Black Americans And The Missionary Movement In Africa

Collection of articles about the history of missions from an African-American perspective.

In "Encountering Empire", Elisabeth Engel traces how black American missionaries - men and women grappling with their African heritage - established connections in Africa during the heyday of European colonialism. Reconstructing the black American 'colonial encounter,' Engel analyzes the images, transatlantic relationships, and possibilities of representation African American missionaries developed for themselves while negotiating colonial regimes. Between 1900 and 1939, these missionaries paved the way for the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest independent black American institution, to establish a presence in Britain's sub-Saharan colonies. Illuminating a neglected chapter of Atlantic history, Engel demonstrates that African Americans used imperial structures for their own self-determination. "Encountering Empire" thus challenges the notion that pan-Africanism was the only viable strategy for black emancipation.

Venture into the world of overseas missions from an African-American perspective. This collection of articles takes you deep into the history of missions in the African-American community. You will learn of the struggles to stay connected to the world of missions in spite of great obstacles. You will read of unique cultural experiences while traveling abroad. You will feel the heart for fulfilling the Great Commission both in the African-American community and beyond. All text remains the same in this revised edition, with the exception of new study guide questions at the close of each chapter. The questions can be used to help facilitate discussions in Sunday School, Bible study, seminary classes, conference workshops and other group or individual studies.

Traces the origins and developments of black Baptist interest in the Southern states and their efforts to evangelize West Africa in particular, and also considers this activity as an example of the use of religious themes by black Americans in order to give their disadvantaged conditions meanings and to suggest avenues and principles for their own liberation. Annotation(c) 2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Though the history of slavery is a central topic for African, Atlantic world and world history, most of the sources presenting research in this area are European in origin. To cast light on African perspectives, and on the point of view of enslaved men and women, this group of top Africanist scholars has examined both conventional historical sources (such as European travel accounts, colonial documents, court cases, and missionary records) and less-explored sources of information (such as folklore, oral traditions, songs and proverbs, life histories collected by missionaries and colonial officials, correspondence in Arabic, and consular and admiralty interviews with runaway slaves). Each source has a short introduction highlighting its significance and orienting the reader. This first of two volumes provides students and scholars with a trove of African sources for studying African slavery and the slave trade.

In this book, one of the world's leading scholars on the history of religion in Africa shows how Christianity has been transformed as it has been adopted by black Africans, from the introduction of Christianity in the seventeenth century to the present. Richard Gray finds that Africans have not meekly accepted monolithic Western practices and interpretations but have appropriated Christian faith for specific needs and added to it insights of their own. "Gray's theological conclusions are fascinating, and the book forms a useful contribution to the study of missions in Africa."-Eugeniah Adoyo, Theological Book Review "Gray's most significant contribution is his essay that compares differing concepts of evil in the cosmologies of Christianity and traditional African religions. This compact, well-written volume has extensive footnotes. It is recommended for specialists, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates."-Choice "A thoughtful and informative book, well worth reading."-Joseph C. McKenna, Theological Studies "Concrete and detailed cases support Gray's lucid account of this transformation in Africa."-Wyatt MacGaffey, American Historical Review "The work of a master historian and demonstrates archival detective work and scholarly analysis at its finest. Anyone interested in the introduction and development of Christianity in Africa will find this book particularly valuable."-Roger B. Beck, History: Reviews of New Books "Christianity in Africa has too often been written about by those who recognize only its sociological consequences. Gray . . . writes . . . with insights that are not found often enough in studies of black Christians and white (and black) missionaries in Africa, and this is welcome."-M. Louise Pirouet, International Journal of the African Historical Society