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- Title
The Role of the Black Church in Community and Economic Development Activities.
- Authors
Hill, Robert B.
- Abstract
Both community development activities and economic development activities are described in this paper. The paper shows that many important social and economic institutions have emerged either directly or indirectly from the Black church. Large churches with substantial resources, and activist ministers have pioneered community and economic development activities. Examples are given and implications drawn for policy and for further research. It is important to realize, as sociologists C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence Mamiya observed, Black churches involved in such efforts are the exception rather than the rule. The majority of Black pastors and churches lack adequate knowledge about financial investments to exercise proper economic stewardship, such as careful record keeping, business management, financial accountability and investment mechanisms for economic development. While individual churches launch most of the community and economic development activities, some of the most successful ventures have been those involving church cooperatives or consortiums in which their resources are pooled. Moreover, because of the excessive red tape and restrictive regulations, many Black churches are very reluctant to seek government assistance for many of their initiatives.
- Subjects
UNITED States; AFRICAN American churches; ECONOMIC development; COMMUNITY development; CHURCH &; state; GOVERNMENT policy
- Publication
National Journal of Sociology, 1994, Vol 8, Issue 1/2, p149
- ISSN
0892-4287
- Publication type
Article