Spiritual and Social Transformation in African American Spiritual Churches

Drawing on archival material and ethnographic fieldwork with African American Spiritual Churches in the USA, this book examines how their spiritual and social work can shed light on the interplay between corporate activism and individual spirituality.

Margarita Simon Guillory is an Assistant Professor of Religion at the University of Rochester. She is the co-editor of the volume entitled Esotericism in African American Religious Experience and the co-author of Breaking Bread, Breaking Beats: Churches and Hip Hop-A Basic Guide to Key Issues. In addition to these works, she has published articles in the Journal of Gnostic Studies, Culture and Religion, and Pastoral Psychology.

Introduction: Protest or Accommodation: Political Engagement in African American Religion 1 Setting the Agenda: Social Activism in New Orleans' First Spiritualist Church 2 Mother to the Motherless: Mother Catherine Seal's Manger for the Homeless 3 Laying on Hands: Healing as a Form of Political Activism and Spiritual Restoration 4 Let the Women Speak: Gender Equality and Self-Empowerment in African American Spiritual Churches 5 After the Storm: The Response of African American Spiritual Churches to Shifting Landscapes in Post-Katrina New Orleans Conclusion: A Politico-Spiritual Approach to Social Activism: Implications for African American Religion