2. Understanding Black Religious Identities and Politics Connections, Tensions, and Possibilities

3. Melissa V. Harris-Lacewell Department of Political Science Program in Social Psychology Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture Workshop on Race and Religion

4. The core values of black culture, like freedom, justice, equality, an African heritage, and racial parity at all levels of human intercourse, are raised to ultimate levels and legitimated in the black sacred cosmos...given birth and nurtured in the womb of the Black Church. -Lincoln and Mamiya

5. Some Questions for Us to Consider  Is “the black church” still important to political action?  Can the Republican Party use faith to attract black voters?  Do African Americans still have faith in politics?

6. Structure of Presentation I will offer some background to get us to a place to address these questions:  The Black Church as a Political Resource  African American Religiosity  Content of Black Religious Ideas  Political Possibilities

7. Black Church as Political Resource Church as Organization  Organizational Resources : Networks, Skills, Mobilization, Contact Opportunities Civil Rights Movement Jackson 1984, 1988 Presidential bids Contemporary Politics  Psychological Resources: self-esteem, internal efficacy, connection to God  Church is a structure that brings actors into contact with one another and with resources

8. Black Religiosity  Most religious Americans  Prophetic Social Gospel  Conservative Private Morality  Does Christianity encourage or discourage political action among African Americans? Opiate Theories Political Church Theories

9. Religious Ideas  Ideas are a church resource. Religion is an advice giving business.  Centrality of Jesus  Some possibilities Liberation Theology Social Gospel Prosperity Gospel  What are the stories about Jesus told by these approaches and what are the political implications of the stories?

10. Christ as Liberator  Christ is “black”  Christ’s essential character is the Liberator  Christ’s relationship to black people is special and collective  Political involvement is a religious responsibility  Progressive politics

11. Christ as Investment  Christ is investment strategy  Christ is personal life coach  No particular teaching on race  Relationship is individual  More conservative politics

12. Consequences for Political Activism? Social Gospel and Liberation Theology mandate a collective approach to politics that contains a critique of a system of inequality. Prosperity Gospel promotes an individualized, dispositional understanding, discouraging collective political action aimed at addressing the material circumstances of racial inequality.

13. The Illinois Case: What Would Jesus Do?  The Democratic primary race and the organizational role of churches.  The limits of conservative religious appeals within black politics.

14. Is the black church still relevant?  Increasing emphasis on racial consciousness  Black churches more socially active than white congregations  92% of black clergy nationwide advocate church involvement in social and political issues  Sunday morning campaigning

15. Can the GOP attract black Christians? Maybe...  Distinct history means the political right does not own God in black politics  But, morality wedge issues are possible  Prosperity gospel evangelism can demobilize  Charismatic candidate (The Clinton effect)

16. Faith in Politics?  Faith-Based Initiatives In 2000 Black Churches and Politics Survey 45% of black clergy supported government/church partnerships to provide social services  Traditional Roles Economics, Education, Personal Salvation  From Protest to Politics..back to protest?

17. Thank You