The Jawbone of an Ass - Resisting Coercion and Reclaiming Christ in Christian Higher Education - The Journal of Educational Foundations Vol. 34, No. 1 - 2021 pp. 95-109

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dabgoudw

Christian higher education uniquely combines religious persuasion with academic practice, positioning faith-based institutions as spaces that can enact oppression through policy and practice. It documents how two Black women faculty experienced “spirit murder” within a faith-based university whose racialized hierarchy demanded Black faculty accept a system supporting their physical and mental demise for spiritual redemption. Using Black Liberation Theology and duoethnography, it reframes faithfulness as resistance and calls for institutions to reconceptualize commitments to racial diversity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Methodology and Theoretical Framing

The Jawbone of an Ass Resisting Coercion and Reclaiming Christ in Christian Higher Education Larissa Malone Venessa A. Brown The Journal of Educational Foundations Vol. 34, No. 1 2021, pp. 95-109 Copyright 2021 by Caddo Gap Press Abstract Christian higher education uniquely marries neoplantation academia with the practice of religious jawboning, using persuasion rather than the exertion of vehement enforcement, to engage Black faculty of faith in upholding white supremacy ideology. These institutions can and douse faith as a tool of oppression through their policies and practice, reinforcing the domination of whites and the subordination of people of Color as the divine order of God. This was the reality and experience of two Black women faculty during their time at one of these institutions. Using Black Liberation Theology as a framework, duoethnographies detail how a racialized hierarchy was embedded into the fabric of a faith-based university and describe the institutional expectation for Black faculty to subscribe to a system that supported their own physical and mental demise in exchange for spiritual redemption. More than just a cautionary tale of religious academic spaces, implications include the need for faith-based institutions to come to terms with andreconceptualize their commitment to racial diversity and the authors’ability toreclaim their faith asan act of resistance, despite the attempted lure to participate in their own spiritual murder. Keywords: Christian higher education, higher education, Black faculty, spirit murder, duoethnography, Black Liberation Theology Larissa Malone is an assistant professor in the Teacher Education Department at the University of Southern Maine, Portland, Maine. Venessa A. Brown is Associate Athletic Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Chief Diversity Officer for Intercollegiate Affairs, and Special Assistant to the Chancellor at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois. E-mail address:es: [larissa.malone@maine.edu & vbrown@siue.edu](larissa.malone@maine.edu & vbrown@siue.edu) Introduction When considering spirit murder, the term coined by scholars to describe the painful experience of Black people in educational insitutions that results in deep-rooted, permanent damage to one’s soul (Love, 2016; Williams, 1987), the last place that might register for such a violent atrocity to take place is a faith-based institution. After all, academically, these institutions typically pride themselves in offering a liberal arts curriculum that fosters critical thinking and social responsibility. Religiously, many of the universities that claim Christian higher education as their collegiate designation only hire those that are able to clearly articulate their spiritual values. The pedagogical devotion to intellect, coupled with requisite spiritual gatekeeping, sends the message that nothing less than goodwill abounds in these environments. For many Black scholars who also identify as followers of Christ, this atmosphere can be attractive and seemingly offers the best of both worlds, especially when the alternative is being part of a traditional higher education institution, where racial hostility is well documented. This was certainly the case for us. Yet, despite the promise held conceptually, we, the authors, find ourselves here—writing about survivorship of two attempted spirit murders that took place at one Midwest faith-based institution. If it were not by chance, or what we like to call ‘divine intervention,’ we would have assumed that each of these attempted spirit murders were isolated events. This is because one event occurred in the mid-1990s and the other experience occurred some 20 years later. A mutual acquaintance introduced us and, although our relationship began as mentor-mentee, our relationship soon became a friendship. Part of our bond is because of this shared experience that only we can understand. Through talks over the last t

FAQs

What does the document mean by “spirit murder” in educational settings?

It describes a painful, soul-damaging experience Black people can suffer within educational institutions, leading to deep-rooted, permanent harm.

How are Black Liberation Theology and duoethnography used in the study?

The authors use Black Liberation Theology as a framework and duoethnographic reflections to co-construct narratives and analyze shared experiences across time.

What are the main implications for faith-based institutions regarding racial diversity?

The work argues that faith-based institutions must come to terms with and reconceptualize their commitment to racial diversity, recognizing how their systems can enable oppression.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dabgoudw