The Church as A Social, Political and Economic Cornerstone in the African American Community

In Black Church Culture and Community Action, Sandra Barnes explains how prayer serves as a unified activist approach when asking for protection, needs, wants and more within the black community. “The Black person, therefore, needs the traditional strength of Black prayers to provide meaning from the past, affirmation for the present, and hope for the future. The creative prayer meeting can still fulfill this need when its power is released in songs, words, prayers, and testimonies” (Barnes, 2005, 975) With a growing number of (black) people bailing on the church as an institution, and claiming a more personal relationship with God that ‘doesn’t need to be defined’, there seems to be a significant exodus and a rising insignificance of the church. The status of the church in the modern post civil rights era is something that still inspires lively debate till this day. Many claim the black church has been dead since the assasination of Martin Luther King JR, that it’s lost its progressive voice and cannot be reformed to keep up with the new problems of today. Others might argue that it’s still very much alive and point to recent events such as the 2008 American elections that played a role in the first black president being elected and the role the church took in that regard. The role of the church in the African American community, much like society itself is ever changing but the effects of organized christian religion from the times of slavery till today cannot be understated. Karl Marx famously argued that “Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people.” (Marx,1974, 4) Religion - Christianity in this context has continuously offered solace, freedom and hope for black people time and time again in a society that refuses to view them as human. While it’s often argued that religious institutions are not essential to political history, activism and mass mobilization movements, the church has been and is still a fundamental pillar of the black community. The black church, specifically, serves as much more than a religious institution and plays a large role in social, political and economic progression in the African American community.

The black church is an evolved term from “the negro church”, coined by WEB Dubios and his research into African American protestant churches at the turn of the century. Till this day, African Americans do not see themselves particularly belonging to ‘the black church’ and differentiate themselves more towards their denominations; baptist, progressive, pentecostal, methodist, episcopal etc. The history of what is today referred to as the black church dates back to the late 1700’s and early 1800’s when freed black slaves preached to their people. These churches were born out of reaction and protest to slavery and racial oppression, and leaders of these congregation, when found out by the white citizens were arrested and whipped as they were not permitted to preach. In the north vs the south, there was more religious freedom, freed blacks usually attended white institutions, but by the late 1800’s congregations named “African Societies” became the religious staple. These African Societies made way for the independent churches that are the foundations for institutions well known today.  In the south, christianity was infused with the ways of worship known by the slaves from Africa, hymns, singing and passionate preaching paved the way for various tools commonly used in the black church today. In the years after abolition and leading up to the civil war, the black church found its grounding voice in terms of political and spiritual causes. Black ministers used the bible and its stories to preach about slavery, abolition, and segregation. Many claimed that slavery and oppression in itself was directly against the words of the bible and anyone who condoned it would face divine punishment. The Black church along with its ministers and other abolitionists were also a significant force in tools such as the underground railroad, the Montgomery bus boycotts and various political protests. 

“Black networked religion (embracive of all digital networks) is guided by desires for liberation”(Gault, 2020, 11) Though Erika Gault speaks of this in a digital context, this quote pinpoints the very reason for the rise of the black church - liberation. Liberation itself is a social movement, one that the black church is the primary source of in the African American community. From theological cohesiveness, one that is defined by their faith and their roots, that has built such a strong community, to education, and engagement, the church has established itself as a safety net that Black Americans can use on their path to claiming the American dream. The church has routinely created advocacy programs addressing the needs of their community; food pantries, serving meals to the hungry, homeless shelters, after school programs, job banks and so much more. They have fought and continue to fight to bridge the gap and advocate for policies that address the disparities presented in the black community. Preaching and showing action about ensuring equity and fairness as a fundamental part of what being a black christian means. This responsibility comes from the times of slavery and the lack of space to create community anywhere else than in their prayer communities. Not only did slaves envsiona future of freedom through prayer but they manifested it through hard work and support of each other, a tradition that is still being carried out today. Gunnar Myrdal in the early forties writes about the power of the black church, saying “the Negro church is undoubtedly a power institution. It has the masses organized and if the church decided to do so, they could line up the Negro behind a program. Actually the Negro church is, on the whole, passive in the field of intercaste power relations. It generally provides meeting halls and encourages members to attend when other organizations want to influence the Negro - In the North it has been a strong force for social action. - Christian churches generally have, for the most part, conformed to the power situation of the time and locality. They have favored a passive acceptance of one’s worldly condition and have seen their main function in providing escape and consolation of sufferers.”(Myrdal, 1944, 874)

