Page 157 - Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History Vol I - Abraham to Coal

42 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

Matthew 5:43–44—Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate
thine enemy./But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. • BIBLE

New World, and scholars debated the extent to which During the time of slavery, African-Americans in the
African-American religion draws from African religion in United States never experienced complete religious free-
its diverse forms. Few slaves came directly to the United dom, but a number of independent African-American
States from Africa, and the presence or absence of so- congregations and religious associations arose.Two early
called Africanisms is more difficult to discern in American Baptist churches, the Joy Street Baptist Church in Boston
religions than in those of the Caribbean. Nevertheless, (which was established in 1805) and the Abyssinian Bap-
bits and pieces of African religious concepts and rituals tist Church in New York City (which was established in
are present in North America—but in greatly modified 1808), were founded in response to discrimination in
forms. These concepts and rituals include the call-and- racially mixed congregations. Black Baptist congregations
response pattern in preaching, ancestor worship, initia- in the Midwest formed separate regional associations in
tion rites, spirit possession, healing and funeral rituals, the 1850s, and the first Baptist association, the National
magical rituals for obtaining spiritual power, and ecstatic Baptist Convention, U.S.A., was formed in 1895. Black
spirit possession accompanied by rhythmic dancing, Methodists also established independent congregations
drumming, and singing. and associations during the antebellum period. A group
Prior to the American Revolution, few American slaves of blacks belonging to the Free African Society, a mutual
were exposed to Christianity. Initially, planters did not aid society within St. George’s Methodist Episcopal
promote the conversion of their slaves to Christianity Church in Philadelphia, severed ties with its parent body
because they feared that it might give slaves ideas about in 1787 in response to what some black members saw as
equality and freedom that were incompatible with slav- discriminatory practices. A majority of the dissidents
ery. Over time, however, slave owners became convinced united to form St.Thomas’s African Episcopal Church in
that a highly selective interpretation of the Gospel mes- 1794, under the leadership of Absalom Jones. Richard
sage could be used to foster docility in their slaves. Dur- Allen led a minority contingent to establish the Bethel
ing the First Great Awakening (1720–1740), some free African Methodist Episcopal Church.The Bethel Church
blacks and slaves joined Methodist, Baptist, and Pres- became the founding congregation of the African
byterian congregations. The Second Great Awakening Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church—the single largest
(1790–1815), with its numerous camp meetings, at- black Methodist denomination. St. John’s Street Church
tracted more slaves and free blacks to evangelical forms in New York City, with its racially mixed congregation,
of Protestantism. In the eighteenth century, Methodists served as an organizational nexus for what became the
emerged as leaders in developing effective religious second major black Methodist denomination, the African
instruction among the slaves. Following its creation in Methodist Episcopal Zion (AMEZ) Church.
1845, the Southern Baptist Convention also undertook African-American religions became more diverse in the
aggressive missionary work among slaves. Religion early twentieth century as blacks migrated from the rural
scholar Albert Raboteau (1978) has suggested that the South to northern cities. By this time, two National Bap-
Baptists were especially successful because baptism by tist associations and three black Methodist denomina-
immersion resembled West African initiation rites. tions were already well established as the mainstream
Throughout the United States, slaves worshiped in churches in black urban communities. Often these de-
both mixed and segregated congregations. Masters often nominations cut across class lines. Conversely, black
took house slaves with them to religious services at their congregations affiliated with white-controlled Episco-
own (predominantly white) churches, where blacks were palian, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches
required to sit in separate galleries. In addition to attend- catered primarily to African-American elites. Although
ing church services with their masters, slaves held secret mainstream churches attempted to address the social
religious meetings in their own quarters,in“praise houses,” needs of recent migrants, their middle-class orientations
or away from the plantation in so-called hush arbors. often made migrants feel ill at ease. As a consequence,