Confessions of a Black Lady Preacher: Why Can’t You Just Call Me Reverend?

Last updated on: May 19, 2014 at 10:22 pm by Guest Contributor

Confessions of a Black Lady Preacher: Why Can’t You Just Call Me Reverend? 2014-05-19T22:22:00-05:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

As I sat in my father’s car driving down Billy Graham highway in North Carolina, I heard my father utter the words, “I don’t like Black lady preachers.” That was at the very beginning of my journey, when I had just started seminary. Since then I’ve chosen to sarcastically refer to myself that way. Beyond writing about it, sarcasm has been my favorite tool to fortify myself against the downright foolishness I’ve faced as a young black woman in ministry.

As a “Black Lady Preacher” who serves God in the church and in health care settings, I am keenly aware that my presence alone is often a disruption of traditional sexist, ageist and racist sensibilities. I am aware that when a nurse asks a patient, “would you like to see the Chaplain?” a black female young adult is the last thing anyone expects to walk into their hospital room. I am aware that no matter how many times I refer to myself as “Reverend” (because, you know, I am an ordained reverend), I will still be referred to as “Deaconess” and “young lady” at best or “sweety”, “honey” and “boo boo” at worst or simply “Dominique”.

And I know there are some who are screaming at this article, “It’s not about the title! It’s about Jesus!” Of course and I ever cared about titles. As a matter of fact when I pastored my first church, I told the congregants to call me by my first name. But as I returned to a more traditional African American setting, I realized titles only didn’t matter when the title belonged to a woman. And any man who self-identifies as clergy wouldn’t have the same level of difficulty getting people to remember his title when referring to him. As a matter of fact, in the Black Community men and boys who SEEM even vaguely clergy-ish are often prophetically given titles (Reverend, Doc., Bishop, Pastor…) way before they’ve earned them.

Read the rest here

Uncategorized

Previous Post

May 17, 2014

Are Millennials Really Leaving the Church? Yes — but Mostly White Millennials

Next Post

May 19, 2014 Religion and Culture in African Literature

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Amy Steele Andre E. Johnson Book Reviews/Series Brian Foulks Call for Chapters Carol Howard Merritt Classes Conferences Contributors Crystal St.Marie Lewis Daniel White Hodge Earle Fisher Eulogy Fredrick Robinson Guest Contributions Henry McNeal Turner Institutes Interviews Joseph Boston Katherine Whitfield Kimberly Peeler-Ringer Lectures/Roundtables Natalie Bullock Brown R3 Book Series R3 Contributor Rashad Grove Readers Reflections Symposiums Teaching Traci Ellis Travis Harris Uncategorized Video

Select a Month June 2020 February 2020 December 2019 November 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 October 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz