We Gon’ Be Alright
OCTOBER 6, 2025
We Gon’ Be Alright: Dr. Stephanie Crumpton’s Introduces a New Prophetic Word for Our Time
What does it mean to live, teach, and minister in a world shaped by violence, injustice, and trauma—and still hold onto hope?
For Dr. Stephanie Crumpton, scholar, preacher, Associate Professor of Practical Theology at McCormick Theological Seminary, the answer lies in a deep refusal to despair. Her new book, We Gon’ Be Alright (University of Arizona Press, 2025), is both a declaration and an invitation: a declaration that faith communities can endure, and an invitation to imagine the possibilities of resilience, justice, and collective healing.
A VOICE ROOTED IN REALITY AND HOPE
Dr. Crumpton’s work does not shy away from the weight of systemic violence, racism, and trauma that shape the daily lives of Black communities. Instead, she leans in — naming what too many try to ignore, and offering a theology that honors pain while cultivating pathways to wholeness. As both a theologian and the leader of McCormick’s Trauma Healing Initiative, she bridges scholarship with practice, creating spaces where communities can wrestle honestly with harm and move toward healing. We Gon’ Be Alright speaks directly to the challenges of our moment, grounding itself in lived experience and practical theology that equips readers for both survival and transformation.
Her voice will soon reach even more listeners through the launch of Be Well, McCormick’s new podcast debuting later this winter, where she will host conversations on resilience, faith, and trauma healing that extend the themes of her scholarship into broader public dialogue.
LESSONS FOR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY
At its heart, We Gon’ Be Alright is about making a way where there seems to be no way. Through theological reflection and pastoral wisdom, Dr. Crumpton provides frameworks for how churches, classrooms, and communities can confront trauma while building resilience. Her insights extend beyond academic circles—they are tools for pastors, educators, activists, and anyone seeking to do the work of justice-rooted care.
At McCormick Theological Seminary, we could not be prouder of Dr. Crumpton. Her prophetic voice and groundbreaking scholarship embody McCormick’s mission to form leaders who are justice-rooted, community-centered, and unafraid to speak truth to the pressing issues of our day. We Gon’ Be Alright is more than a book; it is a testament to Dr. Crumpton’s impact as a teacher, mentor, and changemaker, and we celebrate this remarkable contribution to the wider church and academy.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
We invite you to engage Dr. Crumpton’s work and discover how her vision can inform your ministry, your teaching, and your community. Her voice will also be featured during McCormick Days 2025, where she will lead the session “Makin’ a Way”: A Response to Awakening to Justice. This dynamic panel will highlight lessons from the documentary Awakening to Justice and draw from her new book.
Because at McCormick, we believe theology must speak to the urgency of our times, and Dr. Crumpton’s work is a vital part of that witness.
📖 We Gon’ Be Alright is available now through the University of Arizona Press.