History And Sociology Of American Black Church

An examination of the History of the Black church, its roots, culture, prophetic tradition and contributions

What you'll learn

Confidently articulate and communicate concerning the historical antecedents of the development of the African-American church in the United States.

Effectively and convincingly showcase your knowledge surrounding the history of the Black church, its roots, culture, and prophetic tradition

Be equipped to write, lecture and teach about black church contributions to black group identity, theology, politics, and the larger American society.

Persuasively identify trends that will define the Black church well into the next century.

Relate to the internal structure of the church and the reactions of the church to external and societal challenges.

Convey knowledge at a professional level concerning the political philosophy, social issues, preaching, and worship in the Black church.

Easily and comfortably identify the the commonalities and distinctive features of the seven major African American based denominations

Requirements

Basic understanding of American Christian thought and politics

No degrees or certificates needed; you will learn all you need to know

Description

This is a bible college and seminary level course in Ecclesiology and Black religion. Students will come to understand the Black church as it relates to the history of African Americans and to contemporary Black culture. The course will relate to the internal structure of the church and the reactions of the church to external and societal challenges. Students will be guided through the History of the Black church, its roots, culture, prophetic tradition and its contributions to black group identity, theology, politics, and the larger American society. Additionally, the course examines the political philosophy, social issues, preaching, and worship in the Black church.Students who subscribe will be able to identify trends that will define the Black church well into the next century. The definition of the black church as an institution involves the seven historic American Black denominations: the African Methodist Episcopal Church; the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A.; the National Baptist Convention of America; the Progressive National Baptist Convention; the Church of God in Christ. REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:Raboteau, Albert. Slave Religion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1978.Lincoln, C. Eric. The Black Church in the African American Experience. Durham, NC: Duke University Press Books, 1990.SUPPLEMENTAL TEXTBOOKS:Gates Jr., Henry Louis. The Black Church–This is My Story; This is My Song. New York: Penguin Press, 2021.Reddie, Anthony C. Introducing James Cone. London: SCM Press, 2022.RECOMMENDED READINGDouglas, Kelly Brown. The Black Christ. Maryknoll NY: Orbis Books, 2021.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Introduction (Scholars in African and Afro American Religion)

Lecture 2 Introduction: Philosophy of West African Religion and its Influence

Lecture 3 Introduction: Continuity and Discontinuity in the African Diaspora

Section 2: Africanisms and Acculturation in Black Religion

Lecture 4 A comparative study of Frazier and Hersovitz–How African?

Lecture 5 Religious Exercises by African Descendants in the Great Awakening

Lecture 6 Comparative Demographic Studies of African Diaspora and Religion

Lecture 7 Afro American Conversions, Catechisms and White Resistance in Colonial America

Section 3: The Rise of the Afro American Preacher and Black Churches via the Awakening

Lecture 8 Black Leadership and White Resistance During the Great Awakening

Lecture 9 The Great Schism

Lecture 10 Ideological Challenges to Slave and Slaveholder Fellowship and Discipline

Lecture 11 Religious Practices and Ethical Philosophy on the Plantation

Section 4: The Contribution of the 7 Denominations to the American Project Post-Slavery

Lecture 12 The History of the Black Baptist Conventions and Contributions to Black Freedom

Lecture 13 History of the Black Methodists and Contributions to Black Advancement Pt 1

Lecture 14 History of Black Methodists and Black Advancement Pt 2 and COGIC Roots

Section 5: The Impact of the Black Liberation movements on the Modern Black Church

Lecture 15 The Influence of the Black Pride Movement within the Church

Lecture 16 The Influence of the Civil Rights Movement and the Power to Mobilize

Lecture 17 Black Worship Music and the Struggle for Survival and Freedom

Preachers, Pastors, professionals, educators, history teachers, Sunday School teachers, seminary students, clergy who are too busy to attend seminary, black thinkers, and Anglo-Evangelicals looking to better understand their Christian neighbors will find this content valuable,This course is a tremendous resource for further professional development for aspiring theologians, serious life-long learners of African American history and scholars concerned with social justice issues