"Beyond the Color of Skin: Encounters with Religions and Racial Injustice in America," by Cajetan Ihewulezi is an inspiring new memoir of one man's effort to help people live their lives in justice, true freedom and racial equality. It is also a stunning portrait of racism in America, told by a man who saw first hand the damage prejudice could do. Ihewulezi argues that America's religious leaders are simply not fully addressing the problem of racism, along with its effects, and that their continued silence in the face of increasing prejudice is cataclysmic to humanity. Coming from another country, he said he is shocked at the level of racial prejudice that is still going on in America.
As a sacramental on-call chaplain to various American hospitals, he discovered that about 70 percent of his psychiatric patients were poor African Americans, many of whom were dependents of African American veterans of World War II and the Korean War who were denied of their GI rights simply because of their skin color.
To understand the problem to offer solutions, he traces the history of this quandary from the religious or pastoral point of view. Packed with personal stories and recommendations, Ihewulezi's inspirational book is a true call to justice and equality.
"This book is a wake-up call to all American religions that racism is still a challenge to them. Because of its continued existence in churches, synagogues and in the society, it is timely. I therefore recommend it for both clergy and laity in churches, synagogues, an in other religious institutions."-Dr. Richard C. Dickinson, former executive director of Black Ministry in the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.
Ihewulezi is a Catholic priest of the Holy Ghost Order. Born in Aboh Mbaise in Nigeria, he is Igbo by tribe and the fourth of eight children born to His and Her Royal Highnesses Eze and Ugo Eze Daniel and Cecilia Ihewulezi of Okwuato Mbaise Autonomous Community of Imo State Nigeria.
He earned his master's degree at St. Louis University in historical theology and he is currently enrolled in a doctoral program at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis.
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