Were You There?

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About Were You

Product description Valuable not only for their sublime musical expression, the African American spirituals provide profound insights into the human condition and Christian life. Many spirituals focus on the climax of the Christian drama, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the ways in which those events bring about the liberation of God’s people. In these devotions for the season of Lent, Luke A. Powery leads the reader through the spirituals as they confront the mystery of Christ’s atoning death and victory over the grave. Each selection includes the lyrics of the spiritual, a reflection by the author on the spiritual’s meaning, a Scripture verse related to that meaning, and a brief prayer. Review “The theme of remembrance runs through this collection of brief daily reflections, but it takes on its full meaning only in concert with the other recurring themes: suffering and injustice, lament, slavery, and deliverance. Powery's rich, honest voice draws readers into the questions that gave rise to the spirituals and the faith that sustains those who sing them.“ —The Christian Century About the Author Luke A. Powery is Dean of Duke University Chapel and Associate Professor of Homiletics at Duke Divinity School. Prior to his appointment at Duke, he served as the Perry and Georgia Engle Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary. He is one of the General Editors of Connections, a lectionary worship resource series from Westminster John Knox Press.