CeCe Winans

It would be easy for someone with my background to only have (Christian) books by white men. I’ve been careful to include some (white) women authors, but Cece was the first person of color that I included in my Christian memoir collection. Of course, in a sense it’s still just hearing Black voices from a certain niche that society allows them, but I do like her music.

Of course, she’s primarily a singer and so the book isn’t heavy; she also comes from a very socially conservative background (no movies, no secular music, etc, at least according to her parents’ rules) and she’s rather complacent about traditional gender roles. In other ways (music appreciation) she tries to be a little bit more open than her parents.

Some of the very simple but good writing about family and forgiveness was worth reading, and I was intrigued by her vague and accepting description of her time at a relatively socially liberal Christian group that became involved in a money scandal (PTL).

She also indirectly touches on the race question, and doesn’t pretend that things are always easy or good; she may not be an activist, but she is Black.… (mehr)