Stereotypical images of African American Christian spirituality eclipse the profound diversity of Black preaching. As a result, contemplative preaching has become one of the most overlooked streams of gospel proclamation in Black Protestant contexts. Far from a new phenomenon, contemplative preaching consists of a robust tradition of orators, theologians, prophets, mystics, and pastors. In different ways, these proclaimers embody a life-giving, boundary-crossing, contemplative vision that fosters spiritual and social transformation. In Black Contemplative Preaching , E. Trey Clark expands our understanding of Black religiosity by drawing attention to the rich history of contemplative preaching in the Black church. Clark brings this hidden history to light by examining the life and preaching ministry of three twentieth-century African American religious leaders: Howard Thurman, Martin Luther King Jr., and the late Bishop Barbara Harris. In addition, the book discusses the contemplative proclamation of contemporary spiritual leaders such as Ineda Pearl Adesanya, Veronica R. Goines, Luke A. Powery, and Frank A. Thomas, as well as poet and activist Amanda Gorman. Black Contemplative Preaching challenges monolithic portraits of Black spirituality and ministry through an evaluation of these influential figures. The uncovering of this rich, yet neglected, history of mystical activism among Christian preachers sheds light on the creative synthesis of spirituality, social justice, and proclamation in the Black church. Ultimately, the book presents Black contemplative preaching as a historic and enduring source of theological wisdom that speaks to the political, ecological, and spiritual challenges of our times. In this thoroughly researched volume, Trey Clark expands the traditional notion of contemplative preaching to include important African American preachers, most notably, Howard Thurman who, more than any other, taught us the values of prayer, meditation, and silence in preaching. Clark helpfully reviews several models of Black preaching that embody the rich contemplative tradition. -- Richard Lischer, author of The Preacher King: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Word That Moved America In Black Contemplative Preaching , Trey Clark uncovers an oft neglected stream in African American preaching. In so doing, he challenges many of the conventional presuppositions and horizons concerning what gets to count and not to count as black preaching. By interacting with exemplars, past and present, he makes this rich tradition more accessible and charts a way forward for scholars and practitioners. -- Jared E. Alcántara, Professor of Preaching and Holder of the Paul W. Powell Endowed Chair in Preaching, George W. Truett Theological Seminary Every twenty years a scholar and a book emerge that expand the field of inquiry in preaching. E. Trey Clark's Black Contemplative Preaching recovers and opens up a powerful and under-exposed tradition in the genre of African American preaching. A must-read for all preachers. -- Frank A. Thomas, Nettie Sweeney and Hugh Th. Miller Professor of Homiletics and Director of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, Christian Theological Seminary E. Trey Clark offers a groundbreaking exploration of the Black contemplative preaching tradition. Clark highlights exemplars who epitomize diversity in background, education, calling, and rhetorical style, while highlighting their use of contemplative preaching modalities. In our current times of 'fragmentation, fear, fatigue,' Black Contemplative Preaching speaks to a need for personal and collective healing and is a gift to the field of homiletics and Christian spirituality. -- Barbara A. Holmes, core faculty, Center for Action and Contemplation, and author of Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church Clark's book is a beautiful enrichment of our understanding of Black preaching and religious experience. He emphasizes the role of contemplation in a wide variety of Black orators. He highlights the importance of women preachers and poets and emphasizes the way contemplation and activism provide a unique synergism in Black churches. This beautiful volume will soon become a classic of wisdom and insight. -- Wendy Farley, Rice Family Chair of Spirituality, San Francisco Theological Seminary Graduate School of Theology, University of Redlands Trey Clark's authorial launch into the discipline of homiletics channels the ancestral wisdom of sainted Black preaching elders and troubles disciplinary waters polluted by homiletical whiteness. Plumbing the depths of a preaching tradition generally described as soul-stirring, frenzied performance, Clark course-corrects and reveals a hidden stream of contemplative Black preaching--embodied, meditative, emancipatory proclamation--traceable from the earliest beginnings of Black preaching. Clark's remarkable contribution is not only impressive scholarship, it is a defining homi