“Black Feminism(s) and Faith” with Shantell Hinton Hill–Called to be Bad Podcast S3 EP3

"I feel like black women have been, and always will be, the closest approximation of Jesus Christ's salvific work, in our lives." 

Shantell Hinton Hill is an engineer, pastor, and poet that centers her justice work around Black Feminism(s) and Womanism. She tells stories of finding her voice and the way black women in her life have uplifted, empowered, and resurrected her. Now it is her goal to live out this empowering work and way of life. Shantell connects this work with the women of the Bible who were unnamed, voiceless, yet acted in faith and power. She describes how Black feminism(s) and Womanism point out the way intersectional oppressions may be operating throughout scripture. We hear one of her breathtaking poems from her book, “Black girl magic and other elixirs,” which problematizes how Christians think of suffering, death, and crucifixion. We finish by hearing about the voices who have shaped Shantell’s Black feminism(s), her faith, and her writing, as well as encouragement for those who don’t know what to do with their faith in the face of all the suffering in our world. 

Guest’s Full Bio: 

Shantell Hinton Hill is the ultimate Renaissance woman. An engineer turned pastor, Shantell situates her work at the intersections of social justice, public theology, and Black feminism/womanism. A native of Conway, Arkansas, Shantell is married to Rev. Jeremy Hill. They recently welcomed their first child, Sophie June, to their growing family. Shantell obtained a Master of Divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Colorado State University. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the National Society of Black Engineers. She is also an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Her vocational experiences include work as a Process Control Engineer, a Bible teacher, and as Assistant University Chaplain at Vanderbilt University. 

Shantell’s Book: “Black girl magic and other elixirs”: https://www.shantellhhill.com/shop

Shantell’s Website: https://www.shant