Book Reviews
“Dr. Terry Turner has given us a sociological study, spiritual journey and academic treasure all in one. God’s Amazing Grace: Reconciling Four Centuries of African-American marriages and families is scholarly yet emotionally compelling. African-Americans can gain insight by reading it. Non-African-Americans can begin to understand the heartache experienced through the centuries by our African-American friends. Reading this book will not only change your mind, it will change your heart.”
Dr. Jim Richards
Executive Director, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
“Dr. Turner has written a book that frames the current demographics of the African-American family in a historical and multigenerational context. He describes how the enslavement of African-Americans affected the bonds of family life through the disruptions of slave unions and parent-child relationships that still have an impact on families today. His effort to trace the relationship patterns across time and generations is an important context that is often missed in discussing African-American families in the present. This is a must read for those who wish to understand the evolution of the African-American family in today’s world.”
Dr. Anne McKnight
Director of the Bowen Center for Family Studies
"God's Amazing Grace: Reconciling Four Centuries of African-American Marriages And Families is an insightful study that will be welcomed by thoughtful practitioners and all who ponder the African-American family’s complexity. Readers familiar with the deep rich reservoir of African-American Family literature will recognize many of the black scholars referenced in this work. Readers unfamiliar with these sources will be grateful to discover them and the effective use of disparate literature.
This work will become a different kind of guide for studying American history through the lens of the African-American family. Underneath all the research is the search for answers to the compelling questions. Is there a correlation between slave owners’ denial to slaves, God's design for the family, and the familial chaos that has plagued African-American families for more than a hundred fifty years? And if there is connection, what is it?
The Author has brought something new to a familiar topic of discussion, the Bible. The unique moral compass that steered this study is solidly anchored in the bedrock of Holy Scripture. In this work, the history and sociology of African-American Marriages are examined in light of the questions asked by Holy Scripture. In so doing Dr. Turner skillfully attempts to help readers make sense of the story of black families in America. May God's Amazing Grace: Reconciling Four Centuries of African-American Marriages And Families mark the beginning to a new reality for African-American Families."
Dr. Willie Peterson
Senior Executive Advisor
Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Ministries, Dallas Theological Seminary
“Dr. Turner’s book, God’s Amazing Grace: Reconciling Four Centuries of African-American Marriages And Families, is truly one that I can say is ground-breaking and, at times, disturbing. As a white man, I continue to try to learn from other culture’s perspectives and experiences. This book truly helped me in that regard and will help you. It will also challenge you, as it did me, about misperceptions and prejudices. Biblical, practical, yet scholarly, Dr. Turner’s book reveals ugly truths about our culture and our current racial divide. I commend this book from my friend Terry Turner.”
Dr. Frank S. Page
President and Chief Executive Officer SBC Executive Committee