Abstract
African Americanist Winfried Herget asserts that antebellum African Americans empowered themselves through conversion narratives, a genre whose conventions allowed writers to express their moments of spiritual conversion and perhaps gain limited control over their lives by preserving them in text. While Herget limits his study to a micro-phenomenon‒the personal experiences of a few women writers ‒I argue that the conversion experience characterized a broader epistemology for African Americans to redefine the chaos of their existence in the New World. In addition, their faith practices, a blending of old and new traditions, allowed them to develop and articulate their collective beliefs into a version of Christianity that fit their specific needs. Christian conversion and individual faith practices empowered many members of the antebellum African American community, reaffirming self-identity and engendering a seed of revolution in their theology whose wake continues today.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Community and Socialization
KEYWORDS
Religious Communities, Religious Socialization, Empowerment, Conversion Narratives, Worship
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