Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award Finalist A Groundbreaking Portrait of African American Christianity The history of African American Christianity is one of the determined faith of a people driven to pursue spiritual and social uplift for themselves and others to God's glory. Yet stories of faithful Black Christians have often been forgotten or minimized. The dynamic witness of the Black church in the United States is an essential part of Christian history that must be heard and dependably retold. In this groundbreaking two-volume work, Walter R. Strickland II does just that through a theological-intellectual history highlighting the ways theology has formed and motivated Black Christianity across the centuries. Through his original research he has identified five theological anchors grounding African Americans in Christian orthodoxy:
- Big God - Jesus - Conversion and walking in the Spirit - The Good Book - Deliverance In volume 1, a narrative history, Strickland tells the story of these themes from the 1600s to the present. He explores the crucial ecclesiastical, social, and theological developments, including the rise of Black evangelicalism as well as broader contributions to politics and culture. Swing Low offers a defining rubric under which to observe, understand, and learn from the diverse and living entity that is African American Christianity. Volume 2, a companion anthology, covers the breadth of these historical developments by presenting primary-source documents so we can listen to Black Christianity in its own words.
"In these complementary volumes, Walter R. Strickland II provides a detailed and profound rendering of the story of African American Christianity. The assembled documents, dating as far back as 1619 and as current as the present year, illustrate thought formed in response to various matters of concern. Among this wide range of ideas, Strickland brings to the fore the recurring, interrelated convictions about God, Jesus Christ, the Bible, conversion and sanctification, and freedom and liberation in each era."
Frederick L. Ware, professor of theology at Howard University School of Divinity
"Walter R. Strickland II has made an incredible contribution with both volumes of Swing Low, laying out a well-organized history of the African American Christian tradition, and supporting it with an expansive anthology of primary sources. His thorough work highlights people and movements that were instrumental in American religious history. It is a valuable resource for those studying the holistic story of the church in America."
J.D. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
