The Church In African American Culture

The church should be highlighted as an integral part of the African American community. It is an important part of their culture because the songs, prayers, and scriptures are created and used in order to interpret events and their feelings. As noted in, "Black Church and Community Action," using these rituals and songs members of the Black Church are able to provide meaning to historical events that occurred, such as slavery and discrimination today. The church has also been known to go beyond these events and combat social problems, like drugs and gangs. Moreover, the culture created in the church become a main component of their group identity. As slaves or freed persons they used scriptures and interpreted it to base it off their own experiences, for this reason the bible is a central part of its culture. However, Stansfield reminds individuals that religion still remains a way of segregation because it is created into a predominantly White or African American congregation. Therefore, it is important to challenge these churches when discussing its significance in the African American community.

The church plays a more significant role in African American communities than in other racial/ethnic roles, so it is important to continue to share that culture, but also to speak about its