Roses and Thorns-Black Lutheran Centennial

Written in 1977 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Black Lutheran Mission and Ministry in The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Roses and Thorns details the history of LCMS Black Ministry.

On the 140th anniversary, the LCMS Black Ministry and Concordia Publishing House partnered in ensuring classic books about the history of LCMS Black Ministry remained available. As noted at the time by Rev. Dr. Roosevelt Gray Jr., Director of Black and African Ministry in the LCMS Office of National Mission:  

"These resources tell the history of Sunday School classes, Christian school education, and Word and Sacrament congregations gathered around the historic confession of the Lutheran Reformation: grace, faith, and Scripture in Christ—to the glory of God alone! It is the history of how the Gospel message changed the lives of untold thousands of black Americans only 14 years from enslavement and 40 years from the founding of the LCMS. It is a history of great joy and immense struggles, as black Lutherans celebrated their heritage as Lutherans and stood up for their Lutheran equality and inclusion.

As this early mission work unfolded, the narrative was recorded in the verbiage and language of that time. These resources are the written history of those who lived in a segregated, prejudiced, and xenophobic society, especially in the Deep South where most of LCMS Black Ministry started before spreading throughout the United States.

Neither I nor Concordia Publishing House endorse, embrace, or approve of such language. But we discussed the historic nature of the works and are reproducing these resources in the language of the writers. As the leader of LCMS Black Ministry, I asked Concordia Publishing House to make these books available again. My prayer is that you find in these books the historic narrative of a great number of Lutheran pastors, educators, and laypeople who left us the legacy of black Lutheranism, rich in its heritage."