Not really sure what number this is...

Karl Covington

ENG 4120

Introduction

28 March 2013

 

INTRO

 

“It does matter where you go to church, it does matter where you worship, it does matter where you lift your head, it does matter where you cry out to God. There is something about the atmosphere. I might be lame, but put me in the atmosphere. I may be drunk, but put me in the atmosphere. I may be weak, but put me in the atmosphere.”

 

-T.D Jakes

 

One of the most important aspects of African American culture is church. Frequently a staple in African American movies, music, stage-plays and even literature, the church , in the history and current lives of blacks today has quite possibly been the culture's most influential and recognizable pillars. The black church is a term generally applied to a Christian church predominantly made up of African American members. Being a member of a black church virtually all of my life, I was, and am still fascinated at just how much of a community the black church really is. There has been a good amount of research done on the black church, but a large part of it focuses socio-historic aspect. Furthermore, many sources that research the current roles of the black church socially, do so assuming that readers know both that it is a community, and what makes it one; which can leave readers with only a general idea of why the black church is a community. In this paper, I will be analyzing the black church as a discourse community according to some of the characteristics proposed by linguist John Swales as well as analyzing aspects that are unique to the environment. In doing this, I will present the features of the black church that make it one of the most cohesive mega communities in America; and in particular, tie the communities use of discourse into what makes it outstanding in comparison to the discourses white counterparts. For this paper, I will be largely focusing on data collected from my own church, Faith Temple, but I will also using knowledge gained from years of experiences in many black church settings.

 

GOALS/VALUES

As a religious organization first, it is to be expected that some of the core goals of the black church are identical to that of its Christian counterparts. The most important goal among Christian churches being what Christians all over the world refer to as the great commission, which is recorded in the New Testament book of Matthew.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

For this reason, the black church and most (if not all) of its counterparts have the shared goal of preaching and teaching the gospel in any part of the state, country, or region they are located, and baptizing those who desire to be, and in this, fulfill the great commission. In addition to local teaching, many churches, including my own, have foreign mission ministries that exist for the purpose of going to remote and/or hostile places and fulfilling the great commission. This single, over-arching goal is indeed what unifies all Christian churches, and it is responsible for smaller more church specific goals, such as being able to broadcast via web, or expand physically. What is interesting about the black church, however, is not that it has an entirely different set of church- specific goals, but rather, that it has goals which its counterparts do not have, and have never had. A good example of one of these ‘additional goals’ can be best brought out in the re-election of President Barack Obama.

In this recent election, President Obama’s stance on the issue of gay and lesbian marriage changed from being against it to for it; not surprisingly, as the Democratic Party as a whole has made pro-gay marriage and pro- choice (abortion) a part of their platform beliefs. What is interesting about this is that according to a Huffington Post article by Jaleed Kaleem, Barack Obama’s vote among black Protestant and non-Protestant Christians actually rose 1 percent from his election in 2008. This in contrast to white Protestant votes which dropped 3 percent. In my own experience, I was witness first-hand to a black church discourse community which supported and voted largely for President Barack Obama. Members of my community would remark that they did not agree with some of Obama’s policies, but ultimately that he was the right man to be elected, and thus they would vote for him. The fact that many- indeed more- black Christians voted for Obama, on the surface would look like a difference in values, and perhaps it is, but I think  it is more complicated than that, I propose that it is a deviation in the hierarchy of values. You see, the fact that members of the community I am a part of endorsed Obama only after clearly aligning themselves with the message of the Bible hints that they were trying to retain their core values.  This leads me to two possible conclusions: either members are simply trying to appear to hold certain values as to be politically correct (church politics), or there is something that justifies them making an exception to the values on which they normally vote (a presupposition I make in this section is that people-particular religious- generally vote on values). It is because I believe the latter that I have said that what separates the goals of the black church from the white church, and other Christian counterparts, is that it has ‘additional goals’. After it was announced that Barack Obama had won the election in 2008, Baptist minister and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, who grew up under Jim Crowe laws, was shown shedding tears. That night marked a historic night for blacks all over the country; it signified years of inequality and racism being politically shattered. Because of blacks being the target of such dark aspects of our countries history, more than any other Christian discourse community, blacks have an interest in the advancement of black people that transcends even the values that would come before almost anything else. Moreover, the goal produced form this unique value is the reason why black Churches across the nation continue to support Obama.

As an afterthought, I realize that one may say that members of the black church, who disagreed with Barack Obama on fundamental core values, while at the same time voting for him, are hypocrites. I will say that I see it as situation where some members wish to have their cake, and eat it too, and this, and nothing else, will be the cause of any hypocrisy.

