The pastrix of Downey Avenue Christian Church—a church and a denomination that is anything but Christian—compares the explicit novel, The Color Purple, to Scripture, calling it “holy and inspired.” Not metaphorically. Not emotionally. No, she literally calls it a “sacred text.” Because apparently, in her world, Alice Walker and the Holy Spirit are co-authors now.
“When the Bible was bound and written and put together, the inspiration of the Spirit did not cease,” she preaches, as if divine revelation is still trickling in through Broadway playbills and Oprah’s Book Club. Forget the apostles—apparently, the real prophets are writing musicals now.
She tells her congregation to “look for the holy and divine in sacred text that continues to be written…” in a sexually explicit book that depicts rapce, incest, and lesbian relationships. If it tugs your heartstrings and checks enough identity boxes, it’s basically the fifth gospel. Maybe next week she’ll exegete Dreamgirls like it’s Romans.
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