Educating the African-American community of its biblical history...
ONLINE INSTITUTE
Coming Soon!
What is the Online Institute?
In the Bible is Black History Online Institute, we will explore the long-ignored yet significant African presence in the Bible, understanding how this insight impacts the modern Black Diaspora and influences your approach to scriptural interpretation. Upon successful completion of the online program, you'll earn college credits (CEUs) from Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia, and a certificate of completion.
What Will You Learn?
We will explore such topics as: - Black Presence in the Bible - The Biblical Hebrews migration into interior Africa, especially West Africa - The Origins of the African Jewry - The Origins of the European Jewry - The African Origins of the Black Church - Developing an Alternative Biblical Interpretation And Much More... The Online Institute consists of seven courses divided into four nine-week quarters. There will be two courses offered each quarter. Our online curriculum follows an On-Demand model, allowing you to progress at your own pace within the specified nine-week period.
What Is The Curriculum's Research Background?
It's crucial to recognize that the concept of race, as we understand it today, did not exist in the ancient biblical culture. It was a construct developed nearly 1700 years after the close of the Canon (Bible) during the European Age of Enlightenment (seventeenth to eighteenth century). The emergence of racism, a hierarchy devised by White men that: • Placed White people at the top while subjugating Blacks at the bottom, • Influenced how people read and interpreted the Bible. This distorted the view of the Bible corrupted its liberation theme and justified white supremacy. Biblical characters were portrayed as white, erasing the diverse range of ethnicities in the Bible.
Why The Institute is Unique?
At our Institute, we offer you an alternative narrative that aligns more closely with the truth of God's holy Word. We provide biblical education centered on Yahweh's interaction with the Hebrew, Israelite, or Jewish people, who were primarily people of color. In contemporary social standards, they would be considered Black. We view this ancient biblical community as one that, throughout its history, sought liberation from political, economic, and spiritual oppression. The Bible's authors were primarily oppressed individuals writing to and about oppressed people, showcasing Yahweh as the God who partnered with the marginalized in their struggle for liberation. Their narrative challenges the Western mainstream narrative of a people emerging from domination and ending in domination.
How Do I Become a Certified Instructor?
Becoming an instructor is an important step in your educational career. If you aspire to become a certified instructor with the Bible is Black History Online Institute, additional training will be required.
Publications
NOW AVAILABLE FROM THE BIBLE IS BLACK HISTORY INSTITUTE
"Great Women of the Bible: Contemporary Conversations" presents the stories of Eve, Deborah, Queen Vashti, Queen Esther, Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Lydia in a way that parallels the stories of present day Black women in America. The Bible emerged from a male dominated, patriarchal society. Much of the biblical narrative casts men as the heroes and basically ignores women, treating them mostly as insignificant role players. "Great Women of the Bible: Contemporary Conversations" highlights women who broke through deeply ingrained sexist and misogynistic barriers to join forces with God to help roll out his plan for salvation, liberation and redemption. Each chapter concludes with thought provoking questions to arouse deep self-reflection.
"Young Heroes of the Bible: Contemporary Conversations" highlights the contributions to Salvation history made by such young men as Samuel, David, Jeremiah, the Hebrew Boys, the Boy Jesus, Timothy and Titus. "Young Heroes of the Bible..." presents their stories in a way that parallels the stories of young Black men in America today. At the end of each chapter are reflection questions suitable for group discussions or personal devotions.
"The Bible is Black History - Children's Edition" tells biblical stories using more historically accurate depictions of biblical characters. This book intends to highlight the association between Bible stories and their black characters for young readers. "The Bible is Black History-Children's Edition" also seeks to begin the mitigation process of the century's old whitewashing of biblical heroes and heroines and to expose children of African descent to a more authentic rendition of biblical depictions. It is empowering for young children to read the biblical story and see themselves as a part of its powerful narrative.
