Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human

Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human

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  • Type:Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date:2023-11-28 09:21:35
  • Update Date:2025-09-08
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Cole Arthur Riley
  • ISBN:0593593642
  • Environment:PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Summary

A collection of prayer, poetry, and spiritual practice centering the Black interior world, from the New York Times bestselling author of This Here Flesh and creator of Black Liturgies

“A true spiritual balm for our troubled times。”—Michael Eric Dyson, author of What Truth Sounds Like

For years, Cole Arthur Riley was desperate for a spirituality she could trust。 Amid ongoing national racial violence, the isolation of the pandemic, and a surge of anti-Black rhetoric in many Christian spaces, she began dreaming of a more human, more liberating expression of faith。 She went on to create Black Liturgies, a digital project that connects spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black memory, and the Black body。

In this book, she brings together new prayers, letters, poems, meditation questions, breath practices, scriptures, and the writings of Black literary ancestors to offer forty-three liturgies that can be practiced individually or as a community。 Inviting readers to reflect on their shared experiences of wonder, rest, rage, and repair, and creating rituals for holidays like Lent and Juneteenth, Arthur Riley writes with a poet’s touch and a sensitivity that has made her one of the most important spiritual voices at work today。

For anyone healing from communities that were more violent than loving; for anyone who has escaped the trauma of white Christian nationalism, religious homophobia, or transphobia; for anyone asking what it means to be human in a world of both beauty and terror, Black Liturgies is a work of healing and empowerment, and a vision for what might be。

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Reviews

Tricia | ReadingRowans

After reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley earlier this year, and following her on social media, I was so excited to see she was releasing Black Liturgies as a book。 This volume is seriously impressive with liturgies for different seasons and occasions。 Each liturgy contains a beautifully written letter (similar to a homily), a poem, prayers, breath prayers, a benediction, confession/forgiveness, and reflection。 It's not meant to be After reading This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us by Cole Arthur Riley earlier this year, and following her on social media, I was so excited to see she was releasing Black Liturgies as a book。 This volume is seriously impressive with liturgies for different seasons and occasions。 Each liturgy contains a beautifully written letter (similar to a homily), a poem, prayers, breath prayers, a benediction, confession/forgiveness, and reflection。 It's not meant to be read cover to cover but to take what is needed on any given day or season。 The writing is beautiful and meaningful while being grounded in a broadly Christian faith。 I voluntarily read a gifted copy of this book。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more

Melissa

Thanks to Convergent Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication。 Cole Arthur Riley's This Here Flesh was one of my top books of the year when I read it pre-release, so I was excited to see this new title in her canon。 Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human is a beautiful devotional written from and for the black experience。 Section topics are similar to those in This Here Flesh, and the format between liturgies remains t Thanks to Convergent Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication。 Cole Arthur Riley's This Here Flesh was one of my top books of the year when I read it pre-release, so I was excited to see this new title in her canon。 Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human is a beautiful devotional written from and for the black experience。 Section topics are similar to those in This Here Flesh, and the format between liturgies remains the same, and the final section includes shorter devotions for specific days of the year。 I really appreciated the meditation questions she includes, and the extensive format is designed to really draw the reader into a safe space。 She even includes a template at the end for readers to write their own liturgies。 While this book was not written for me, I really appreciated her thoughtfulness in putting this collection together。 。。。more

Edie

Like so many others, it felt like someone had thrown me a life-preserver when I stumbled across Black Liturgies on Instagram during the pandemic。 Cole Arthur Riley's words were equal parts balm and challenge。 Last year's This Here Flesh was one of my favorite books and I raved about it to everyone。 And yet, somehow, neither of those experiences prepared me for the brutal beauty of this book。 The deep wisdom builds me up。 The tender compassion holds me。 The unflinchingly honest look at the world Like so many others, it felt like someone had thrown me a life-preserver when I stumbled across Black Liturgies on Instagram during the pandemic。 Cole Arthur Riley's words were equal parts balm and challenge。 Last year's This Here Flesh was one of my favorite books and I raved about it to everyone。 And yet, somehow, neither of those experiences prepared me for the brutal beauty of this book。 The deep wisdom builds me up。 The tender compassion holds me。 The unflinchingly honest look at the world as it is challenges me。 And the jaw-dropping vulnerability of the author, honestly, scares me a little。 This book is so raw and so polished, it defies definition。 What it is, in addition to being deeply spiritual, is useful。 Practical。 Riley encourages us to use the book, in community。 I had organized a weekly study group of We Do This 'Til We Free Us by Mariame Kaba。 It was as if Riley's words were written to accompany Kaba's。 Every week, I would open Black Liturgies and find the right words to start our discussion or the perfect benediction to close our evening。 I have already used this particular book of liturgies as much as any other in my (not small) collection。 Thank you to the author, Convergent Books, and NetGalley for the eARC。 I don't know that any review can cover all the gifts this book contains。 Riley's generosity comes across in the introduction:"I cannot promise you that this form of liturgy is your path, that it will feel like a homecoming for you, that it will restore your faith。 The truth is that it is not for everyone。 Still, receive this invitation。 I do not need you to have the same experience with the sacred as I have, but I'm quite interested to see if you'll rise and come on the journey。 It is not lost on me that I am asking you to trust me as an adequate guide, and I should tell you that most days I feel like I'm wandering。 I am working on my sense of direction。 But my promise to you is that every word in this book has been written, interrogated, and preserved with an imagination for collective healing, rest, and liberation。 And any mystery within these pages certainly cannot be contained to them。 These are only fragments of divine encounter, and I am proud of that。 Turn them over in your hand。 Take a deep breath。"Black Liturgies is divided into two parts, one based on ideas and the other on events。 You'll find words for times of lament or rest。 And also words for Ash Wednesday and Mother's Day。 There are endless ways to use the book and I continue to turn to it when I need words to send to a friend。 So please read this book。 And do it collectively。 Together we heal。 Together we get free。 。。。more

