We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Black Churches in Atlanta Reach Out to the Community.
- Authors
Ward, Naomi; Billingsley, Andrew; Simon, Alicia; Burris, Judith Crocker
- Abstract
A survey of 150 Black churches in Atlanta, Georgia, revealed patterns of community outreach activities similar to findings of a study among 80 Black churches in Denver, Colorado, and a more systematic study among 630 Black churches in the two northern regions of the country. The Atlanta survey revealed extensive community outreach programs, in keeping with the "communal" functions of the church. At the same time the churches maintain strong traditions of religious work consistent with their "privatistic" orientation. In addition to the survey findings a case study is presented of collaborative work among 11 churches, which constitute the "Vine City Housing Ministry." This collaboration proves to be highly effective in community development with lessons that can be learned for other communities as well. In the decade of the 1990's Black churches in Atlanta demonstrated that the historic commitment of the Black church to social reform in the community was still alive. Of course not all churches were actively involved in the community. Some of them followed strictly the "privatistic" orientation focusing essentially on their religious mission. And even among those, which were active in the community, a strong tradition of separate and individual church action prevailed. There was nevertheless, as the research documents, an emerging recognition that collective action on the part of Black churches held a great deal of promise.
- Subjects
ATLANTA (Ga.); GEORGIA; UNITED States; AFRICAN American churches; SOCIAL problems; COMMUNITY development; SOCIOLOGISTS; AFRICAN Americans
- Publication
National Journal of Sociology, 1994, Vol 8, Issue 1/2, p49
- ISSN
0892-4287
- Publication type
Article