Introducing African American Religion

Introducing African American Religionoffers a creative and unique approach to the history of African American religion. Moving beyond institutional history that dominates other books, this volume provides a reader-friendly depiction of the major issues, themes, and problems confronted by African Americans involved in a variety of traditions. Drawing on cultural developments such as hip hop culture, this book links the language and activities of African American religious experience to the cultural worlds in which African Americans live. Moving from the period of slavery and the early arrangement of religious thought and practice within communities of enslaved Africans, through the more recent growth in the number of African American 'Nones', this volume traces what it has meant to be African American and religious within the context of the United States. Key terms, central questions, and highlighted themes frame the book and provide a vital snapshot of some of the traditions that have shaped the religious imagination of the country. Features such as a glossary and timeline help students to become familiar with the main terms of the traditions discussed and to place their development in historical context.