We live in an age when young Christians are asking tough questions that previous generations would dare to ask. This generation doesn't hesitate to question the validity of the Scriptures, the efficacy of the church and even the historicity of Jesus. Young people are becoming increasingly curious as to what role, if any, did people of African descent play in biblical history? Or, if the Bible is devoid of Black presence, and is merely a book by Europeans, about Europeans and for Europeans to the exclusion of other races and ethnicities? Dr. Theron D. Williams makes a significant contribution to this conversation by answering the difficult questions this generation fearlessly poses. Dr. Williams uses facts from the Bible, well-respected historians, scientists, and DNA evidence to prove that Black people comprised the biblical Israelite community. Dr. Williams also presents historical evidence that links some in the African-American community to the Lost Tribes of Israel. He also shares historical images from the ancient catacombs that vividly depict the true likeness of the biblical Israelites. This book does not change the biblical text but it will change how you understand it.
Publication Highlights
Great Women of the Bible and Young Heroes of the Bible
"Great Women of the Bible" and "Young Heroes of the Bible" seek to understand the great women and young heroes from the vantage point of their historical contexts. In doing so, the reader has a better appreciation of how their political, economic, religious, and social realities impacted them and influenced their messages and missions. Their stories are presented in a way that parallels the stories of Black women and young Black men in America.
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At the end of each chapter are reflection questions designed to stimulate group discussions or, if reading for personal devotion, arouse deep self-reflection. "Great Women of the Bible" and "Young Heroes of the Bible" contain beautiful, physical depictions of these women and young men according to the author's understanding of the historical images of the people of the Bible.
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The Bible emerged from a male-dominated, patriarchal society; therefore, much of the biblical story casts men as heroes. Basically, women are ignored and, most times, treated as insignificant role players. Nevertheless, the genius of the Holy Spirit arranged the biblical narrative in a way that makes it impossible to ignore certain women. The women highlighted in "Great Women of the Bible" broke through deeply ingrained sexist and misogynistic barriers to join forces with God as God used them to help roll out His plan for salvation, liberation, and redemption. These great women of the Bible made such profound contributions without whom the Bible would be incomplete.
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"Great Women of the Bible" considers the lives and ministries of seven amazing women. Eve, the mother of all who lived and representative of the divine standard of all that is good and beautiful... Deborah is the only female judge in Israelite history and the first prophet whose prophetic ministry unfolded in the land of Israel. Queen Vashti, the uncompromising woman who lost her queenship for refusing to be sexually objectified by a powerful man... Queen Ester, the Hebrew woman who rose to power in Persia, but never forgot where she came from and saved the Hebrews from extermination in Persia... Mary, the mother of our Lord, who came from an oppressed and marginalized community, was the least likely person to be given the responsibility of providing parental leadership to the Savior of the world... Mary Magdalene, arguably Jesus' most important disciple...and Lydia, Paul's first European convert, who was recognized as the first Christian businesswoman and a founding member of the church at Philippi.
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"Young Heroes of the Bible highlights the contributions to Salvation history made by such young heroes as Samuel, David, Jeremiah, the Hebrew Boys, the Boy Jesus, Timothy, and Titus. These biblical superstars' lives and ministries etched such a profound mark upon the pages of the Holy Writ, without which the Bible would be incomplete. It is believed that Samuel was as young as twelve years old when he uttered his first prophecies to his beloved mentor, Eli, and David was just a teenager when he defeated Goliath. Some rabbinical sources suggest that Jeremiah was no more than seventeen years old when he began his prophetic ministry, and there is overwhelming, historical evidence that the Hebrew boys, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were still in their teens when they took a stand for their faith in the face of a fiery furnace. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, amazed the teachers of the Law in the temple at twelve years old, and Timothy and Titus were very young men, perhaps teenagers, when they became Apostle Paul's proteges, joining him on his missionary journeys.
The Bible is Black History Workbook
The Bible is Black History Personal Workbook contains probing questions designed to encourage the reader to more thoroughly delve into the themes presented in The Bible is Black History. The Personal Workbook, along with the book are perfect study materials for Vacation Bible Schools, Sunday Schools, Mid-Week Bible Studies, small group, and personal studies. An equally important function of the Personal Workbook is to stimulate the curiosity of the student such that the student would conduct further studies on this topic since there is no single book in a publication that addresses every subject that pertains to the Black presence in the Bible. Also, a bibliography of suggested texts is provided in this personal workbook should the student desire further study materials. Dr. Williams has been the Pastor of the Mt. Carmel Church of Indianapolis, Indiana, for more than 30 years. He holds a Doctor of Ministry and Master of Divinity degrees from the Chicago Theological Seminary and the School of Theology at Virginia Union University, respectively.
