Profile: Prof. Jawanza Clark
Dr. Jawanza Clark is an assitant professor of Religious Studies at Manhattan College. He is a member of both the Society for the Study of Black Religion and the American Academy of Religion.
What is your area of expertise? My area of expertise is Christian theology, specifically Christian theologies of liberation (Black and Womanist primarily), and I also have expertise in African religions. More broadly, my areas of interest involve the intersection of race, gender, and religion.
The school had a successful racial teach in earlier in the month. Is there anything that you saw or heard there that really resonated with you? Regarding the race teach in, I was struck by the honesty displayed by the students on the student led panel. To hear them share their struggles with race and racialized experiences at Manhattan was eye-opening. I was very impressed with them but also resolved to initiate more conversations about race to try to make this a more inclusive space.
You are on the panel for Condemning Blackness: The Role of the Church in America. Can you give the students a preview of what they should expect from the panel? Why its so important they attend? The "Condemning Blackness" panel will discuss the role the church has played in perpetuating distorted and racist perceptions of black people. It is important to expand this conversation about racial justice beyond the question of what the police or law enforcement can do better. We will argue that religious institutions in America have contributed to the condemnation of blackness and black people and that they share an obligation to participate in solving this problem. This conversation is also an opportunity to continue the healthy discussions generated at the Race Teach In. So if you enjoyed the Race Teach In, lets continue the conversation.
Why do you think students of religion have a duty to study and understand racial equality? Students of religion have the duty to understand race and culture because race, ethnicity, and culture profoundly influence what religion is. Our human experiences impact our understanding of God, or the sacred, and racialized experiences influence our ways of relating to, and understanding, God. And to the extent that we care to work towards racial equality, this says something about what we believe about God and what type of God we serve.
What is an idea or question you've been wrestling with lately?
In our current political discourse about Islam and specifically those who would question the President's refusal to call ISIS Islamic terrorism, I'm struck by the inability to apply this same standard to Christianity. For example, the Ku Klux Klan is/was a Christian domestic terrorist group. They bombed black churches and the homes of black Christians. But we don't classify them as Christian terrorists. In many ways, the Klan terrorized Christians the way ISIS is primarily terrorizing other Muslims. But with ISIS, some seem to want to castigate Islam but are unwilling to apply that same standard to terrorist acts done in the name of Christianity.
Do you have an idea that you used to hold that you've changed your mind or perspective on?
I used to be more sexist than I am today. Male privilege never occurred to me. It was assumed. Now I struggle to be more cognizant of, and try to reject, male privilege, which can be a major concern in religious institutions. I was a pastor for four years before pursuing my Ph.D. and I was too silent on my own male privilege and the extent to which that privilege contributed to my rise to leadership in the church over and against others.
What is your favorite movie quote?
I have a lot of "favorite" movie quotes. Right now I will go with, "You want me on that wall! You need me on that wall!" and "You can't handle the truth"-- Jack Nicholson,"A Few Good Men"; runner-up--"We didn't land on Plymouth Rock. Plymouth Rock landed on us!" Denzel Washington in "Malcolm X."
Do you have any secret talents? I'm a really good baseball/softball player. I played college baseball, and I think I can still play a pretty good first base.
What will you be working on in the next year?
In the next year, I will be working on an edited book that just received a book contract (Palgrave Macmillan), "The New Black Messiah: Albert B. Cleage Jr., and the Legacy of the Black Madonna and Child." I have two chapters to write, and I will edit the other chapters over the next year.
Interested in anything mentioned by Prof. Clark? Feel free to stop by his office in Miguel 433 or email him at jawanza.clark@manhatta.edu
