Black Church & its Women: in conversation with Deesha Philyaw

In this episode I have the privilege and JOY of speaking with Deesha Philyaw, the award winning author of "The Secret Lives of Church Ladies" – a short story collection revolving around "four generations of women who are grappling with who they want to be in the world, as they are caught between the church’s double standards and their own needs and passions." This book is …. a revelation, and if you haven’t read it yet, I really don’t know what you’re waiting for! Kirkus Review just named it as one the best books of the century. Although we do talk about some of the stories in the collection, I wanted to start off our conversation with focusing on the place of the church in Black communities. Historically, churches represented the first formal “black public spheres” that were developed in the United States. It was the primary community institution owned and controlled by Black individuals themselves. And so Deesha and I begin by discussing the very important social, cultural, and political role the Church has played in the lives of African American communities, but then turn to some of reasons why the contemporary church might be losing some of its relevance for those same communities today. We talk about Deesha’s own struggles with the Church and how this conflict shows up in her stories, as well as how her writing has helped her find some freedom - as well as some closure - from her relationships with her mother and father.

To learn more about Deesha and her writing, podcasts, and projects please visit her website at www.deeshaphilyaw.com