W.E.B. DuBois’ ReligionW.E.B. DuBois’ ReligionThe Church As Meta-InstitutionThe Church As Meta-Institution

Essentially The First American Sociologist of Religion

• His “Contemporaries”His “Contemporaries”• Marx (German; Response to Hegel 1843, Capital 1867)Marx (German; Response to Hegel 1843, Capital 1867)• Weber (German; Protestant Ethic in 1905)Weber (German; Protestant Ethic in 1905)• Durkheim (French; Elementary Forms 1912)Durkheim (French; Elementary Forms 1912)

• His Seminal Works (that deal with religion)His Seminal Works (that deal with religion)• The Philadelphia [American] Negro: A Social Study (1899)The Philadelphia [American] Negro: A Social Study (1899)• The Souls of Black Folk (1903)The Souls of Black Folk (1903)• The Negro Church (1912)The Negro Church (1912)

• Why Don’t We Hear About Him Often?Why Don’t We Hear About Him Often?

W.E.B DuBoisW.E.B DuBois

Not A Big Fan Of Organized White Religion

Religion in America is “Jim Crowed from top to bottom” and “no other institution in America is Religion in America is “Jim Crowed from top to bottom” and “no other institution in America is built so thoroughly or absolutely on the color line.”built so thoroughly or absolutely on the color line.”

““When the [White] church meets the Negro problem, it writes itself down as a deliberate When the [White] church meets the Negro problem, it writes itself down as a deliberate hypocrite and systematic liar. The church has opposed every great modern social reform; it hypocrite and systematic liar. The church has opposed every great modern social reform; it

opposed the spread of democracy, universal education, trade unionism, the abolition of poverty, opposed the spread of democracy, universal education, trade unionism, the abolition of poverty, the emancipation of women . . . and the emancipation of the Negro slave.”the emancipation of women . . . and the emancipation of the Negro slave.”

““The [White] church aided and abetted the Negro slave trade; the church was the bulwark of The [White] church aided and abetted the Negro slave trade; the church was the bulwark of American slavery; and the church today is the strongest seat of racial and color prejudice. If one American slavery; and the church today is the strongest seat of racial and color prejudice. If one

hundred of the best and purest colored folk of the United States should seek to apply for hundred of the best and purest colored folk of the United States should seek to apply for membership in any white church in this land tomorrow, 999 out of every 1000 ministers would membership in any white church in this land tomorrow, 999 out of every 1000 ministers would lie to keep them out. They would not only do this, but would openly and brazenly defend their lie to keep them out. They would not only do this, but would openly and brazenly defend their

action as worthy of followers of Jesus Christ.”action as worthy of followers of Jesus Christ.”

W.E.B DuBoisW.E.B DuBois

Not A Big Fan Of Organized Black Religion Either!

““Behold ! The Black Churches of America.Behold ! The Black Churches of America.

Their five millions of members in 40,000 groups, holding $200,000,000 in their hands, are the Their five millions of members in 40,000 groups, holding $200,000,000 in their hands, are the most strongly organized body among us . . . What is this church doing today toward its primary most strongly organized body among us . . . What is this church doing today toward its primary

task of teaching men right and wrong, and the duty of doing right?task of teaching men right and wrong, and the duty of doing right?

The flat answer is nothing if not less than nothing. Like other churches and other religions of The flat answer is nothing if not less than nothing. Like other churches and other religions of other people and ages, our church has veered off on every conceivable path, which interferes other people and ages, our church has veered off on every conceivable path, which interferes

with and nullifies its chief duty of character building.with and nullifies its chief duty of character building.

It has built up a body of dogma and fairy tale, fantastic fables of sin and salvation, impossible It has built up a body of dogma and fairy tale, fantastic fables of sin and salvation, impossible creeds and impossible demands for unquestioning belief and obedience.”creeds and impossible demands for unquestioning belief and obedience.”

Commencement Speech at Fisk, 1938Commencement Speech at Fisk, 1938

W.E.B DuBoisW.E.B DuBois

During slavery, Blacks lost most of the usual social institutions: family, politics, economics, media, housing, education, etc.

Meta-InstitutionalMeta-Institutional

The only institution to survive was religion, which became a kind of “invisible institution”.

The “priest” or “preacher” became interpreter of the supernatural, comforter of the sorrowing, and the vocal expression of the longing/resentment of a stolen people.

““The congregation does not follow the moral precepts The congregation does not follow the moral precepts of the preacher, but rather the preacher follows the of the preacher, but rather the preacher follows the standard of his flock, and only exceptional men dare standard of his flock, and only exceptional men dare seek to change this.seek to change this.

He may be, and usually is, a striking elocutionist; he He may be, and usually is, a striking elocutionist; he may also be a man of integrity, learning, and deep may also be a man of integrity, learning, and deep spiritual earnestness; but these last three are spiritual earnestness; but these last three are sometimes all lacking, and the last two in many cases.sometimes all lacking, and the last two in many cases.

Most . . . pastors are decent, respectable men. On the Most . . . pastors are decent, respectable men. On the whole then, the average Negro preacher in this city is a whole then, the average Negro preacher in this city is a shrewd manager, a respectable man, a good talker, a shrewd manager, a respectable man, a good talker, a pleasant companion, but neither learned nor spiritual, pleasant companion, but neither learned nor spiritual, nor a reformer.”nor a reformer.”

From From The Philadelphia Negro, The Philadelphia Negro, 18991899

DuBois On Black “Priests”

DuBois On Black “Priests”

EconomicsEconomics

“The first form of

economic cooperation”

CultureCulture

Poetry, speeches, literature,

music

EducationEducation

Schools and colleges

PoliticsPolitics

The “priests” became

politicians

MediaMedia

Locations of amusement

and publishing

Institutional Functions The Church Served

Institutional Functions The Church Served

The Black church provides “social intercourse, it provides amusements of various kinds, it serves as a The Black church provides “social intercourse, it provides amusements of various kinds, it serves as a newspaper and intelligence bureau, it supplants the theater, it directs the picnic and excursion, it newspaper and intelligence bureau, it supplants the theater, it directs the picnic and excursion, it

furnishes the music, it introduces the stranger to the community, it serves as a lyceum, library, and furnishes the music, it introduces the stranger to the community, it serves as a lyceum, library, and lecture bureau—it is, in fine the central organ of the organized life of the American Negro.” (1867)lecture bureau—it is, in fine the central organ of the organized life of the American Negro.” (1867)

Double-ConsciousnessDouble-Consciousness

Maintaining the sense that you’re both American and African, but also

neither one fully.

Maintaining the sense that you’re both American and African, but also

neither one fully.Survival

ORLiberation

Cultural AssimilationOR

Assertion Of Distinctive African-American Culture

Accommodating American Mainstream Religious Values OR

Being Independent Of Them

SurvivalOR

Liberation

Cultural AssimilationOR

Assertion Of Distinctive African-American Culture

Accommodating American Mainstream Religious Values OR

Being Independent Of Them