“Black religious thought is not identical with the Christian theology of white Americans. Nor is it identical with traditional African beliefs...It is both – but reinterpreted for and adapted to the life-situation of black people’s struggle for justice” (Cone, 1984, 755). James Cone explains that the black church is specifically defined by “race” in the context of black and white however it’s defined by how all these black persons view and worship their God. The teachings of the black church derive from christianity and from the pre colonial african roots. This makes the religion and its teachings a unique kind of christianity. As unique as the teachings are, it manifests a very unique community, one that knows what it means to fight even in political aspects. Political and community action can be argued to be the very reason the black church exists, Barnes tells us that ”Biblical text, especially when presented during sermons, help socialize African Americans in regard to other-worldly and this-worldly pursuit”(Barnes, 2005, 970) we should not be surprised that these sermons and lessons inspired and even mobilized black people to fight for the rights they deserved. Martin Luther King’s famous quote “The church cannot be silent while mankind faces the threat of nuclear annihilation. If the church is true to her mission, he must call for an end to the arms race.” reminds us that during the height of political insurgency the church was pushed to be the face of political movements that garnered freedom for black people. Jesse Jackson’s political campaign of 1984 and 1988 are illustrations of this kind of church backed mobilization. Jackson constantly visited churches to preach and endorse his campaign, he was seen as legitimate by his backing of various well known ministers and church going affiliates. This happened again in turn with former president Barack Obama who was once known to be a part of the Trinity Church, a well known black church which constantly endorsed him and his race to president. Apart from organized elections the black church is a conduit for political education. It makes sure the public is aware of policies and how civic institutions operate. Various advocacy groups independent of the church but still backed by it like the Black Political Action Committee and The Poor People's Campaign are examples of the influence black churches have in the political community.

When the Civil Rights Movement was at its peak black churches worked with student groups like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and Congress on racial Equality (CORE), these student led organizations led various sit-ins and mass mobilization events which were usually planned in these black churches. “Black religious culture provided such a strong collective action frame because the black church had been a “free space” within the black community for centuries. As a ‘free space’ the church offered an environment in which people were able to learn self respect, a deeper and more assertive group identity, public skills and values of cooperation and civic virtue”(Calhoun-Brown, 2000, 172) When Rosa Parks was famously arrested for sitting in  the whites only section of the bus, a mass meeting was held at the church along with Martin Luther King Jr and several others. Through most major civil rights events the church and its ministers played pivotal roles in collaboration with other activists and mobilization leaders.

Along with various political and social roles the black church has been involved with, this institution is also a pillar for economic growth in the black community. The earliest history of economic prosperity and development took shape through mutual aid and lodging systems. These then grew and created institutions such as black owned banks and more. In an article titled The Black Church. Is this the Key To Black Economic Empowerment? author, Bill Mari writes that “The Black Church is central to the economic development of the African American community for a number of reasons: It is the largest socio economic institution in the Black community. It is the largest repository of Black monetary wealth, conservatively the annual income of the institutional Black church is over $2 Billion” (Mari, 2020, 1) Mari argues that the institution of the black church has a revolutionary potential in transforming the African American community and America as a whole. Through his thought process this is possible by constructing a nationwide economic wholesale- retail network backed by black banks and funded by black churches. While the idea does seem a bit far fetched, the idea of the church creating an opportunity structure that benefits their community is not impossible. The black church has in the past been the go to institution for monetary aid when banks refused to lend to African Americans. In Black Church Sponsorship of Economic Programs: A Test of Survival and Liberation Strategies, Sandra Barnes dissects the economic challenges in the African American community and the role of the Black church in sponsoring programs to minimize poverty and the unemployment rate. These programs include but aren't limited to; cash programs, employment programs and credit unions, and date back to the early 1900’s. Barnes discusses this move to provide economic relief as a liberation tactic “Because the Black Church is an entity on which community members often rely, they are typically expected to meet spiritual and economic needs. Despite the economically precariousness of the lives of the needy, Black churches are expected to provide some modicum of stability through both temporal and religious assistance”(Barnes, 2011, 25) Barnes argues that the economic relief provided by the black church is part of their very importance in the black community and though these opportunities cannot fight the system oppression that puts black people at the bottom of the social ladder and leaves the vulnerable wealth disparities it is a big start and relief in pushing for much needed long term systemic support and change.

