In the black helping tradition, spirituality is the sense of
the sacred and divine. It is a critical value deeply rooted in the African worldview and
used by African Americans as a tool for survival. Provocative and well-written, Spirituality
and the Black Helping Tradition in Social Work is the first book to draw a
relationship between social work, spirituality, and the helping tradition among African
Americans. Offering a wealth of historical detail and narrative, Elmer and Joanne Martin
explore spirituality as a foundation for understanding people of African descent and as a
skill to evoke self-help. This groundbreaking book raises compelling questions about the
limitations and strengths of mainstream social work in issues of black spirituality and
its role in strengthening the black community today. Special Features
- Examines the interaction between African and African American spirituality, African
American social workers, and race work.
- Chronicles the stories of early black caregivers and social workers who recognized the
significance of spirituality and incorporated it into their work.
- Investigates the extent to which social workers today are equipped to use spirituality
to empower black individuals, families, and communities.
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