Anthony B. Pinn

A close look at the religious landscape of African American communities presents a layered religious reality comprising many faiths and practices. This work provides an introduction to this religious diversity of African American communities in the United States, with "snapshots" of 11 religious traditions practiced by African Americans.

"This history, co-authored by a black minister and a black theologian, provides an overview of the shape and history of major black religious bodies: Methodist, Baptist, and Pentecostal. With photos, timelines, profiles, and additional readings, Pinn and Pinn ably explain the evolution of black Christianity into the groups we know today. A final chapter sketches the state of black Christian church bodies and their ongoing contributions to a more just American society. The Pinns's book will help a new generation of black Americans assess the religious legacy of the black churches and the larger society to gauge their social import."--BOOK JACKET.

Publisher Fact Sheet

Anthony Pinn's engrossing survey highlights the rich diversity of black religious life in America, revealing expressions of an ever-changing black religious quest in four non-Christian religious movements. Based on extensive research, travel, and interviews - and embellished with photos, bibliographies, and case studies - Pinn's work provides a fascinating look especially at Voodoo, Santeria, the Nation of Islam, and Black Humanism in the United States. Focusing less on institutional and doctrinal history and more on the varied popular religious practices and sites, his volume highlights, for example, the influence of Caribbean religions in the United States, practices of divination and healing, the surge of black Muslim religion, the emergence of black humanism, and the religious influence and ethical practices of black women.

"The future of the United States rests in many ways on how the ongoing challenge of racial injustice in the country is addressed. Yet, humanists remain divided over what if any agenda should guide humanist thought and action toward questions of race. In this volume, Anthony B. Pinn makes a clear case for why humanism should embrace racial justice as part of its commitment to the well-being of life in general and human flourishing in particular. As a first step, humanists should stop asking why so many racial minorities remain committed to religious traditions that have destroyed lives, perverted justice, and justified racial discrimination. Rather, Pinn argues, humanists must first confront a more pertinent and pressing question: why has humanism failed to provide a more compelling alternative to theism for so many minority groups? For only with a bit of humility and perspective-and a recognition of the various ways in which we each contribute to racial injustice-can we truly fight for justice"-- "Examines why has humanism failed to provide a more compelling alternative to theism for so many minority groups and makes a case for why humanism should embrace racial justice as part of its commitment to the well-being of life in general and human flourishing in particular"--

"Is there really a monolithic "Black church"? Distilling the arguments of Pinn's important and provocative work in Terror and Triumph, this brief work asks the central question: What really is African American religion? Sketching the religious landscape of African American communities today, Pinn makes explicit the tension in traditional conversations about Black religion that privilege either Christianity in particular or organizations (with doctrines and creeds) in general. Discussing the misunderstandings and historical inaccuracies of such views, Pinn offers an alternate theory of Black religion that begins with a basic push for embodied meaning as its core impulse"--Publisher description.

Rap music is often seen as a Black secular response to pressing issues of our time. Yet, like spirituals, the blues, and gospel music, rap has deep connections to African American religious traditions. Noise and Spirit explores the diverse religious dimensions of rap stemming from Islam (including the Nation of Islam and Five Percent Nation), Rastafarianism, and Humanism, as well as Christianity. The volume examines rap's dialogue with religious traditions, from the ways in which Islamic rap music is used as a method of religious and political instruction to the uses of both the blues and Black women's rap for considering the distinction between God and the Devil [Publisher description].

"Kendrick Lamar has established himself at the forefront of contemporary Hip-Hop culture. Artistically adventurous and socially conscious, he has been unapologetic in using his art form, rap music, to address issues affecting black lives while also exploring subjects fundamental to the human experience, such as religious belief. This book is the first to provide an interdisciplinary academic analysis of the impact of Lamar's corpus. In doing so, it highlights how Lamar's music reflects current tensions that are keenly felt when dealing with the subjects of race, religion and politics. Starting with Section 80 and ending on DAMN., this book deals with each of Lamar's four major projects in turn. A panel of academics, journalists and hip-hop practitioners show how religion, in particular black spiritualties, take a front-and-centre role in his work. They also observe that his astute and biting thoughts on race and culture may come from an African American perspective, but many find something familiar in Lamar's lyrical testimony across great chasms of social and geographical difference. This sophisticated exploration of one of popular culture's emerging icons reveals a complex and multi-faceted engagement with religion, faith, race, art and culture. As such, it will be vital reading for anyone working in Religious, African American and Hip-Hop studies, as well as scholars of Music, Media and Popular Culture"--