The Millennial Womanist Preacher: Transformative, Inclusive, Innovative and Balanced

Abstract

This thesis project will answer the question, how has the work of millennial Womanist preachers demonstrated the expansion of Womanist preaching from the foundations laid by the foremothers of Womanist preaching? Broken down to be further explored and developed by the following sub-questions: (1) How has inclusivity influenced a millennial Womanist methodology for preaching? (2) How has technology influenced a millennial Womanist methodology for preaching? And finally, (3) How has liberative resistance influenced a millennial Womanist methodology for preaching? The primary method that will be used for conducting this research is interviews. Each participant was asked a series of questions, with the goal of curating the answers to the thesis question and sub-questions. Through the conduction of this research, the millennial Womanist preacher has been revealed as transformative in her ability to embody a radical inclusivity, to navigate a multiplicity of vocations via technology and sacred digital space, and to request liberation for herself and others through rest, ritual, and the setting of boundaries. She offers inclusivity to queer and disabled persons with the goal to envision the totality of the true beloved community. She has strategized the best ways to use technological advancements to increase the accessibility and relatability of her witness. She prioritizes her health by setting and maintaining boundaries which leave time and space for rest and the creation of rituals.