Abstract
Black families traditionally print photographs, poems, songs and sayings in funeral programs as a tribute to the deceased. These artistic expressions, which are part of the black funeral tradition, communicate a theology of death and the afterlife. Yet, the contributions of black, feminist, womanist and pastoral theologies are conventionally ignored in the development of theologies of death. This essay explores the practical implications of using elements of these theologies—black, feminist, womanist and pastoral—to effectively minister to a person with fears, doubts, and questions, and who is facing death. These theologies reveal that death is not the enemy of the dying person who taps into the power of the Incarnation—the “erotic power” housed in human flesh that overcomes and triumphs over death.
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Notes
Karla F.C. Halloway (2003) writes about the funeralization of Rosemary Redman Cosby, founder of Salt Lake City’s Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, in her book Passed On: African American Mourning Stories, A Memorial. Regarding the funeral program, Halloway explains that it was thirty four pages long, signaling the length and course of the service: “[The program] included several full page colored photographs of the minister lovingly known as ‘Mama’ at different stages of her life, as well as a series of testimonials from local and state politicians (p. 180).” Earlier in her text, she writes about 20th century black funerals as being spaces where mourners engaged their emotions through the rituals of the funeral event. She states, “funerals depended on the spectacle of the moment” (p. 173). I am arguing for the display of photographs in black funeral programs as adding to this “spectacle” since viewing pictures easily provoke emotion—empathy.
The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church-2000, 46th ed. (Nashville: The AMEC Sunday School Union, 2001), 503–504.
W. Herbert Brewster, “Our God is Able” in Golden Gospel Songs: Volume 1 (Chicago: Martin Morris Music, 1975 [1949]), 1.
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Dedication
This article is dedicated to the memory of Sherry Dupont Chafin and to Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Boston, Massachusetts, where I was granted the opportunity to provide pastoral care and counsel for the dying and their families.
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Phillips, N.R. Death Unto Life: The Power of the Incarnation. Pastoral Psychol 60, 339–354 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-011-0333-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-011-0333-z