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If you stand in the Sistine Chapel and look up at Michelangelo’s depiction of God, you’ll see the archetype. God is white, old, and male. Always male. 

Theologian and activist Christena Cleveland believes that image is limiting and even harmful. Her new book, “

,” seeks to recover the sacred, Black feminine, thanks to a pilgrimage she undertook in 2018 to visit some of the 450 Black Madonnas scattered throughout Europe. 

Ancient and revered, the Black Madonnas are sources of strength and miracles. 

Joan of Arc prayed before the Black Madonna of Moulin

Cleveland. herself, found strength and healing during her pilgrimage. She writes in her book, “Imagination is theology. We can only believe what we can imagine. And our cultural landscape hasn’t given us many tools to imagine a non-white, non-male God.” 

On this week’s Big Books and Bold Ideas show, MPR News host Kerri Miller talked with Cleveland about her book, her pilgrimage and why the white, male depiction of God is both constricting and corrosive to seeing the divine in everyone. 

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

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Christena Cleveland’s new book, “God is a Black Woman,” invites a reckoning with the archetypal white, male God. 

Theologian Christena Cleveland on recovering a non-white, non-male version of God

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