The African American Religious Experience in America

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

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 Americansfrom 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.

Reviews

[P]resents an introduction to several different faiths practiced in the black community: Buddhism, Catholicism, Judaism, voodoo, and many more. * Library Journal African American Issues *
[H]ighly recommended.for any college-level institution.[o]ffers solid research, source material references, and social insights.[T]he African American Religious Experience provides snapshots of 11 religious traditions close to the Afro-American experience in the US, from Buddhism to Voodoo. Each chapter opens with a historical introduction, moving to discussions off the Afro-American religious experience, a timeline of notable events, and details on different religious practices. Sidebars of information and source material bibliographies make for fine reference. * Midwest Book Review - Internet Bookwatch *
This volume, from an esteemed reilgious historian, is an excellent resource for high school and college students studying African-American religion, American religions, and American studies. In-depth discussions and historical information are provided. These include primary source documents that will give students first-person accounts of how religion is practiced in the African-American commununity today and in the past. * MultiCultural Review *
This illustrated chronicle of the spiritual paths of African Americans through major denominations such as Islam and various Christian denominiations 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. It provides a specific and needed cultural perspective on race and religion in North America. * VOYA *

Author Bio

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).