A collection of sermons and speeches that lay out a groundbreaking vision for intersectional organizing, paired with inspirational and practical essays from activists in today’s Poor People’s Campaign
The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II has been called “the closest person we have to Martin Luther King Jr. in our midst” (Cornel West) and “one of the most gifted organizers and orators in the country today” (Ari Berman). In this age of political division and civic unrest, Rev. Barber’s message is more necessary than ever. This volume features Rev. Barber’s most stirring sermons and speeches, with response essays by prominent public intellectuals, activists, and faith leaders. Drawing from the history of social movements in the US, especially the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign, Rev. Barber and the contributors to this volume speak to the most pressing issues of our time, including Black Lives Matter, the fight for a $15 minimum wage, the struggle to protect voting rights, the march for women’s rights, and the movement to overcome poverty and unite the dispossessed across all dividing lines. Grounded in the fundamental biblical theme of poor and oppressed people taking action together, the book suggests ways to effectively build a fusion movement to make America fair and just for everyone.
“Often, Barber’s stirring rhetoric—his use of anaphora, his skillful interweaving of academic research with folksy quotes from his grandmother—radiates off the page . . . . Inspiring.”
—Kirkus Reviews
INTRODUCTION
Preaching and Prophetic Witness in the Public Square
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
PART ONE: Biblical and Theological Foundations for a Moral Movement
CHAPTER ONE
The Prophetic Word Is Political
The Reverend Dr. Rick Lowery
CHAPTER TWO
Blessed Are the Rejected for They Shall Lead the Revival
The Reverend Dr. Liz Theoharis
CHAPTER THREE
Organizing and Shaping a Moral Vision for Justice in the Public Square
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
PART TWO: Vision and Action
CHAPTER FOUR
When the Stones Come Together
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
The Door to Life’s Defining Moments
The Reverend Dr. Nancy Petty
CHAPTER FIVE
Moral March on Raleigh
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
We Are Not Afraid
Al McSurely
CHAPTER SIX
The Call to Be Positioned as Powerful Prisoners of Prophetic Hope
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
Blues, Gospel, and Jazz Visions for God’s Own Prisoner of Hope
Dr. Timothy Tyson
CHAPTER SEVEN
Moral Action on Climate Change
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
Rekindle in Us a Fire: William Barber’s Moral Call to Climate Action
Karenna Gore
CHAPTER EIGHT
I Wish You a Mourning Christmas
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
A Call to Mourning: Wish and Warning
The Reverend Dr. James Forbes Jr.
CHAPTER NINE
The Danger of Misdiagnosing Terrorism
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
Growing a Local Peace Economy
Jodie Evans
CHAPTER TEN
You Have a Right to Fight for a Living Wage
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
Fighting Together for $15 and Union
Mary Kay Henry
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Bothered and Baptized by the Blood
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
Cheating to Win Elections Is a Sin
Penda D. Hair
CHAPTER TWELVE
Standing Down Is Not an Option
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
A Moral Agenda for Mercy and Justice
The Reverend Dr. Katharine Rhodes Henderson
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The Need to Know Who We Are in Times Like These
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
Lyrical Connections: The Music and Message of the Movement
Yara Allen
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
We Shall Not Be Moved!
The Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II
RESPONSE
Listening to the Heart and Hurt of the People
Charmeine Fletcher
Acknowledgments
- “Reverends to Democrats: ‘Invest in a Strong Economic Message,’” Common Dreams, coauthored op-ed
- “Rev. Dr. William Barber on threats against ‘the squad,’” MSNBC/All In with Chris Hayes, interview
- “Building a movement with Rev. Dr. William Barber II,” NBC THINK/Why Is This Happening with Chris Hayes, podcast interview
- “William J. Barber II,” MacArthur Foundation, Rev. Barber named a 2018 MacArthur Fellow
- “Critics and Activists Add Ferment to Religion Publishing,” Publishers Weekly, write-up included in religion/spirituality feature