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Purposes Of The Hebrew Bible In Africana Art, Music, And Popular Culture

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Kimberly N. Ruffin’s chapter in The Africana Bible, “The Hebrew Bible in Africana Art, Music, and Popular Culture,” is an overview of the relationship between various Africana art forms and the Hebrew scriptures. Ruffin describes the multitude of ways the Old Testament is conveyed and transmitted through storytelling, writing, music, graphics, and popular culture. Moreover, she explicates the way in which the Hebrew texts have been appropriated over time through Africana art, and the purposes that art has served in the Africana community and beyond. Ruffin specifically approaches this topic through the lens of “colonization and the transatlantic slave trade.” More specifically, she notes how the misuse of the Bible to justify slavery and negative …show more content…

For example, Ruffin describes the “artistic preference” that some preachers assume which includes the cross referencing of multiple texts in a single sermon or song. These multiple references within one sermon or performance are usually pertinent to current circumstances. Such “sermonic traditions” are so popular that they have been shared beyond their congregation or immediate audience, and often gain traction in pop-culture media. Transmitting scripture via art, such as the aforementioned “sermonic tradition” is powerful in aiding Africana people to worship together in the context of a shared experience, and in sharing that experience with those outside their particular community of …show more content…

For example, my father was terminally ill throughout my childhood and died when I was a teenager. Accordingly, I experienced a lot of turmoil and loss in my formative years. However, this experience with my (very beloved) family has made me receptive to certain pervasive elements in scripture. Psalms of both lament and comfort, promises of healing and prosperity, and the assurance of God’s steadfast love and presence have given me peace and hope. I think my particular experience with my family is what inclined me to accept and practice the Catholic faith in general, and it certainly causes me to receive and internalize scripture in a personal

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