Howard Thurman – Books – An Introductory Reading Guide

November 18 is the birthday of Howard Thurman, noted pastor and theologian.

To mark the occasion, we offer the following introductory reading guide to the most significant Howard Thurman books .

We’ve ordered this list in the order that we think the books should be read, and offered a brief explanation of why each book was included. We’ve also included excerpts of most the books via Google Books.
 

When did Howard Thurman live?

Howard Thurman was born on November 18, 1899 in Daytona Beach, Florida and died on April 10, 1981 in San Francisco.

What did Howard Thurman do?

Howard Thurman was an African-American author, philosopher, theologian, educator, and civil rights leader. As a prominent religious figure, he played a leading role in many social justice movements and organizations of the twentieth century. Thurman's theology of radical nonviolence influenced and shaped a generation of civil rights activists, and he was a key mentor to leaders within the movement, including Martin Luther King, Jr. Thurman served as dean of Rankin Chapel at Howard University from 1932 to 1944 and as dean of Marsh Chapel at Boston University from 1953 to 1965. (via Wikipedia)

What is the most important book by Howard Thurman?

Jesus and the Disinherited (1949) In this classic book, Thurman demonstrates how the gospel may be read as a manual of resistance for the poor and disenfranchised. Jesus is a partner in the pain of the oppressed and the example of His life offers a solution to ending the descent into moral nihilism. Hatred does not empower--it decays. Only through self-love and love of one another can God's justice prevail.

 

1) Jesus and the Disinherited

Jesus and The Disinherited is Thurman’s best known work, and is an important theological work that builds upon the love of Jesus for the marginalized. 

“[Jesus and the Disinherited] is the centerpiece of the Black prophet-mystic’s lifelong attempt to bring the harrowing beauty of the African-American experience into deep engagement with what he called ‘the religion of Jesus.’ Ultimately his goal was to offer this humanizing combination as the basis for an emancipatory way of being, moving toward a fundamentally unchained life that is available to all the women and men everywhere who hunger and thirst for righteousness, especially those ‘who stand with their backs against the wall.’”
—Vincent Harding, from the Foreword

 

 

 

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Image Credit: Detail from the cover of JESUS AND THE DISINHERITED (Cropped)

 
UPDATED July 2020: To add Howard Thurman FAQ