Uplifting the People: Three Centuries of Black Baptists in Alabama (Religion and American Culture)

Uplifting the People is a history of the Alabama Missionary Baptist State Convention—its origins, churches, associations, conventions, and leaders. Fallin demonstrates that a distinctive Afro-Baptist faith emerged as slaves in Alabama combined the African religious emphasis on spirit possession, soul-travel, and rebirth with the evangelical faith of Baptists. The denomination emphasizes a conversion experience that brings salvation, spiritual freedom, love, joy, and patience, and also stresses liberation from slavery and oppression and highlights the exodus experience. In examining the social and theological development of the Afro-Baptist faith over the course of three centuries, Uplifting the People demonstrates how black Baptists in Alabama used faith to cope with hostility and repression. Fallin reveals that black Baptist churches were far more than places of worship. They functioned as self-help institutions within black communities and served as gathering places for social clubs, benevolent organizations, and political meetings. Church leaders did more than conduct services; they protested segregation and disfranchisement, founded and operated schools, and provided community leaders for the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century. Through black churches, members built banking systems, insurance companies, and welfare structures. Since the gains of the civil rights era, black Baptists have worked to maintain the accomplishments of that struggle, church leaders continue to speak for social justice and the rights of the poor, and churches now house day care and Head Start programs. Uplifting the People also explores the role of women, the relations between black and white Baptists, and class formation within the black church. 0817315691......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 List of Illustrations......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Part 1 / Slavery and Reconstruction, 1701-1874......Page 18 1. Slaves, Afro-Baptist Faith, and Black Preachers......Page 20 2. God’s Gift of Freedom......Page 46 Part 2 / Post-Reconstruction, 1874-1900......Page 72 3. Church Life, Expansion, and Denominational Concerns......Page 74 4. Education, Black Nationalism, and Sociopolitical Concerns......Page 96 5. Theology and Leadership......Page 114 Part 3 / The Progressive Era, 1900-1917......Page 132 6. Protest, Growth, and Revivalism......Page 134 7. Urbanization and Economic Self-Help......Page 154 Part 4 / Before and after World War II, 1917-1954......Page 180 8. Between the Wars......Page 182 9. Rising Militancy......Page 210 Part 5 / The Civil Rights Movement and Beyond, 1954-2000......Page 236 10. Protest and Reorganization......Page 238 11. Continuity, Preservation, and Challenge......Page 263 Conclusion: Serving the Needs of the People......Page 279 Notes......Page 282 Bibliographical Essay......Page 292 Bibliography......Page 304 Index......Page 318 Uplifting the People is a history of the Alabama Missionary Baptist State Convention & mdash; its origins, churches, associations, conventions, and leaders. Fallin demonstrates that a distinctive Afro-Baptist faith emerged as slaves in Alabama combined the African religious emphasis on spirit possession, soul-travel, and rebirth with the evangelical faith of Baptists. The denomination emphasizes a conversion experience that brings salvation, spiritual freedom, love, joy, and patience, and also stresses liberation from slavery and oppression and highlights the exodus experience Slaves, Afro-baptist Faith, And Black Preachers -- God's Gift Of Freedom -- Church Life, Expansion, And Denominational Concerns -- Education, Black Nationalism, And Sociopolitical Concerns -- Theology And Leadership -- Protest, Growth, And Revivalism -- Urbanization And Economic Self-help -- Between The Wars -- Rising Militancy -- Protest And Reorganization -- Continuity, Preservation, And Challenge. Wilson Fallin, Jr. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.