The African American Religious Experience in America (The American Religious Experience) - Hardcover

Pinn, Anthony B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0313325855 ISBN 13: 9780313325854

Publisher: Greenwood, 2005

Synopsis

Most who think about African American religion limit themselves to black churches, or perhaps to aspects of Islamic thought and practice. But a close look at the religious landscape of African American communities presents a much more complex, thick, and layered religious reality comprising many competing faiths and practices. The African American Religious Experience in America provides readers with an introduction to the tremendous religious diversity of African American communities in the United States, with snapshots of 11 religious traditions practiced by African Americans―from Buddhism to Catholicism, from Judaism to Voodoo. Each snapshot provides readers a better understanding of how African Americans practice their faiths in the United States.

The African American Religious Experience in America provides resources for students taking classes on the history of American religion, African American Studies, and on American Studies. In addition to the in-depth discussion of the varieties of African American Religion, the volume includes a historical introduction to the development of African American Religion, a glossary of terms, a timeline of important events, a series of short biographies of important figures in the history of African American religion and a bibliography of sources for further study. Finally, the book includes a series of primary source documents that will provide students with first-person accounts of how religion is practiced in the African American community both today and in the past.

About this title

Book Description:

"Presents an introduction to several different faiths practiced in the black community: Buddhism, Catholicism, Judaism, voodoo, and many more."--Library Journal "An excellent resource for high school and college students studying African-American religion, American religions, and American studies."--MultiCultural Review "This illustrated chronicle of the spiritual paths of African Americans through major denominations such as Islam and various Christian denominations as well as smaller groups such as Santeria and humanism, includes perspectives on the impact that slavery and civil rights struggles have had on faith practices."--VOYA Too often, consideration of African American religious expression is limited to considerations of black churches or to aspects of Islamic thought and practice. This comprehensive overview reveals the tremendous diversity of the African American religious communities in America by examining black spiritual churches, Buddhism, humanism, Judaism, Nation of Islam, Protestant churches, the Roman Catholic Church, Santerķa, Sunni Islam, and voodoo. Anthony Pinn opens each chapter with a historical introduction to a specific tradition and the unique African American religious experience within it. This is followed by a timeline of notable events in and details of the religion's practices. The book also contains a glossary of terms, a series of short biographies of important figures in the history of African American religion, and primary source documents that offer first-person accounts of past and present religious practices.

About the Author:

Anthony B. Pinn Anthony B. Pinn is the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University. Pinn is the author/editor of fifteen books, including: Varieties of African American Religious Experience (1998),The Black Church in the Post-Civil Rights Era (2002), and Terror and Triumph: The Nature of Black Religion (2003).

About this edition

• Publisher: Greenwood
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0313325855
• ISBN 13: 9780313325854
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 376