More Than Belief: A FaithCrit Exploration of Black Christian Scholar Identity

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Black Christian Identity and Praxis: Past and Present

Abstract

This study explores how Black Christian scholars navigate their scholar identities within higher education institutions that often marginalize both racial and religious epistemologies. Using FaithCrit as the guiding framework and collaborative autoethnography as method, one faculty member and two doctoral candidates reflect on their lived-experiences at the intersection of faith, race, teaching, scholarship, and service. Findings reveal that faith is a non-negotiable identity, a tool for scholarly praxis, a source of resistance against white supremacy, and a divine calling to advocate for others. This study contributes to literature on faith-informed epistemologies and affirms spirituality as central to the identity and professional lives of Black educators in higher education.

Authors

• Erica T. Campbell, Miami University (OH)

• Philip Michael Thomas, Miami University (OH)

• LaKisha Zyyon, Miami University (OH)