 

 LEXIS

The category of Lexis is, in my opinion, the most distinct and unique aspects of the black church; and furthermore, I firmly believe that lexis is what helps the black church maintain its status as a discourse community more than anything else. Below is a portion of an interview I conducted with a member of Faith Temple who has been a part of the black church community all of her life; take special notice of the language that both her and I use and the way we use it.

K: can you describe to me your fondest experience in a worship service-- or one of your fondest experiences

L: ok one of my fondest experiences is....uhhm........(4 second pause here) I know its/it is church order to follow the program, you know, thats why... a lot of churches have programs but, when you go/ when the spirit of the Lord comes in where you don't/you cannot follow the program because the Lord is having His way....

K: (interrupting) His way, yea

L: (continuing) per say, yea

L: And uhm where you can’t/where the Holy... Ghost or the Holy Spirit speaks to every individual in the house if u open up your heart to him. And sometimes you don't even have time or need for a preacher per say to speak a word.

K: mmmhh

L: They don't have time to speak because the Holy Ghost is having his way.

L: And that has happened many times in my former church.

K: Really?

L: Yea, where the preacher/ the pastor couldn't even... he couldn't even say a word; matter of fact, I have gone there to speak- they asked me to come back and speak, and give a, you know, give a word- and I couldn't even speak. Because uhh the Holy Ghost was having His way, and guess what!?

K: what?

L: I hadn't received anything from the Lord.

K: oh wooww

L: And that's why...

K: (interrupting) cuz he knew...

L: right, he knew it was gonna take a different/ (to an onlooker viewing our interview and listening) isn't that something!

[All of us pausing to let what has just been said marinate a second]

L: (directly into the phone mic) The Holy Ghost is real.

K: (also directly into the mic) Amen!

L: Amen! (to the same onlooker) see... amen!

You may or may not be able to tell from this excerpt, but this is the point in the interview where the timidity and nervousness broke. Her tone in the beginning part of the interview was very careful and serious, but after this the ball got rolling so to speak. Consider the language: at one point in this excerpt you’ll notice that she even asked me a question [Line 10- and guess what?]! What I propose happened is that as she began to think about certain fond experiences she had in the church, she got more into the mood and identity of Evangelist Cary, minister, choir director, and praise team member, rather than Ms. Cary, interviewee. This resulted in line 17, in which she feels compelled to let anyone who might end up reading this ethnographic research paper that the Holy Ghost is indeed real, exercising an opportunity to share a value she holds while at the making the goal of the great commission as a community goal explicit, though not thorough, in this short interview.  

 

 

Blog 23

I wasn't in class on Thursday, when this post was due, but I would like for you (Dr. Chandler) to hear the audio I took of the guy praying. I know, I'll email it to you!

Blog 22

So far from what I have from observation, which include (sound recordings I have recorded and video footage from services) I can conclude a few things:

First, that the black church is the most rhetorically rich environment I have ever been in- nothing else even comes close! In fact, I'd say the only thing that could surpass such an environment in such rhetoric is another mass religious gathering.

You see, its not just what is said, but how. So much intertexuality occurs during a single service its mind boggling. I have unsuccesfully tried to upload a recording I took of an individual praying corporately as a part of the service about two weeks ago, because as I listened I noticed a lot of references to hymns and general church jargon. This, of course, aside from the multiple scriptural references.Beyond all of this however, wasd the deacons prayer style. I have noticed ( and this can be seen on youtube) that just as preaching is delivered in a sing-song style at certain points in black sermons, prayer is also delivered in this format.

Second, although I have not interviewed many people, I happen to know from being in the community for such a long time, few members have ever been outside of the black church, as far as their experience in different worship settings go (my interviewee too had not been exposed to any other discourse). From this, I guess I coulddraw the conclusion that because of this, members can possibly be limited in their belief of what church should be, but I think this would be false. as a member who has been apart of two Christian church communities (white & black)- the black church community obviously a lot longer- I have seen that members of both for the large part chalk different worship styles as a peripheal and trivial matter. There are members in both communities who would make their style of worship superior to all else, but these members in the black, though not open rubuked usually, are not recieved with the same agreement as typical in the black church if you say anything agree-worthy- I've witnessed it myself. I have every reason to believe that the same goes for Asian, Hispanic, Hatian, etc. Christian church communitities as well.

What I think I can draw from this that will be accurate, is that this lack of exposure from christian communities of other races besides their own, causes a strenghthening of the values and traditions that are established in the black church.

Finally, many black churches are made up of families. It really has been just the past two years or so that I am coming to the realization that everyone in my church is related somehow. And this is what makes it different from the white church, at least. Most churches are made up of families- its a family friendly environment. However, it does strike me as strange (even today) that in my church of over 300 people, there are so many family connections. If you want to know how bad (or good) it is, try this on for size. Everyone in my church, excluding myself, and perhaps uhh ...I'll say 50 or  so more people can fit into 2 or three major families. The reason I call it a bad thing is because, perhaps because of church politics, people really emphasize family connections in a way that they might not be if left alone outside of church. What I mean is, most people do not cite their fifth or sixth cousins who live in another state family because if they hardly talk to them. Even more so, as in the case with my church, if they were distant cousins through a marriage.

