Racism And Heterosexism Within African American Churches

Since the arrival of African Americans in this country blacks have always had differing experiences. Consequently, African-Americans have had to forge a self-identity out of what has been passed on to them as fact about their true selves. History has wrought oppression and subjugation to this particular race of people and as a result, certain institutions were formed in order aid African-Americans, culturally, spiritually and economically. The African-American Church has served of one such institution. From the time of slavery, though outlawed, many slaves found ways to congregate and form their own "churches", away from the one-sided and bias lessons about the bible that they were being taught in the white church. The white ministers and

Black religion was no longer regarded as exemplary or special. During a time of growing segregation and violence, some black leaders attempted to counter this perspective seen by whites by embracing the romantic racialist notions that “blacks possessed peculiar gifts.” These gifts being directly connected to the importance of black churches in a time of direct exclusion of blacks from other pieces of society.

Many individuals have this malnourished ideal that HIV/AIDS is a disease based on race. “AIDS; which has ravaged minority community in disproportionately large numbers, must be viewed as racial issue, the national commission member on AIDS said yesterday” (Priest). Years ago Yale University law professor Harlon Dalton said this about HIV/AIDS, “We cannot approach the AIDS problem in a color blind fashion” (Priest). With this being said we need to stop pointing fingers at blacks’ for the disproportionate factor of HIV in this country. And also stop pointing fingers at black homosexuals.

With headlines in the news such as The Sun dubbing AIDS as the ‘gay plague’ it was an irresistible red rag to the bull for the media, even though in Africa other populations were infected right from the beginning. (Dowsett, W, Gary. 2009) In an excerpt from Simon Garfield’s The end of Innocence Britain in the time of AIDS, Roy Greensdale the assistant editor of the Sun from 1981 to 1986 recalls that ‘AIDS appeared to be just desserts for being involved in deviant sexual behaviour. It was quickly realized that it came about due to anal sex, and heterosexual executives on the Sun thus fed in the fact that it was a gay plague. AIDS tended to suggest that it might stop all that kind of behaviour, and might lead to fewer gays being about.’ The gay community has always been an easy target for hostility throughout history and when the controversy surrounding the AIDS panic began to surface it became another way in which to ostracise them for their ‘wages of sin’. (The Daily Telegraph). 1983).

The development of Black Theology in the United was one that shocked the nation as a whole. While in slavery, Blacks had to sneak and hold church services. This was partly because Whites felt that Blacks were not able to be accepted into heaven, and they believed that once one as a Christian they could no longer be enslaved. So to appease their conscience they would not allow Blacks to take part in theology. Due to these issues Black Theology soon originated within the United States.

Since, “Religion's initial and primary thrust is conservative”(Pg. 17), as such, the Church today is open to racial reconciliation, but the initial thrust is conservative in nature, thus leading us to take a passive approach. Though admirable, it isn’t taking the necessary and progressive steps needed for a racial reconciliation within itself, let alone society at large, which is why Evangelicalism has fallen short of brining forth change towards this issue.

1. What does the increase of education Among African-American clergy indicate? (Chapter 5) As the results of our survey will show, educational level has been a key variable in determining a pastor’s awareness of social problems in the surrounding community, cooperation with social agencies, attitude toward politics, and awareness of internal problems in church structures (Lincoln, C. Eric, and Lawrence H. Mamiya 130).

African American young men are infected with HIV at an alarmingly high rate in comparison to other races. The negative stigmas that is attached to having HIV in the black community, especially for men can be extremely detrimental and harmful to their overall health. One stigma that was attached to having HIV was death, death was at one time believed to be imminent, and now HIV is about restructuring their lives to face the future (Buseh, Kelber, Stevens & Park, 2008, p.409), yet they still battle other stigmas surrounded around HIV.

Sunday was often the only day that enslaved blacks did not have to work. The Sabbath became a full day of preaching, community building and socializing. The African American church still maintains this practice of an extended worship day with longer services and sermons than most other religious. The average time for blacks’ churches services is about ninety minutes, with the sermons lasting more than thirty minutes long. This is the etiquette article of African American churches. The Methodist church, however, rules governs differently. Their etiquette is designed specifically and honorably to God. The honoring of the sanctuary in reference to the pulpit, communion table, maintain silence before God, church bibles and hymnals, treatment of the pews. Languages that honors God, enter and exit as directed appropriately. Honoring the Lord’s Supper which includes, kneeling at the communion rail, receiving the bread, receiving the cup, and remaining in church after receiving the Lord’s Supper and honoring the church building, that is, cleanliness is next to Godliness, eat only where it is allowed, keep the outside of the church building neat and clean and treat Christian symbols with respect. AME church, simple put etiquette is respecting the place you worship and embracing your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Etiquette is also an opportunity for teenager or youth church. Youth should also know the sacredness of God’s house. Their attire, language and behavior should

In the past ten years, the nonstop discussion and stress has been over the question of homosexuality. Are homosexuals to be excluded from the community of faith? Article writers, Richard B. Hays and Walter Wink explain their perspective and answer the ongoing talk.

Unlike DiAngelo’s White Privilege essay, a group of religious authorities under the umbrella of Christian Churches Together in the U.S.A. wrote a response letter to Dr. Reverend King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” First quoting a portion of Dr. King’s letter then responding to the quote, the group takes a Biblical stance on the racial issues that continue to preside in modern day American culture. Beginning the essay, the group differentiates between merely acting upon the symptoms of racism. “... (a) superficial kind of social analysis…” and discovering and fixing the root of the racial. By investigating the racial issues at hand and striving towards Dr. King’s dream of a community of equal opportunities for all races, then the conversation of racial inequality can begin. Realizing that fostering a multiracial community centered around radical love that forsakes “safety of our social order,” we, as the Christian body need to develop a society that eliminates the social prejudices currently penetrate into every aspect of

The history of religion in the United States comes a long way dating from the early 1600s when the first pilgrim settlers came to this country. It has been noted that these settlers were highly influenced by the Protestant faith which led to a community level of influence in this country as well. The faith of theses settlers were motivated from the New World of Europe where they practiced their religion in a peaceful environment. Later in history, it was noted that people of Spanish decent started the famous network of the Catholic missions in California. When California became a part of the United States, Catholic churches and institutes were formed. These churches and institutes were also formed in New Orleans and Louisiana.

I jumped at the opportunity to complete the extra credit assignment because of the topic. I have always wanted to attend an African American Baptist Church. I was raised Catholic in a predominantly white community and for the chance to experience something different was appealing. I’ve seen the stereotypes in movies and on TV about what an African American Baptist church looks like but I wanted to experience it myself. I wasn’t sure on what to expect but kept an open mind about the situation.

Preaching Context: Rural congregation that practice very traditional worship, services. The church is politically and theologically conservative and predominantly white straight. People in the community are white farms and immigrant farm workers. White people are experiencing problems of gangs, drugs, and alcoholism. There is a need to reach out immigrant families who are laboring workers in that community.

The church’s social gospel teaching and preaching has contributed to the biopsychosocial and spiritual needs of the Black Community. Having to meet more of these needs is imperative within the Black Church today due to the War on Drugs initiative, which lead to increased incarceration and reentry rates within the Black Community. Once released from prison, many former inmates have no desire to return. They want to help others and live out their lives with purpose and meaning. However, without assistance from a Church with a social justice agenda, achieving this goal is difficult.