and street ministry expands the horizons of our understanding of religion in contemporary society. It highlights the ways in which technology, creativity, and community engagement are shaping the way we experience and interpret religion, breaking down traditional boundaries and fostering new forms of spiritual connection.

In conclusion, Tilling Sacred Grounds is a groundbreaking work that delves into the depths of Black women's interiority, race, gender, and sexuality within religious spaces and practices. Through its insightful analysis and innovative perspectives, it offers a profound understanding of the complex interplay between interiority, public realms, and religion in contemporary society. This book is a must-read for scholars, activists, and anyone interested in exploring the rich tapestry of Black women's lives and experiences.

Weight: 463g
Dimension: 227 x 162 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781793638625