Dancing in the Darkness Spiritual Lessons for Thriving in Turbulent Times

A “deeply spiritual and socially radical” (Dr. Obery Hendricks, PhD) call to action for those seeking justice and love in an age of division, from Reverend Otis Moss III, one of the most esteemed voices in Black theology and progressive Christianity.

Once again, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. warned in the 1960s, it is “midnight in America”—a time of civic unrest, racial trauma, and spiritual despair. Drawing from scripture, Howard Thurman, the wisdom of the Black church, and the lived experience of pastoring Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ, Reverend Moss calls readers to embrace spiritual resistance rooted in love, justice, and faith-based activism.

In the aftermath of death threats during Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, Moss faced a moment of inner darkness that turned unexpectedly redemptive when he discovered his young daughter dancing in the night. That sacred moment of revelation inspired the sermon that became this transformative book. Anchored in Psalm 30, the message is clear: “You have turned my mourning into dancing.”

In Dancing in the Darkness, Moss offers a path of spiritual formation, helping readers fight back against systemic racism, bigotry, and polarization with courage, compassion, and clarity. Blending Christian social justice, Southern tradition, global spirituality, and contemporary examples—from the Black Lives Matter movement to everyday moments of grace—this powerful guide reminds us that even in the darkest seasons, we can choose hope over fear and light over shadow.

Perfect for readers of Just Mercy, Becoming Wise, Hallelujah Anyway, and Barking to the Choir, this is a vital companion for anyone seeking to live out their faith with integrity and impact.

Otis Moss III built his ministry on community empowerment and social justice activism. As senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Moss spent the last two decades practicing and preaching a Black theology that unapologetically calls attention to the problem of mass incarceration, environmental justice, and economic apartheid. Hailed as one of the “twelve most of effective preachers in the English-speaking world” by Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary, he has been cited by Chicago Magazine as one of the city’s thirty most influential people. He is an NAACP Image Award recipient, award-winning filmmaker, poet, and professor of homiletics at Mercer University McAfee School of Theology. He is married to Monica Brown, and they are the proud parents of two children.