In his sharp debut, Goza... writes with passion about the racist and classist roots of Americas political and religious institutions.... Gozas ability to sharply discern and clearly explain ideas underlying American thinking will open important conversations about the nature of equality.
Publishers Weekly Starred Review
An impressive analysis of the some thinkers who inspired Americas addiction to racist ideasan addiction that continues to destroy America. Americas Unholy Ghosts is for anyone daring to be anti-racist, daring to end racial inequity.
Ibram X. Kendi
National Book Award-winning author of Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America
This is a major and thoughtful contribution to the anti-racism movement.
Gerald Horne
Activist and author of The Fire This Time: The Watts Uprising and the 1960 s and The Counter-Revolution of 1776 : Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States of America
Joel Goza could not have perceived how racism was and is imagined, institutionalized, and ingrained in U.S. American life had he not experienced the black church. Americas Unholy Ghosts is a probing, spirited, edgy, ethical reflection on how both things happened, perceiving a baleful national legacy through the lens of black church faith and struggle.
Gary Dorrien
Columbia University and Union Theological Seminarys Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics and author of Breaking White Supremacy and The New Abolition
Joel Goza writes within the faith traditions of the Black Prophetic Church with the passion of a modern-day racial justice apostle, and with the mind of a philosopher unraveling some of the oldest ideas to justify racism and poverty. Americas Unholy Ghosts is an urgent offering to its readers who seek exorcism and rebirth for a new nation.
Khalil Gibran Muhammad
Harvard Kennedy School and author of The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America
Americas Unholy Ghosts is a paradigm shifter. This book fundamentally reorients our understanding of race, faith, politics, and our intellectual heroes. You will see the world differently after reading this book. A tour de force .
Michael O. Emerson
Author of Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America
A wonderful read.... The depth of thought and writing are so savory that I find myself going over the lines again to make sure that I have received the full force of what Americas Unholy Ghosts puts before us... this kind of book is the pause that refreshes my spirit!
Cleophus J. LaRue
Princeton Theological Seminary, author of The Heart of Black Preaching
Joel Goza has done his homework and paid his dues. He is the best of all possible interpreters of the racial dilemmas facing America. He has read the books and, simultaneously, lived the life in Houstons challenging th Ward. Americas Unholy Ghosts is the result of years of digging into the philosophical roots of American racism. Gozas easy, conversational style demystifyies the philosophers who helped shape our thinking. He skillfully reads the world they created through the lens of Martin Luther Kings prophetic critique. This is a challenging and delightful essay on endurance and hope.
Richard Lischer
Author of The Preacher King: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Word that Moved America
From the front lines of battling Americas original sin, Joel Goza has written a truthful, immediately relevant book. Joel raises the ghosts of the genteel philosophical roots of our racialized thinking to show us how white supremacy required the assistance of some of Europe and Americas most revered thinkers. Joel exposes the bad thinking that led to evil ideas and deeds, then ends with an eloquent call for us to move from hearing the truth to doing the truth in regard to race in America. Well be coming to terms with and benefiting from this book for a long time, thank God.
Will Willimon
Author of Who Lynched Willie Earle: Preaching to Confront Racism
This book is an illuminating, challenging and well-written exploration into the hidden roots and unnoticed manifestations of racism. Reading it has helped me understand the frightening circumstances of our day in the light of our past. I recommend it enthusiastically.
Justo L. Gonzlez
Author of The Story of Christianity and Maana
Joel Goza introduces us to those respected intellectuals whose ideas became the DNA of white supremacy and American exceptionalism. He carefully and clearly documents his presentation with preciseness and ethical urgency that calls for an awakening from our apathetic slumbers. This book is a must read.
J. Alfred Smith, Sr.
Past President the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Pastor Emeritus, Allen Temple, and Professor Emeritus American Baptist, Seminary of the West
Joel Goza boldly and eloquently confronts white supremacys sadistic presence. Americas Unholy Ghosts insightfully strands together philosophy, politics, theology, race, and memoir to elucidate the contemporary predicaments of racial and economic inequality. It is an urgent and compelling call to action.
Phillip Luke Sinitiere
Sections Editor at The North Star and author of Protest and Propaganda: W. E. B. Du Bois, the CRISIS, and American History
In this book, Joel Goza explores the role that ideas can play in justifying and normalizing racialized injustice. In undertaking this type of intellectual archeology, Goza makes the case that racism is not an aberration but is buried deep in the DNA of our political and economic system. Gozas own active commitment to racial justice shines through in his prose. He makes a contribution here to a long-overdue conversation on the intellectual roots of racism, and inspires us not only to think but also to act.
William Cavanaugh
Director of the Center for World Catholicism and Intercultural Theology and author of Being Consumed and the Myth of Religious Violence
Americas Unholy Ghosts
The Racist Roots of Our Faith and Politics
By Joel Edward Goza
Americas Unholy Ghosts
The Racist Roots of Our Faith and Politics
Copyright 2019 Joel Edward Goza. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, W. th Ave., Suite , Eugene, OR 97401 .
Cascade Books
An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers
W. th Ave., Suite
Eugene, OR 97401
www.wipfandstock.com
paperback isbn: 978-1-5326-5143-4
hardcover isbn: 978-1-5326-5144-1
ebook isbn: 978-1-5326-5145-8
Cataloguing-in-Publication data:
Names: Goza, Joel Edward, author.
Title: Americas unholy ghosts : the racist roots of our faith and politics / Joel Edward Goza.
Description: Eugene, OR : Cascade Books, 2019 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: isbn 978-1-5326-5143-4 ( paperback ) | isbn 978-1-5326-5144-1 ( hardcover ) | isbn 978-1-5326-5145-8 ( ebook )
Subjects: LCSH: RacismUnited StatesHistory. | United StatesRace relations. |
RacePhilosophy. | Race relationsPhilosophy. | Racism. | Hobbes, Thomas, 15881679 Influence. | Locke, John, 1632170 Influence. | Smith, Adam, 17231790 Influence.
