Our Scripture verse for today is Matthew 19:14 which reads: "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, "The possibility and reality of becoming someone new is offered by Jesus Christ when one is placed in the true church. Second Corinthians 5:17 states: 'Therefore if any man [person] be in Christ, he [or she] is a new creature [creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.' This is a profound message of the Gospel and true church. Imagine slaves who were humiliated and treated as less than persons but had within them the message of being a new creation in Christ."
Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- The Arts (Part 3)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.
There was usually enough stability within African states and among them to make possible healthy economic development. The division of labor and the practice of specialization in occupations display a remarkable versatility and variety of talents and tastes. The interest in commerce and the understanding of the economic importance of contact with the European and Asian worlds show a realism similar to that of contemporary states in other parts of the world.
Nothing is more impressive in viewing the social institutions of Africa than the cohesive influence of the family. The immediate family, the clan, and the ethnic community undergirded every aspect of life. The rule of discipline enforced in the family was responsible in large measure for the stability that has been observed in various aspects of life. The influence and hold that the patriarch had over the members of the family was largely responsible for the stability that was characteristic of the area. The deep loyalty and attachment of the individual to the family approached reverence and indeed was the basis for most of the religious practices, in which veneration of ancestors played such an important part.
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Our second topic for today is "The Institutional Church of the Free Negroes, Part 6" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:
Conflict over the Question of Status
It is apparent then that in the early development of the Negro church on an institutional basis there was the question of the status of the Negro preachers and Negro communicants in relation to the white church organizations. In the South where slavery was the normal condition of the Negro or as the Supreme Court of Mississippi stated that the laws of the State "presume a Negro prima facie to be a slave," it was to be expected that the question of the status of the Negro in the churches should be insistent. In fact, the schism which was created in the various national church organizations over the question of slavery involved the status of the Negro in the Christian churches. After many attempts to reconcile the viewpoint of the southern sections of these church organizations which sought justification of slavery in the Scriptures with that of northern elements who refused to justify slavery on Christian grounds, the Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians split and set up separate organizations. In the South the Negroes continued to join the Methodist and Baptist churches in large numbers and to worship in the segregated sections of the churches of their masters.
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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks.
Today we are continuing with part 3 of Chapter 3: "Reaction -- 1820 to 1865"
A TERRIBLE DEMORALIZING ERA
Under the lax moral life of the plantation, where marriage was a farce, laziness a virtue, and property a theft, a religion of resignation and submission degenerated easily, in less strenuous minds, into a philosophy of indulgence and crime. Many of the worst characteristics of the Negro masses of today had their seed in this period of the slave's ethical growth. Here it was that the Home was ruined under the very shadows of the church, white and black; here habits of a shiftlessness took root, and sullen hopelessness replaced hopeful strife.
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Our Scripture verse for today is Colossians 2:9-10 which reads: "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"
Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, “One's worldview has a profound impact on one's psychology of life and one's behavior. The 'Black Church' teaches a worldview. It is Bibliocentric and views life as important, ordained of God, with a future life that is even better. This 'otherworldly' aspect of religion has been misinterpreted by many, including Black writers. Such writers saw the 'otherworldliness' as escapism or as 'opium of the people.' While one must admit that in the practice of Christianity, one can exhibit escapism, true religion/Christianity is both 'this and otherworldly.' Jesus indicated in His high priestly prayer that we are 'in the world but not of the world.' It is the proper understanding of this and other Scriptures that allows one to maintain sanity in the midst of oppression, hatred, discrimination, etc. Without such a view it would have been easy for our fore parents to give up and say, 'What's the use?'"
In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks.
Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- The Arts (Part 2)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.
The numerous spoken languages found in Africa always constituted a barrier to the development of literary forms. From the Atlantic to Ethiopia, through the heart of the continent, the languages of the Sudanic group are spoken. In the southern half of Africa, Bantu is spoken. There are at least ten Semitic dialects, ranging from the Arabic in North Africa to the Berber dialects heard in the Great Desert. Besides, there are many communal dialects and languages that have no apparent relationship with the principal language groups. Among these are the languages of Suto, Rwanda, and Banda. Thus, where there is so much heterogeneity in the spoken language, even within a relatively small area, the almost insurmountable difficulties involved in the evolution of adequate means of extensive communication become readily apparent.
