I often read multiple books at the same time that seemingly have nothing to do with one another. Currently I’m in the middle of these three:
- How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America by Clint Smith;
- Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds by Adrienne Maree Brown; and
- Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will by Robert M. Sapolsky.
And I also just completed these two:
- Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kistin Kobes Du Mez; and
- Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment without Burnout by Cal Newport.
And although these books are of different genres and very different topics, the importance of our imagination comes up as a point of connection in four out of the five books. As I’m also in the midst of thinking and writing about church for my current book project, the role of our human imagination across the many parts of our lives, both individual and social, feels timely.
The first book on my list above, How the Word is Passed, Smith tells the history of slavery in the United States by touring and writing about key landmarks and sites where “the story of slavery lives on” – places such as Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Plantation in Virginia, Angola—a “former plantation-turned-maximum security-prison” in Louisiana, Galveston Island where the story of Juneteenth is reenacted every year, among others. Each of these places presents the history/story of slavery—sometimes through reenactments, sometimes through the content of their museums, tours, and gift shops, in different and varied ways. With some sites holding a disturbingly, so-called “balanced,” interpretation of that history.
It is striking, for example, to read how some of these sites re-narrate and reenact the Civil War as being “just a very small part” about slavery, and see it instead as “about the fact that each state had the right to govern itself” (151, 148). The author lays out the overwhelming primary document evidence of the various states’ declarations of secession which state explicitly (I’ll use Mississippi’s as one example) that, “Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery—the greatest material interest of the world” (151). But for many of the people at these sites that Smith interviewed, the story is still that “each individual that fought in these [Civil War] battles, under the circumstances, were trying to do it for freedom. Whatever they believed in, we’re all trying to do it for freedom” (151).
Reading these sections of the book reminded me of Trump’s response following the violent 2017 “Unite the Right” white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia that resulted in the murder of Heather Heyer. Trump, after taking 72 hours before making a formal statement, explaining that he wanted to make sure he had “all the facts” first, instead of unequivocally condemning the white supremacist, anti-Semitic violence and bigotry at the Rally, he talked about the “egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides” (my emphasis).
This is part of what has me thinking about the role of our imaginations toward both good and just ends as well as unjust and violent ones. Smith himself ponders:
“I’m left wondering if we are all just patchworks of the stories we’ve been told. What would it take—what does it take—for you to confront a false history even if it means shattering the stories you have been told throughout your life? Even if it means having to fundamentally reexamine who you are and who your family has been…Just because someone tells you a story doesn’t make that story true” (172).
The point is that stories capture and shape our imagination. In Adrienne Maree Brown’s book, Emergent Strategy: Shaping Change, Changing Worlds, she states that “We are in an imagination battle” (18)–later also stating that “We are living in the ancestral imagination of others, with their longing for safety and abundance, a longing that didn’t include us, or included us as enemy, fright, other” (21).
I think about the multiple imaginaries we contend with every day, visions and frameworks for organizing humanity and society—patriarchy, white supremacy, heterosexuality, coloniality—and the process by which we interpret and story these. My particular academic interest also has me looking at the role that religion (for me, Christianity specifically) plays in these, but also the role of artists and poets, and the desperate need we have for them as we reflect intentionally about the visions into which we are living.
I’ll have to continue this post with a second in order to lay out the interweaving threads among the various books I’m reading and how it connects with our current political moment in the U.S. But for now, who are the artists and poets inspiring and shaping your imagination?
Discover more from Feminism and Religion
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Feminism and Religion 
Perhaps surprisingly, Tolkien. He wrote about nations who had historically fought and/or distrusted each other but who united to defeat a common enemy – in our case that would be climate change…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! Adrienne Maree Brown talks about how science-fiction writers, and I would add epic fantasy writers too, often gift us with “a coherent visionary exploration of humanity” as well as “emergent strategies for being better humans.” I think about how they mirror back to us the consequences of our current ways of being. Tolkien is a good one!
LikeLike
This quote by Smith is golden: “I’m left wondering if we are all just patchworks of the stories we’ve been told. What would it take—what does it take—for you to confront a false history even if it means shattering the stories you have been told throughout your life? Even if it means having to fundamentally reexamine who you are and who your family has been…Just because someone tells you a story doesn’t make that story true” (172).
