Read, in Corbett

Chapter 9, "Ethnic Christianity:  African American Christianity" commencing with p. 212, to p. 229

in Albanese

Chapter 6:  Black Center:  African American Religion and Nationhood, pp. 191-215.

The principal discussion of these readings will occur on Thursday, April 18.  The class period will be devoted to watching the video documentary, Say Amen, Somebody.  Please do the reading in a timely fashion, however, as the video will make much more sense if you have some background for it.

Anyone who loves soul music or rhythm & blues probably knows that it all springs from the roots of gospel music. This 1982 documentary by
director George T. Nierenberg breaks it all down beautifully as he examines the lives and careers of a handful of since-departed gospel stars, who helped create the genre from which so many other forms of music flowed. Focusing on the aging but still vigorous "Professor" Thomas A. Dorsey and "Mother" Willie Mae Ford, he also offers musical moments by such gospel stalwarts as Sallie Martin and the Barrett Sisters. Live performances are mixed with telling, sometimes touching reminiscences by these pioneers of a musical style, all leading to several striking points: principally, that this energetic music took time to be accepted by the conservatives in the church, and that the music itself has a surprising power to raise spirits and confirm faith. Yet it's all done in a way that is spiritual without being preachy. A truly joyful film. --Marshall Fine (Quoted at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6303251595/ref=ase_ticsto593/103-7186745-9386221

1.  Download and Read:

An Introduction to the Church in the Southern Black Community found at http://docsouth.unc.edu/church/introduction.html

AND

A History of Gospel Music by Phil Petrie, presented at African Genesis:  located at http://afgen.com/gospel1.html

visit also Negro Spirituals, at http://www.negrospirituals.com/   Navigate your way through the site by clicking on the sub sections in the dark red bar below the logo.

We'll discuss the film we saw on Tuesday, the role of the Black Church in the Community, and the unique contibutions to the American Arts arising out of the Black religious experience.

A Reminder from the original syllabus for this course:

Far too often, when people discuss religion, the discussion becomes an unproductive and unpleasant argument about who is right and who is wrong.  This does not have to be the case.  The academic study of religion in the humanities offers a unique opportunity to learn about American communities of faith in an atmosphere free of both judgment and partisan advocacy.  It focuses on what each group believes and does and on what these beliefs and practices mean to those who are a part of it.  It does not evaluate whether those beliefs and practices are right or wrong, nor does it make judgments about whether a religion is true or false.  The academic study of religion does not judge and it does not advocate.  It does not present religion as preferable to non religion, nor does it favor secularity over religiousness.  It does not attempt to make converts to or from any particular community of faith.  Each community of faith is presented without its beliefs and practices being judged favorably or unfavorably.

I remind us of this sentiment which I quoted from Albanese to urge each of us  to be a little more sensitive to the persons who share in this class with us.  While I'm quite sure no one in here intends to cause anyone else discomfort, occasionally this has happened.  If I were to make a single suggestion, it would be to think about the language in which questions are raised, attempting to frame them in ways which don't sound accusatory or require the respondent to feel on the defensive.  Questions with begin with phrases like Why don't ________ believe ______  can sound as if the questioner is critizing the group in question, the implication being that the person or group should do what the question suggests they aren't doing.  Let me give a personal (non-religous) example of what I mean.

 When I was a younger man, I used to get variations on this question from some of my relatives:  "Why aren't you married?"  "Why don't you get married?" "Aren't you married yet?"  It was very hard to answer questions of this kind seriously or to avoid feeling I had to defend myself.  I would have far preferred a question like "are there any advantages to remaining single?" or "do you find it difficult living as a single person in society where everyone expects you to marry?"

Try to ask questions which allow the exploration of what people do believe rather than those which make them explain what they don't and why.  End of mini-lecture.