Life is a strange land, and we are called to preach God’s Word and sing the Lord’s Song in strange circumstances, according to Joseph Lowery in his book Singing the Lord’s Song in a Strange Land. Lowery, a minister in the United Methodist Church, was a leader with Martin Luther King in the American Civil Rights Movement, and he was president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from 1977 to 1997.
The book is a collection of the author’s sermons, speeches and other writings, giving a profound insight into many of the struggles faced by African Americans over the past 50 years. It includes a reflection on Martin Luther King, a speech arguing against the death penalty (which is disproportionately applied to black men), and various discussions of the economic inequities and challenges which continue to be faced by African Americans.
It is interesting to observe the author’s strongly Democratic political leanings, reflecting the political divide between black and white church leaders in the US. He has a fine writing style, making use of alliteration and other rhetorical devices to create well-crafted and inspiring sentences to captivate and inspire his audiences.
As a non-American reader I was already quite familiar with the story of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, but I found it enlightening to read about the political and economic inequities which are still being faced by African Americans. Those who are not of the author’s political persuasion may not like some of what he has to say, but most readers will find it hard to resist his powerful calls to action.