I was already an adult when I realized that all of us “live through stories.” I see stories (like most things in life) as symbols. Symbols speak differently to us; that is, not all of us get the same message from the same story. So many authors have helped me think deeply and broadly. I find novels in particular enlightening. Right now, am reading SKIN AND BONES by Renee Watson where the protagonist deals with being “fat,”–not “thick,” not “big-boned,” not “plus-sized.” Chinua Achebe, Nigerian author of his most popular book, THINGS FALL APART, was SO helpful in allowing me to see that naive Christian missionaries did not bring a better way to Africa.
Thanks for this post, Xochitl.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Esther, you won’t believe, but Things Fall Apart is another of the books I’m in the middle of reading too! I borrowed it from the library and had to return it before I actually finished it – now I’m on a waiting list. But yes, stories are like symbols in the multivalent ways we hear them. I’m interested in the book your reading – Skin and Bones – maybe a future post topic for you? :-)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad you asked about the artists and poets inspiring me! One of my absolute favorite authors is Madeleine L’Engle. Most people know her as the author of A Wrinkle in Time and other fiction for young people, but she also wrote extensively about theology, especially Christian theology (she was the Librarian at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC, I believe), though she also said that her fiction books were also theological. Her theology is full of real life reflection, doubt and asking questions, joy and real wisdom and is absolutely relevant to today though she wrote decades ago. In fact, I was reading one of her books recently and had to look at the copyright date because what she was saying was so perfect for our current world situation. And even though she wrote from a Christian perspective, she was very tuned in to the importance of studying myths from other cultures for what they have to tell us which is reflected, especially, in her fiction. I’m currently re-reading “Glimpses of Grace,” which is a compilation of short excerpts from both her fiction and non-fiction on theological themes, so it’s a nice introduction for anyone not familiar with her.
I’m really looking forward to artists and poets other people mention as I always find out about so many authors, artists, musicians, etc. here on FAR that are inspiring!
LikeLike
I did not know all that about Madeleine L’Engle, Carolyn. Growing up A Wrinkle in Time was my all time favorite book to read and reread (I was disappointed by the movie when that came out a few years ago), but that’s about all I knew about her. Thank you for what you’ve shared, I now have to add her other books to my reading list for sure.
LikeLike
Thanks for this post, Xochitl. I just finished reading The Exiles, an historical novel by Christina Baker Kline about the transport of British convicts to Australia and about the brutality of colonization for indigenous people; in Tasmania, intentional genocide. The novel is told from the point of view of convict women and a young indigenous girl who is forcibly taken from her family. I find well-researched novels an excellent way to understand and re-envision what we call history, which is, yes, the stories we tell ourselves and listen to.
LikeLike
So true, Elizabeth; historical novels can be a beautiful form of education!
LikeLike
I love the way reading several books at the same time will help us see things in each of them we might not have seen otherwise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Xochitl,
Thanks to my stupidity no doubt, I lost a longish comment I put in response to your piece. I lost it when I was prompted to log in after I had drafted the comment. Trying again now.
Have not been to the FAR site for a while. But seeing your name on this post made me dive in. I so identify with your habit of dipping into more than one book at a time. My current ones are Cole Porter Riley’s THIS HERE FLESH and Jesmyn Ward’s THE FIRE THIS TIME. So much wisdom for our genocide-darkened times. I recently proposed a ZOOM call and fundraiser/GOTV effort for Kamala/Walz to my fellow contributors to the fourth edition of Unruly Catholic Feminists. https://sunypress.edu/Books/U/Unruly-Catholic-Feminists The response from several has been enthusiastic. We are tying to work out Zoom logistics with the Harris campaign in hawaii but hope for a response from Catholics, practicing and recovering, and friends, from across the nation. Would welcome FAR as a partner. If interested, please let me know by emailing unrulycatholicfeminists@gmail.com 🤞🏽🤞🏽 Dawn
Dawn Morais Webster Ph.D.
Communications & Issue Advocacy
1, Keahole Place, #3501, Honolulu, HI 96825
http://www.dawnmorais.com http://www.dawnmorais.com808-383-7581
LikeLiked by 1 person