Andre

A great collection of spiritual writing that covers a variety of circumstances, so it makes this book an amazing resource for those who are searching for the right words, or any words to address life situations

Em

Black Liturgies by Cole Arthur Riley is a devotional of the best kind where readers can access the divine within ourselves whether we identity as spiritual and/or religious or not。 In the beginning of the book, Cole explains her intention for the book and makes it clear that we each enter this work from different vantage points。 She writes about her own relationship to liturgy and why she started to build her platform, Black Liturgies, at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 as a way t Black Liturgies by Cole Arthur Riley is a devotional of the best kind where readers can access the divine within ourselves whether we identity as spiritual and/or religious or not。 In the beginning of the book, Cole explains her intention for the book and makes it clear that we each enter this work from different vantage points。 She writes about her own relationship to liturgy and why she started to build her platform, Black Liturgies, at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 as a way to amplify Black life, Black thought and Black literature。 I enjoyed the poems, reflections, and prompts in this book intermixed with personal stories from Cole's journey as a Black, femme author who is neurodivergent and navigating her own unique way of being in the world。 She describes liturgy as being her anchor and something that saved her from drowning in the depression and devastation of her own interior world。 Cole declares that her intention for this text is spiritual liberation in whatever form we need it to take and she is a most trustworthy, qualified guide。 Every time I read her words I feel reverence for life, breath, myself and every other life form on this life path。Thank you to the author and publisher for the e-arc copy! 。。。more

Elizabeth Herr

Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for this ARC。 I love Cole Arthur Riley's writing。 Her Instagram posts have given me comfort & put words to my feelings over the years, and this book does exactly that as well。 The book itself is divided into quite a few features, and in particular, the contemplations are a wonderful addition for further reflection。 Riley weaves personal experiences & vulnerabilities into the liturgies and prayers that are in a way, almost a poetic memoir。 I’d highly recommend Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for this ARC。 I love Cole Arthur Riley's writing。 Her Instagram posts have given me comfort & put words to my feelings over the years, and this book does exactly that as well。 The book itself is divided into quite a few features, and in particular, the contemplations are a wonderful addition for further reflection。 Riley weaves personal experiences & vulnerabilities into the liturgies and prayers that are in a way, almost a poetic memoir。 I’d highly recommend this book if you feel out of sorts, discouraged, or have found peace in Riley's writing before。 You will want to return to this book time and time again。 。。。more

Blue

Prayer and confession is very important to the human spirit。 It is impossible to live fully without ways to remember we are necessary to the human planet。 After all, there are those who would steal our dignity。 Cole Arthur Riley writes different literary works by others to help us have a joy on our journey through life。 There is no need to fear。 All you need do is welcome Black Liturgies into your home and rest in their words。 It truly is inspired beauty inside this tome gathered by Cole Arthur Prayer and confession is very important to the human spirit。 It is impossible to live fully without ways to remember we are necessary to the human planet。 After all, there are those who would steal our dignity。 Cole Arthur Riley writes different literary works by others to help us have a joy on our journey through life。 There is no need to fear。 All you need do is welcome Black Liturgies into your home and rest in their words。 It truly is inspired beauty inside this tome gathered by Cole Arthur Riley。 You will want to read and reread it again and again。 。。。more

Richard Propes

There's no question that Cole Arthur Riley's "Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human" is designed as a literary safe space that connects spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black memory, and the Black body。 It's an extension of a digital project of the same name created by Riley, an extraordinary weaving together of prayers, letters, poems, meditation questions, breath practices, scriptures, and the writings of Black literary ancestors to offer forty-three liturgie There's no question that Cole Arthur Riley's "Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human" is designed as a literary safe space that connects spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black memory, and the Black body。 It's an extension of a digital project of the same name created by Riley, an extraordinary weaving together of prayers, letters, poems, meditation questions, breath practices, scriptures, and the writings of Black literary ancestors to offer forty-three liturgies that can be practiced individually or as a community。 With "Black Liturgies," Riley holds space for readers to reflect on their shared experiences of wonder, rest, rage, and repair。 She creates rituals for holidays like Lent and Juneteenth and invites deep and honest reflections about one's own personal experiences impacting life, love, and the spiritual experience。 As a white disabled male, I resonated deeply with Riley's explorations throughout "Black Liturgies。" I found deep meaning in the prayers, the letters, the poems, and especially the meditation questions found throughout the book and I found myself connecting with experiences though I suppose that would be through a different cultural lens。 As someone who was kicked out of two faith communities relatively early in life, I found healing in "Black Liturgies。" As someone with a disability who has frequently felt out of place and othered in life, social circles, church, and the world in general because of my physical being, I found healing in "Black Liturgies。" As a survivor of significant traumas, I found safety in the words of Cole Arthur Riley。 And, as someone within 24 hours of a major cancer surgery and yet another body change, I found hope within Cole Arthur Riley's words。 Cole Arthur Riley draws us into a spiritual landscape that is more loving, more inclusive, more hopeful, more nurturing, more tender, and ultimately more safe than many of us have experienced。 It's an invitation to become the human beings we have always been meant to be and a call to love ourselves and one another and a vision for what that might actually look like。 。。。more

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