Conversations with God

Steve Schroeder

The introduction and notes alone would make this a valuable work; the collection of almost 200 prayers, poems, hymns, and stories by authors ranging from the famous to the unknown makes it even more so. Washington, an eminent theologian and historian perhaps best known as the editor of "A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings of Martin Luther King, Jr.", provides a wealth of context and resources for scholars and others interested in American--especially African American--spirituality. His broad definition of prayer as "conversation with God" and his considerable knowledge of the sources allow him to cover a remarkably ecumenical range of material. Washington begins by recounting his reluctance to take on this project for fear that it would contribute to the "grotesque profiteering, profanation, and cultural voyeurism that stalk our times." That reluctance, and the care with which he addresses it, is the key ingredient of the sensitivity with which Washington shares the material. This is no invitation to voyeurism, but a celebration, open to scholar and layperson alike, of the rich archive of "spiritual combat against the profane absurdities of racism," and an invitation--in the best tradition of public scholarship--to participate in the conversation.