Politics, Power, & the US Black Church

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2021, I walked about the African American churches in our nearby city. A few buildings survive--one famous for Rev. Brown of Brown v. The Board of Education.

This morning 19 Jan 2021), I saw The 1776 Report was issued, which contains different perspectives on slavery and race in America than garnered attention in the NYT 1619 project. In addition to many news events, 2020 raised awareness of Blacks in politics and Blacks who die in police shootings.

Today I see that Barna has published a study on "the Black Church." This post is about their findings (see link to Barna below).

Powerlessness in Politics

Barna found that 75% of Black churchgoers agree with a feeling of powerlessness. Although the Barna writer referred to the January 6 2021 attack on the US Capitol, it is important to notice the date of the research, which took place in April-May 2020.

As the election drew near and passed, the rhetoric grew worse, Atlanta's candidates became a focal point, and White rioters constantly appeared on the news. My point is, sentiment can change so we shall have to stay tuned for additional studies.

Barna.com

A Source of Comfort

Another key sentiment tapped by the Barna research team is the contribution of the church to feelings of comfort and control. The data reveal a strong endorsement of the important of this sentiment in 2020: A full 80% of Black churchgoers agree (37% SA + 43% A).

barna.com

Finally, most Black Churchgoers agree that churches should prioritize both spiritual issues and social issues.

A Problem to Consider in the Barna Study

As a researcher, I noticed something missing. There was no mention of COVID-19 despite the high rates of suffering in Black communities. The focus on socio-political issues is worthy of attention but it is not plausible to ignore the impact of COVID-19 on political issues or the church as a place of comfort in early 2020 at the time of the study.

In addition, the importance of Black voters to the outcome of the election and the celebration of Kamala Harris's official status as Vice President tomorrow, might make a difference beyond the Spring of 2020 (Harris joined the ticket in August). Perhaps we will learn more in a future study.

For research related to mental health services for Pentecostals and Charismatics many of whom are of African descent, see:

Counseling and Psychotherapy with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians

Available on AMAZON and GOOGLE