African American Religion

Daniel envisioned a time when knowledge would increase (Daniel 12:4). There is much evidence today of African American successes in many areas. African Americans have just about improved on about every area of life that tried to defeat them before. During the deadly decades of slavery in America, slaves being able to talk amongst other slaves were a constant cause of concern to most slave owners. They felt this to be a threat to them and their personal safety. For many members of the white society, Black religious gatherings symbolized the ultimate plot to threaten the white American slave owner’s existence. Nevertheless, African slaves established and relied heavily on their religious practices to escape the torture of slavery. Religion offered

a means of relief it was a way of comfort for them. African Americans remained to continue to show their faith in God as they found comfort in their churches during slavery. However, the white society was not always willing to accept slaves participating in Christianity religious practices. They didn’t feel as if the slaves were worthy enough for Christ. As one slave recounted "the white Americans would come in when the slaves would have a prayer meeting, and beat every one of them. Most of them thought that when the slaves prayed they were praying it was against them”. The religious exercises and ceremonies of slaves were watched closely by their owners to watch for any plans of escape or threat to them.
Historically, the black church has been a place for creating individual, systemic, and political change within the black community.

It is where African Americans go to express their faith and beliefs in their god. Ever since the beginning of the late 18th century to its present day existence, the black church has and will always serve as a safe house for African Americans. A place to worship God and build together, and a place where they are motivated and assist in rebuilding the African American rebuild communities. You can guarantee that on Sunday between the hours of 7 a.m. Generally (early morning service) to 4 p.m. generally (afternoon service) there will be a large population of African Americans attending church. This the way it has always been and always will be. It is something that is a tradition, so to speak. They made sure to have themselves and their children prompt for Sunday worship

service.
The African American religious practices in urban areas of the Deep South also changed dramatically, particularly after the late 1880s.

Here is when the issues of social class levels between African Americans came about .As middle-class blacks began to build a religious life much like that of their white counterparts. The lower class working individuals continued to worship in their same small knit churches. Some of the black religious pastors became so involved in some of the mixed religion institutions, such as the services of the YMCA and the Sunday school movement, that were the prime concerns of evangelical life at the turn of the twentieth century. They became yet ok to serve alongside their counterparts as though they were equals. Unlike the white evangelical pastors of the day, who were engaged in theological battles about the bibles history and its interpretation, middle-class African Americans kept their eyes trained toward the mission to achieve social justice and end racism. The battle of racism, which had steadily worsened after the 1870s, promoted a degree of political unity among black Protestant church groups that, at times, outweighed their many differences. So no matter their social status, they took a pack to stick together to seek justice and unity from the white

community.
In the Twenty-first century, the significance of the African American Baptist Church has undergone several changes, the individual organizations remain important to African American religious life. The most significant change for us today, the African American church pastors recognized how important what they were doing for future generations of Americans was. They had to understand that what they do now has an impact on the people of today. Our ancestors that have come before us and have lived through it, they wrote their histories, biographies, memoirs, and other accounts of life in the South during this early era. To give us an insight on what the life was really like during that time and how far we can now from back then. It is through these written stories that we still have the knowledge of the many voices that comprise the first century of the black church in the United States. African Americans need to strive to continue the fight and the path of those that came before us so that no work goes unnoticed.