In When Prophets Preach: Leadership and the Politics of the Pulpit, Jay Augustine urges twenty-first-century preachers to speak openly against social injustice, establishing such preaching as a key component of prophetic leadership.
Beginning with the premise that the church was birthed to address salvation in the "kingdom-to-come" and social justice in the "kingdom-at-hand," Augustine presents prophetic preaching as part of the ministry of reconciliation Jesus left to the church. Addressing topics such as abusive immigration policies and racial injustices, he urges the church to return to its foundation of prophetic leadership as exemplified not only by Jesus but by the Old Testament prophets and the New Testament apostles.
When Prophets Preach demonstrates that faithfulness to this ministry requires preachers to break the pulpit silence. Then the church can lead in bridging social and ethnic gaps among its members. It can show society at large how to heal many of the social, economic, and political divisions in our world, the very rifts that underscore the need for social justice ministries and that necessitate prophetic preaching.
About the Author :
Jonathan C. Augustine is a nationally acclaimed social justice advocate. He serves as senior pastor of St. Joseph African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Durham, North Carolina, law professor at North Carolina Central University, and strategist with the Duke University Center for Reconciliation. A former civil rights litigator who later earned MDiv and DMin degrees, he is the author of Called to Reconciliation: How the Church Can Model Justice, Diversity, and Inclusion (Baker Academic, 2022).
William H. Willimon is the author of many books on preaching and ministerial leadership. He is Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry at Duke Divinity School where he directs the Doctor of Ministry program. He is a United Methodist bishop, retired. As Dean of the Duke Chapel, his sermons established his reputation as one of the most influential American preachers.
Review :
Jay Augustine's newest book, When Prophets Preach, makes clear the power that can come from the pulpit, as preaching--effective, inspired preaching--brings heaven's voice to the very real hurts and injustices of this world. --The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church and author of The Power of Love
When Prophets Preach clearly identifies the challenge of prophetic preaching that is both divinely inspired and socially determined. Using Jesus as a model for the prophetic preacher, Jay Augustine makes the case that the traditional salvific message of the gospel is not in competition with the message of social justice/prophetic preaching. Rather, he establishes the necessity for prophetic preaching in an era in American culture that is rife with injustice, inequality, and the dangerous rise of an evangelical liberalism that supports, rather than condemns, these kinds of inequities. This book is a must-read for anyone who dares enter the pulpit. It challenges all proclaimers of the gospel to be relevant in their preaching about the ways in which the real lives of people are being impacted by today's social ills and the message of hope that comes through the Christian faith. --Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, Ecumenical Bishop and Program Development Officer, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Unpacking the alchemy of gospel proclamation and social transformation, Jay Augustine offers a field guide for aspiring prophets. A historic and biblical survey with urgent summons and a toolbox for reconciliation and repair, When Prophets Preach is essential reading for clergy and congregations seeking to grow their courage and translate ideals of justice into action. --Rev. Dr. Katie Crowe, senior pastor, Trinity Avenue Presbyterian Church
In When Prophets Preach, Jay Augustine makes an overwhelmingly convincing case for political witness and social-justice action in the ministry of the churches, such that if one reads it thoroughly, one is likely to suspect cowardice if the prophetic dimension finds no place in preaching and general pastoral leadership. Hopefully, digesting the spirit of this work will lead clergy and laity alike to pray earnestly for the courage to bear witness to the truth and justice God demands of us all. --James A Forbes, senior minister emeritus, The Riverside Church, New York
Jay Augustine proves again that he is an incisive and insightful practitioner of the Black prophetic tradition. When Prophets Preach helps the reader to clearly distinguish the difference between the liberation theology of the Black church and the dangerous ideology of white Christian nationalism. Using his bivocational voice as a legal scholar and theologian, Augustine helps us follow the path of the proclamation of the good news from a contested tradition toward reclaiming a crucial trajectory in the fight for justice, equality, and democracy. This book breathes new life into the homiletic task, activating a vital method for engaging contemporary Christians in the good fight of faith toward realizing a reconciled, restored, and redeemed Beloved Community. --Lester A. McCorn, president, Clinton College
The Reverend Attorney Jay Augustine demonstrates once again what a great asset he is to the body of Christ. In this volume he not only gives the reader a historical sketch of the benefits of what prophetic preaching has meant to the Black church and, more importantly, to the Black community, but he also challenges the present-day preacher to reclaim their position as the Lord's instrument for liberation and empowerment through prophetic preaching and leadership. This is a must-read! --John R. Bryant, senior bishop (ret.), African Methodist Episcopal Church
