Back كنيسة سوداء Arabic Església negra Catalan Afroamerikanische Religion in den Vereinigten Staaten German Iglesia negra Spanish کلیسای سیاه Persian Églises afro-américaines French Black church Italian 黒人教会 Japanese Afroamerikanske kirker NB Black church Portuguese
| Part of a series on |
| African Americans |
|---|
The Black church (sometimes termed Black Christianity or African American Christianity) is the faith and body of Christian denominations and congregations in the United States that predominantly minister to, and are also led by African Americans,[1] as well as these churches' collective traditions and members.
Black churches primarily arose in the 19th century, during a time when race-based slavery and racial segregation were both commonly practiced in the United States. Blacks generally searched for an area where they could independently express their faith, find leadership, and escape from inferior treatment in white dominated churches.
Throughout many African American houses, churches reflect a deep cultural emphasis on community and shared spiritual experience.[2] For African Americans, the church is a dynamic, living body of believers whose collective faith and fellowship are central, regardless of the physical space.[3][4] This difference highlights the unique cultural and historical significance that the African American community places on the act of gathering and the people themselves, rather than the location.[5]
The number of Black churches in the United States is substantial. According to the Pew Research Center in 2005, there were approximately 25,000 Black churches across the country, encompassing a wide range of denominations and independent congregations.[6]
A majority of African American congregations are affiliated with Protestant denominations, such as the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), or the National Baptist Convention and related churches, some of them are affiliated with predominantly white Protestant denominations such as the United Church of Christ (which developed from the Congregational Church of New England), integrated denominations such as the Church of God, others are independent congregations.[7][8] There are also Black Catholic churches.[9]
In many major cities, Black and predominantly white churches often exist within close proximity to each other, however, they remain segregated by race, a division which was shaped by deep historical, cultural, and social factors, including racism. During the eras of slavery and segregation, African Americans were largely excluded from white churches, which often upheld racial hierarchies and discrimination.[10] This exclusion led to the creation of Black churches, which became vital spaces for community support, activism, and spiritual freedom.[11][12]
Even after formal segregation ended, white churches frequently resisted integration, preferring to maintain homogenous congregations.[13]
- ^ Gecewicz, Besheer Mohamed, Kiana Cox, Jeff Diamant and Claire (2021-02-16). "Faith Among Black Americans". Pew Research Center. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Lincoln, C. Eric; Mamiya, Lawrence H. (1990). The Black church in the African-American experience. Durham: Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-1057-0.
- ^ Raboteau, Albert J. (2004). Slave religion: the "invisible institution" in the antebellum South (Updated ed.). Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-517413-7.
- ^ Jacobsen, Douglas (June 2005). "Fortress Introduction to Black Church History. By Anne H. Pinn and Anthony B. Pinn. Minneapolis, Minn.: Fortress, 2002. viii + 184 pp. $16.00 paper". Church History. 74 (2): 416–417. doi:10.1017/s0009640700110674. ISSN 0009-6407.
- ^ Jacobsen, Douglas (June 2005). "Fortress Introduction to Black Church History. By Anne H. Pinn and Anthony B. Pinn. Minneapolis, Minn.: Fortress, 2002. viii + 184 pp. $16.00 paper". Church History. 74 (2): 416–417. doi:10.1017/s0009640700110674. ISSN 0009-6407.
- ^ Jones, Ida E. (2005-05-19), "Protestant Churches, Black", African American Studies Center, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780195301731.013.44357, ISBN 978-0-19-530173-1, retrieved 2024-09-03
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Alexander2011was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Sutton, Charyn D. (1992). Pass It On: Outreach to Minority Communities, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America.
- ^ "Parishes with a Strong Black Catholic Presence | USCCB". www.usccb.org. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
- ^ Gravely, William B. (September 1981). "Slave Religion: The "Invisible Institution" in the Antebellum South. By Albert J. Raboteau. New York: Oxford University Press, 1978. xi + 382 pp. $14.95". Church History. 50 (3): 349–350. doi:10.2307/3167344. ISSN 0009-6407. JSTOR 3167344.
- ^ Paris, Peter J. (July 1992). "The Black Church in the African American Experience By C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence H. Mamiya Durham, NC, Duke University Press, 1990. 519 pp. $18.95". Theology Today. 49 (2): 266–268. doi:10.1177/004057369204900218. ISSN 0040-5736.
- ^ Williams, Rhys H.; Emerson, Michael O.; Smith, Christian (2004). "Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America". Sociology of Religion. 65 (2): 178. doi:10.2307/3712407. ISSN 1069-4404. JSTOR 3712407.
- ^ Ownby, Ted (March 2006). "Freedom's Coming: Religious Culture and the Shaping of the South from the Civil War through the Civil Rights Era. By Harvey Paul. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2005. xvi + 338 pp. $34.95 cloth". Church History. 75 (1): 219–221. doi:10.1017/s0009640700088697. ISSN 0009-6407.