Many of the early puritans and pilgrims arrived in America with a fervent faith and vision for establishing a godly nation. Within a century the ardor had cooled. The children of the original immigrants were more concerned with increasing wealth and comfortable living than furthering the Kingdom of God. The same spiritual malaise could be found throughout the American colonies. The philosophical rationalism of the Enlightenment was spreading its influence among the educated classes; others were preoccupied with the things of this world.
,Running head: THE FUNCTION OF NEGRO SPIRITUALS IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY The Function of Negro Spirituals in the Eighteenth Century and The Influence of People of Color Gospel Music Today Booker T. Cooper McNair Scholars December 10, 2009 Abstract The purpose of this research is to study the influence of Negro spirituals from the eighteenth century upon twentieth and twenty-first centuries People of Color Gospel Music. The rationale behind this study rests largely on the realization that Negro spirituals during the time of black slavery functioned as a way to communicate between small groups of people. Today, People of Color Gospel Music serves a similar function in their congregation. For example, the ability of black
It had great success in bringing tons of people into religion. It also led to a more widespread practice of evangelicalism (having one’s own personal faith and faith by doing good deeds). Another success was the formation of a new form of Christianity known as Mormonism. There are many more successes of this movement. Failures of the Second Great Awakening were small.
Jim Jones and the People’s Temple A good majority of the followers of Jim Jones were African Americans. A great deal of research has been done on the subject of his followers and their ethnic and psychological backgrounds. In this paper, I will discuss briefly the ethnic influences that predisposed African Americans to worshipping under Jim Jones. I will also discuss the psychological and social backgrounds of his followers as it relates to their likelihood for recruitment and commitment within the People’s Temple. Jim Jones ability to simulate the feel of the black church and intentional targeting of desolate, distressed African Americans were essential factors in obtaining dedicated followers of his movement.
Southern Baptist Culture “She don't know about us, we Baptist. We tear this place up.” This is a quote from the Tyler Perry movie called “Diary of a Mad Black Woman.” The movie is an emphasis on the Christian faith, specifically Baptist and how the conflicts in the movie are resolved from the problems. There are many common misconceptions and stereotypes that are put on the Baptist faith. When many people think about Baptists one of the first ideas that runs through their heads is that they are generally African American, loudmouths and angry. However, even though that can be a quality that is incorporated with some southern Baptist it is not a generalization for all.
Throughout this course we have learned about many different political figures and the times they represented. Depending on the times they were brought up in, their ideals on society differ. A Model of Christian Charity, by John Winthrop, The Way to Wealth, by Benjamin Franklin, and Federalist No. 10, by James Madison represent three of the most influential writings of their times. All three were similar in some ways, but differed greatly in others.
The nation’s lower and middle-class groups were not content to remain in mainline churches so they formed new religious communities committed to the theological doctrine of perfectionism” (Dieter 199-200). But it is notably the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles, California where we can clearly find the origin of the Pentecostal movement in America and the Black Pentecostal movement in particular. The Black Pentecostal Movement and the Azusa Street Revival was led by William J. Seymour, an African America Preacher and the son of former slaves who had studied under Charles Parham. In 1900 Charles Fox Parham, a former Methodist minister, opened Bethel Bible College in Topeka, Kansas and about 40 students were enrolled (Goff). Their only textbook was the Bible and Parham gave the students the assignment of discovering some certain common evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, before he left on a preaching trip.
THESIS: The observation shows the history of faith in the African Americans. An individual only has to examine the needs of the black church to understand that they have a long history in responding to the religious, educational, social, political and economic concerns and needs in the communities Since the arrival of African Americans in America, blacks have always had experience that differs amongst each other. African Americans have had to fake a character out of what has been passed to them as facts about their true selves. The African American church has served as one of the institutions that were formed in order to aid blacks culturally, spiritually and economically (Moyd). Through oppression and subjection many slaves found ways
1 Slave Religion: The origin of Black Education Erin Youngblood-Smith AAS 116 Slavery and American Life before 1865 Professor Ula Taylor November 6,2013 2 Intro The historical relationship between Blacks and Christianity has been a mainstay throughout majority of the black experience in America. Through this relationship Blacks have built community, have fought for their rights to education and have dreamed up and established their own institutions of learning. The AME Church has proved to be an example of the struggles that the black church and its people have faced and overcome, as well as how the church has continued to be a focal point in the progression of black education. Historically the church, the family and the school
Mercede Broadwater December 08, 2008 Systemic Theology Dr. Noel Erskine Final Paper My understanding of Christian doctrines is rooted in the Black Religious Experience, which can be traced back to slavery or even beyond. I have been apart of Greater Mount Calvary Baptist Church all of my life, which is a predominately traditional black church. I believe that that the ideas and philosophies of my church differ from other Baptist churches. However, the reasoning of the teachings and experiences that I have encountered along with my revelation at my church has shaped my understanding about how I view God, in relation to the Trinity, as well as some other mainline doctrines such as evil and sin, and the scripture in relationship to society.