Bruce G. Epperly

The Work of Christmas: The Twelve Days of Christmas with Howard Thurman by Bruce Epperly is a devotional guide to be read during the traditional 12 day Christmas season. Howard Thurman was an African-American theologian and minister who lived and wrote in the 20th Century. Thurman founded what was said to be the first inter racial religious congregation in the US, the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples in San Francisco. After that he was Dean of the Chapel at Boston University. Bruce Epperly took a brief bit of Thurman's writing and added his own reflections to each daily chapter. All the chapters make up a call to live a more reflective and compassionate life. While I had heard of Howard Thurman before I read The Work of Christmas I want to read some of his works myself. I also want to read more of what Mr. Epperly has written.
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Epperly explores what it means to join prophetic ministry with personal and social healing. Despite the racism he experienced throughout his life, Thurman joined his spiritual experiences with a commitment to racial and social healing. He was a prophet, challenging racism and social injustice. He was also a healer who experienced God's presence in oppressors as well as oppressed. Thurman's holistic spirituality provides a pathway for social healing in a time characterized by polarization, incivility, and hatred. Thurman reminds us that we can both picket and pray, and protest injustice while working toward reconciliation.… (meer)