WOMANISH THEOLOGY | A Busboys and Poets Books Presentation

Khristi Lauren Adams's faith was first shaped by her experiences as a Black girl--learning about Scripture from her grandmother, Mama Hattie; "playing church" with her seven cousins over summer vacation; and grieving the M**der of her sixteen-year-old friend when she was just fifteen.

In WOMAISH THEOLOGY, Adams reflects on those experiences, inviting readers to learn from a new perspective and guiding them to a deeper understanding of their own spirituality.

This groundbreaking book introduces a new branch of theological thought Adams calls womanish, as a play on the womanist tradition (the theology of Black womanhood). "Womanish," remembers Adams, is a term Black mothers used for young girls as they grew more interested in doing grown-up things. Adams draws on her own life story as well as the life stories of other Black girls to explore theological concepts such as Scripture, theodicy, salvation, prayer, neighborly love, and the image of God.

Through this journey, readers will learn that theology is for everyone and that the whole community of God can learn from the spiritual insights of Black girls.

Khristi Lauren Adams is joining us on the Busboys stage alongside Rev. Melech Thomas, Senior Pastor of Payne Memorial A.M.E. Church in Baltimore. Copies of the book will be available for purchase during and after the event, and Adams will be signing following the program.

This event is free and open to all. Our program begins at 6:00 pm, and will be followed by an audience Q&A. Copies of WOMANISH THEOLOGY will be available for purchase before and after the event. Please note that this event is in person and will not be livestreamed. 

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Khristi Lauren Adams is a speaker, author, youth advocate and ordained Baptist minister.  Khristi is the author of Womanish Theology: Discovering God Through the Lens of Black Girlhood, Parable of the Brown Girl, Unbossed: How Black Girls Are Leading the Way and its middle grade version Black Girls Unbossed: Young World Changers Leading the Way. The books are published by Broadleaf and Beaming Books. Parable of the Brown Girl has received awards for Best Young Adult Book from The African American Literary Awards and the New York Black Librarians Caucus. Unbossed was a 2023 runner up for the Los Angeles Book Festival and Black Girls Unbossed is a 2023 finalist for a Foreword INDIES Book of the Year award in the Juvenile Nonfiction category.  Khristi is the Executive Director of Community and Belonging for the St. Paul’s School’s, a family of independent schools in Baltimore County, MD. She previously worked as Dean of Spiritual Life & Equity and instructor of Religious Studies at the Hill School. Khristi is a graduate of Temple University with a degree in Advertising and a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary where she obtained a Master of Divinity degree. Khristi is also a 2024 Alumni Service Awardee for Princeton Seminary which highlights the outstanding efforts of alumni who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing the seminary's mission and values.

Host or Publisher Busboys and Poets