Always a hot topic, TV One will air the special on Saturday, March 30, at 7pm/ET, right before its broadcast premiere of Russ Parr’s The Undershepherd. A perfect lead-in, given the film’s subject matter.
I should have my interview with Russ Parr up in the next day or two.
Full details on what the hour-long special (hosted by Roland Martin) will include belo, via press release from TV One:
TV ONE ANNOUNCES AMAZING GRACE: DRAMA IN THE BLACK CHURCH – A WASHINGTON WATCH SPECIAL WITH ROLAND MARTIN, SATURDAY MARCH 30, 7:00 PM/ET
SILVER SPRING, MD, MARCH 28, 2013 – TV One’s Washington Watch with Roland Martin will tackle the themes of power, corruption and redemption in the Black church when it’s primetime special Amazing Grace: Drama In the Black Church – A Washington Watch Special with Roland Martin airs Saturday, March 30, 7:00 PM/ET, leading into the world television premiere of Russ Parr’s “The Undershepherd,” and during Washington Watch’s regularly scheduled time slot, Sunday, March 31, 11AM/ET. The special includes a one-on –one interview between Martin and Bishop T.D. Jakes exploring the depiction of the Black church in secular and pop culture media.
Topics explored during the hour include: the battle between Pastor Joel Peebles, son of the late Bishop Dr. James R. Peebles, Sr. and Apostle Betty Peebles, and the members of Landover’s Jericho City of Praise for control over church leadership; the rise, fall and eventual redemption of Pastor Jamal Bryant; and the rejection of Pastor Ralph Douglas West by his church leading to the successful creation of The Church Without Walls.
Panelists during the hour include: Founder and Senior Pastor of Community of Hope AME, Rev. Tony Lee; Senior Pastor of Third Street Church of God and Professor of Christian Ethics at Howard University School of Divinity, Rev. Dr. Cheryl Sanders; and Senior Pastor of Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, Rev. Dr. Derrick Harkins.
“The multi-faceted role of the Black church in America provides a constant source of community, conversation and controversy as reflected by the varied offerings of films, books and plays on the subject,” remarked host, political editor and analyst Roland Martin. “With our special, we hope to enlarge and continue the conversation in a respectful yet informative manner with a personalization of some of the larger issues routinely appearing in headlines. We want to de-mystify the stories and the people behind church issues making news.”
Hosted by TV One political editor, CNN contributor and Tom Joyner Morning Show analyst Roland Martin, TV One’s hour-long weekly public affairs series focuses on issues of importance to African Americans, through interviews with officials from the Administration, Congress and other policymakers who represent black communities, as well as discussions with journalists and commentators, and a wide range of policy experts. Washington Watch with Roland Martin also explores a wide range of timely and relevant topics including history, books, music, films, technology and black culture.
