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Home›Traditions›Black Church Tradition

Black Church Tradition Illustrations

Liberation, exodus, and prophetic justice rooted in the African American church tradition.

Key question: “How does this text speak to the experiences of suffering, hope, and liberation within the Black community?”

23,975 sermon illustrations through the Black Church Tradition lens

Poetry

Light Shining out of Darkness

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea, And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never-failing skill, He treasures up His bright designs, And works His sovereign will.

Universal

William Cowper

107 words

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Poetry

Song

Fierce roars the midnight storm O'er the wild mountain, Dark clouds the night deform, Swift rolls the fountain-- See! o'er yon rocky height, Dim mists are flying-- See by the moon's pale light, Poor Laura's dying!

Universal

Percy Bysshe Shelley

Short91 words

Poetry

The Patriot: An Old Story

It was roses, roses, all the way, With myrtle mixed in my path like mad; The house-roofs seemed to heave and sway, The church-spires flamed, such flags they had, A year ago on this very day.

Over The Land Is April

OVER the land is April, Over my heart a rose; Over the high, brown mountain The sound of singing goes. Say, love, do you hear...

Universal

Robert Louis Stevenson

Short83 words

Poetry

To My Mother

Because I feel that, in the Heavens above, The angels, whispering to one another, Can find, among their burning terms of love, None so devotional as that of "Mother," Therefore by that dear name I long have called you-- You...

Prologue to Mr Addison's Tragedy of Cato.

To wake the soul by tender strokes of art, To raise the genius, and to mend the heart; To make mankind, in conscious virtue bold, Live o'er each scene, and be what they behold: For this the tragic Muse first...

Sonnet 98: From you have I been absent in the spring

From you have I been absent in the spring, When proud-pied April, dress'd in all his trim, Hath put a spirit of youth in every thing, That heavy Saturn laugh'd and leap'd with him.

Sonnet 19: Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion's paws

Devouring Time, blunt thou the lion's paws, And make the earth devour her own sweet brood; Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger's jaws, And burn the long-liv'd phoenix, in her blood; Make glad and sorry seasons as thou...

The Same

(As revised by Mr. Locock.) Melodious Arethusa, o'er my verse Shed thou once more the spirit of thy stream: (Two lines missing.) Who denies verse to Gallus? So, when thou Glidest beneath the green and purple gleam Of Syracusan waters,...

Sonnet 100: Where art thou Muse that thou forget'st so long

Where art thou Muse that thou forget'st so long, To speak of that which gives thee all thy might? Spend'st thou thy fury on some worthless song, Darkening thy power to lend base subjects light?

Sonnet 153: Cupid laid by his brand and fell asleep

Cupid laid by his brand and fell asleep: A maid of Dian's this advantage found, And his love-kindling fire did quickly steep In a cold valley-fountain of that ground; Which borrow'd from this holy fire of Love, A dateless lively...

Sonnet 9: Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye

Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye, That thou consum'st thy self in single life?

Holy Sonnet XIV: Batter My Heart, Three-Person'd God

Batter my heart, three-person'd God, for you As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend; That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.

Songs From Pippa Passes

Faster and more fast, O'er night's brim, day boils at last: Boils, pure gold, o'er the cloud-cup's brim.

Men Are Heaven's Piers

MEN are Heaven's piers; they evermore Unwearying bear the skyey floor; Man's theatre they bear with ease, Unfrowning cariatides! I, for my wife, the sun...

Universal

Robert Louis Stevenson

171 words

Poetry

On a Fan of the Author's Design, in Which Was Painted the Story of Cephalus and Procris, With the Motto, 'aura Veni.'

IMMITATION OF ENGLISH POETS. WALLER 'Come, gentle Air!' the Aeolian shepherd said, While Procris panted in the secret shade; 'Come, gentle Air!' the fairer Delia cries, While at her feet her swain expiring lies.

Eldorado

Gaily bedight, A gallant knight, In sunshine and in shadow, Had journeyed long, Singing a song, In search of Eldorado. But he grew old-- This knight so bold-- And o'er his heart a shadow Fell as he found No spot...

Holy Sonnet VI: This Is My Play's Last Scene, Here Heavens Appoint

This is my play's last scene, here heavens appoint My pilgrimage's last mile; and my race Idly, yet quickly run, hath this last pace, My span's last inch, my minute's latest point, And gluttonous death, will instantly unjoint My body...

Holy Sonnet VIII: If Faithful Souls Be Alike Glorified

If faithful souls be alike glorified As angels, then my fathers soul doth see, And adds this even to full felicity, That valiantly I hells wide mouth o'erstride: But if our minds to these souls be descried By circumstances, and...

Holy Sonnet VII: At The Round Earth's Imagined Corners Blow

At the round earth's imagined corners blow Your trumpets, angels, and arise, arise From death, you numberless infinities Of souls, and to your scattered bodies go, All whom the flood did, and fire shall, overthrow, All whom war, dearth, age,...

Translation From Anacreon. Ode 3

'Twas now the hour when Night had driven Her car half round yon sable heaven; Boötes, only, seem'd to roll His Arctic charge around the Pole; While mortals, lost in gentle sleep, Forgot to smile, or ceas'd to weep: At...

Universal

George Gordon, Lord Byron

263 words

Poetry

Dewdrops

The dewdrops on every blade of grass are so much like silver drops that I am obliged to stoop down as I walk to see if they are pearls, and those sprinkled on the ivy-woven beds of primroses underneath the...

Sonnet 7: Lo! in the orient when the gracious light

in the orient when the gracious light Lifts up his burning head, each under eye Doth homage to his new-appearing sight, Serving with looks his sacred majesty; And having climb'd the steep-up heavenly hill, Resembling strong youth in his middle...

Sonnet 35: No more be griev'd at that which thou hast done

No more be griev'd at that which thou hast done: Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud: Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun, And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud.

Universal

William Shakespeare

Short97 words