James Walker discusses the role of the church in the black community as well as its meaning in black identity, he concluded that “the Black church has harboured and succoured a distinct view of life that is rich and satisfying to its members. It is, of course, a Christian definition of the meaning of life, a gospel-oriented definition that has survived despite the increasing materialization of mainstream society. If Blacks hold values that are distinct from white society' those distinctions can be traced to the central importance of the Gospel in the Black community life, as preserved and transmitted by the Black church.” (Walker, 1979, 87) Here, Walker reminds us that the Black Christian identity is very unique, so much that a lot of the formation of it can be traced back to the church and less of the ‘individualistic’ sense of religion that we see today. While the black church isn’t the perfect institution in any sense of the word, nor is it the only religious affiliation that has had significant impact in American politics. It’s important to acknowledge the role they’ve played in all aspects of black life, a role that they’re still heavily tied to and one future political, social and economic opportunists will continue to seek out. Du Bois says “one can see in the Negro church today, reproduced in microcosm, all the great world from which the Negro is cut off by color-prejudice and social condition…. Practically, a proscribed people must have a social Centre, and that Centre for this people is the Negro church.” (Du Bois, 1903, 79 ) And this still rings true till today, the problems in the African American community are exacerbated because of systemic oppression and the church still stands as an alleviation to these problems.

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Works Cited 

Gault, Erika D. “‘My People Are Free!’: Theorizing the Digital Black Church.” Fire!!! 6, no. 1 (2020): 1–16. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5323/48581551.

Barnes, Sandra L. “Black Church Culture and Community Action.” Social Forces 84, no. 2 (2005): 967–94. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3598487.

Vedlitz, Arnold, Jon P. Alston, and Carl Pinkele. “Politics and the Black Church in a Southern Community.” Journal of Black Studies 10, no. 3 (1980): 367–75. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2784143.

Marx, Karl, 1818-1883. The Essentials of Marx; The Communist Manifesto, by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels; Wage-Labor and Capital; Value, Price and Profit, and Other Selections, by Karl Marx. New York :Vanguard press, 1926.

Cone, James (1984). Black Theology in American Religion. Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Vol. LIII, No. 3. 

Mari, Bill. 2021. "The Black Church. Is This The Key To Black Economic Empowerment?". Black Economics. https://blackeconomics.co.uk/2020/08/13/the-black-church-is-this-the-key-to-black-economic-empowerment/.ey-to-black-economic-empowerment/> [Accessed 18 December 2021].

Rose, Arnold M, and Gunnar Myrdal. 1964. The Negro In America. New York: Harper & Row.

Calhoun-Brown, Allison. “Upon This Rock: The Black Church, Nonviolence, and the Civil Rights Movement.” PS: Political Science and Politics 33, no. 2 (2000): 169–74. https://doi.org/10.2307/420886.

Barnes, Sandra L. “Black Church Sponsorship of Economic Programs: A Test of Survival and Liberation Strategies.” Review of Religious Research 53, no. 1 (2011): 23–40. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41940716.

Walker, James W. St. G. n.d. The Black Loyalists.

Du Bois, W. E. B. n.d. The Souls Of Black Folk.