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Our second topic for today is "The Institutional Church of the Free Negroes, Part 5" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:
Andrew Bryan was born a slave in South Carolina and was brought by his master to Savannah. He began with public exhortations and prayer meetings and was soon preaching to congregations of white and black people in Savannah. Bryan was permitted by his master and other whites to erect a church. But considerable opposition developed because it was feared that despite the "salutary" effect of his preaching, the religious gatherings would lead to a slave uprising. Bryan and his brother suffered considerable persecution including whippings and torture. His master came to his defense, and he was permitted to conduct his services in a barn. Through the assistance of influential friends he was able to collect funds in order to purchase a lot upon which he built a church. When his master died, the heirs of the estate gave him an opportunity to purchase his freedom. However, the church remained under the control of the heirs of his master's estate and the worship of the communicants continued to be supervised by whites. As the membership increased, a number of congregations split and new churches were founded. When Bryan died in 1812, he was the acknowledged and respected leader of the religious life of Negroes in Georgia.
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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks. Today we are continuing with part 2 of Chapter 3: "Reaction -- 1820 to 1865".
RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED
Southern states moved rapidly to enact stringent laws. In Mississippi in 1823 it became unlawful for six or more Blacks to meet for educational purposes. Meetings for religious purposes required the permission of the master. Even then a recognized White minister or two reputable Whites had to be present. In Delaware in 1831, no more than twelve Blacks were allowed to assemble later than 12 o'clock midnight unless three respectable Whites were present. No free Black could attempt to call a meeting for religious worship unless authorized by a judge or justice of peace upon recommendation of five respectable White citizens. In many sections of the South Black preachers were silenced and not allowed to preach other than on their own plantations, and then only with their masters' consent.
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Our Scripture verse for today is Ephesians 3:20-21 which reads: "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
Our History of Black Americans and the Black Church quote for today is from Lee June, a professor at Michigan State University and the author of the book, "Yet With A Steady Beat: The Black Church through a Psychological and Biblical Lens." He said, The nature of the Christian message is one that, when properly understood and applied, gives meaning to life. The church, with its message of hope and its vision of humankind that are abstracted from a biblical viewpoint, makes a profound impact on the believer. The church and its message actually give new meaning to life. This meaning in turn gives a direction to life."
In this podcast, we are using as our texts: From Slavery to Freedom, by John Hope Franklin, The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier, and The Black Church In The U.S. by William A. Banks.
Our first topic for today is titled "The African Way of Life -- The Arts (Part 1)" from the book, "From Slavery to Freedom" by John Hope Franklin.
In some areas of art, Africans attained a high degree of expression. In carvings and sculptures of wood, stone, and ivory, their work displayed an originality both in technique and subject matter that marked them clearly as a people with an abundant capacity for aesthetic expression. There was, of course, a great degree of variation from place to place in the level of expression attained, but hardly any community failed to show some inclination toward the use of certain art forms. Benin bronze and brass works of rosettes, doorplates, and metal vases reflect great skill in the use of this difficult medium. Among the Yoruba the delicacy of form seen in the terra-cotta pieces is a testimonial to the rare artistry that these people possessed. The statuettes of people and animals widely used by African communities in religious rites serve as a reminder that almost everywhere some Africans concerned themselves with artistic activities. From Timbuktu to the Congo there was considerable work in wood, gold, silver, ivory, clay, and the like, and it cannot be denied that many of these pieces bear witness to the fact that African art was not only indigenous but also worthy of the name.
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Our second topic for today is "The Institutional Church of the Free Negroes, Part 4" from The Negro Church in America by E. Franklin Frazier. He writes:
The relation of the free Negroes to the white Christian churches may be seen first in the activities of the early Negro preachers and their relations with white congregations. This was natural since, as we have seen, the Negro preacher slave as well as free, occupied a dominant position in the religious activities of Negroes. The traditional African priesthood had disappeared and a church organization only grew up gradually among the Negroes.
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Our third and final topic for today is from "The Black Church in the U.S.: Its Origin, Growth, Contributions, and Outlook" by Dr. William A. Banks.
Today we are looking at the section titled, "Reaction -- 1820 to 1865"
CAUSES BEHIND THE REACTION
In the critical era of 1820-65, slavery became an extremely important part of the South's economy. First, in the industrial revolution that took place, the invention of the cotton gin increased a slave's ability to clean cotton by 50 pounds a day. New machines like the wool-comber, spinning jenny, and steam engine played their part in increasing the slave's value. For those who stooped so low, slave breeding became a lucrative practice. This had a great demoralizing effect upon the Blacks who had practically no family life as it was. New machines meant greater production; this required more slaves, who, in turn, became more valuable.
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