Black Religion explores the complexity of the black spiritual imagination using the autobiographies of three prominent religious leaders. Looking at Malcolm X's journey from Christianity to Islam, social parasite to "race man," libertine to ascetic, Hart delves into the spiritual dimensions of Malcolm X's life. Hart then examines the affinities between Malcolm's spiritual journey and the journeys of Julius Lester and Jan Willis-none of whom conform to standard expectations of what it means to be a black person and a religious person. Hart argues that the Muslim, Judaic, and Buddhist commitments of these autobiographers show that the black spiritual imagination-religious, political, and personal-cannot be limited to the standard narrative of Black Religion, nor can spirituality be limited to religion.

About the Author:
William David Hart is Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina, Greensboro