Down In The Valley: An Introduction To African American Religious History

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African American religions constitute a diverse group of beliefs and practices that emerged from the African diaspora brought about by the Atlantic slave trade. Traditional religions that had informed the worldviews of Africans were transported to the shores of the Americas and transformed to make sense of new contexts and conditions. This book explores the survival of traditional religions and how African American religions have influenced and been shaped by American religious history. The text provides an overview of the central people, issues, and events in an account that considers Protestant denominations, Catholicism, Islam, Pentecostal churches, Voodoo, Conjure, Rastafarianism, and new religious movements such as Black Judaism, the Nation of Islam, and the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors. The book addresses contemporary controversies, including President Barack Obama's former pastor Jeremiah Wright, and it will be valuable to all students of African American religions, African American studies, sociology of religion, American religious history, the Black Church, and black theology.

Paperback: 286 pages

Publisher: Fortress Press; 1 edition (February 1, 2016)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1451497032

ISBN-13: 978-1451497038

Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches

Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

Best Sellers Rank: #466,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #69 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Theology > Ecumenism #209 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Religious Studies > Religious History #749 in Books > History > World > Religious > Religion, Politics & State

Bailey has written a serviceable introduction to African American religious history. Rather than focusing primarily on the Black Church (in terms of Christianity) he describes African traditional religions, the development and diversity of black churches, the rise of black new religious movements like the Nation of Islam, the civil rights movement, the prosperity gospel and black megachurches. Light on interpretation but often noting where scholarly perspectives diverge, the utility of this book will be as an introduction to the field.(As an aside, I thought Fortress Press could've put a little more effort into the book's typesetting and print quality whereas other FP books I own evince a little more care. The subject is interesting enough to warrant it! A very good overview.)

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