Interview

One thing is shows well, I think, is exactlyand even how it functions:

 I actally did the interview during a period in which my interviewee and others were waiting on a second service to start- another invention of the black church. The black church, in contrast to the white church, sometimes as often as once or twice a month, have second services that are completely different than the first-like its not Sunday morning worship. We had just finished eating food that all the mebers contribute to buy, cook, and feed, which occurs for nearly every occasion in which there is a second dervice or special event.

Then, we were interrupted several times by members who came up to us talking, and saying the most jargonistic stuff! It was great! In fact, I actually cite a piece of something a deacon begins to say because he was came up to the table saying it! The children screamin in the background were also typical of these between service settings.

Also, the fact that Evangelist Blue and I had an audience of people we knew was also reticent of the black church. It is this: nothing is beyond intamacy. I took this serious, my interviewee took this serious, and was nervous. I tried to play it down but she knew that this was official. Still, it did not keep from our fellow members coming to sit and listen. They respected that could not interfere by talking or answering any questions, but they laughed when they felt like it, and did not reactions to certain questions I asked be hid (It was all over their face). I appreciated them being there because it certainly helped Evangelist Blue be at ease. What I mean by the statement that nothing is beyond intamacy is that it does not matter how 'official' something is, since memebers of the community know each other on a very personal level, there is less of a reason to digress to a more standard interaction even if the setting calls for it. For this reason:

Members sometimes slip-up and call each other first names when referencing the person during services and business meetings. In fact, one lady, whose uncle and brothers are deacons, and whose mother is a preacher a lot of the times says "my brother/uncle/mommy" when referring to them during meetings or service. She tries though ha.

Members know the day and frequently the hour of any member being  admitted to or discharged from a hospital- and call it out during announcements if the secretary provides information on a sick member that may be 24 hours or less old.

 

 

Blog 21- Interview Transcribed

K: How long have you been a member of this congregation, FT number 1?

L: I have been a member of FT for 10 years

K: wow! alright...

L: It'll be 11 years in uhh... may

K: nice.

K: ok this next question is have you ever been a member of any other congregation.

Loria: Yes I have!

(deacon from the church interrupts) starting off w/ "here you go shug"

[laughter]......

K: ok so you said that you were a member of another congregation, which congregation was that? was that another denomination?

L: that was another denomination, uhm.. I had been a member of  United Holiness Church and before uh coming here, Iwas a member of Wells cathedrel Church Of God In Christ.

K: Tell me about your experiences there. Is it similar to the way we have church here on a Sunday basis?

L: uhm.. there are some similarities. there are some differences, too. uhm

(Pause)

Someone else interrupts....( explaining the point)

L: Oh

K: Alright so I wannna jump to this question- and this is a bit of a thinking question

L: the worship is th- the worship is kind of the same, but the doctrines, the doctrines are a little different. the doctrine's a little different. Church Of God In Christ doctrine I believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. I know the Baptist Church does as well, but uhm, uhhhm, in re- like in recieveing the Holy Ghost, they believe that the evidence of speaking in tongues, well speaking in tongues is the evidence that you recieved the Holy Ghost.

K: ok so its a doctrinal diference

L: Its a teaching (emphatically).

K: Ok...

L: the teachings.. are different.

K: but the worship experience...

L: but the worships... are kinda. the worship experience is kinda the same, yea.

L: you know, the choir singing, praising the Lord, but the teachings are a little different.

K: Ok so my next question is: have you ever experienced a worship service where the congregation wasn't uhhm predominantly black or African American.

L: (in a somewhat of a "wish I could say I have voice") Uhmm, No; like for most of my life its been predminatntly black.

K: Ok

K: Alright, so this is kind of a humorous question cuz I know I do this...

L: Ok

K: In colloqial conversation, everday language, do you find yourself saying things like "Amen" uhm.. "Thank you Jesus" (raised voice here) to people who are not apart of the black church? Do you find yourself doing that, like any slip ups or...

L: slip ups, sometimes, yes

K: well not so much slip ups, but just ...

L: well yea, yes. because I guess cuz its apart of my uh...Lingo. (she said lingo with a smile) so I just say it.

K: Now, so a follow up question to that would be if you heard somebody say that to you, and you didnt know their background, would you assume that they were... they was familar with uhhh your background, you know, the black church. would you assume or no?

L: I wouldn't necessarily think they we- uhh you know, part of the black church, but I would assume some kind of church background.

K: Ok.

L: (continued) I would assume that.

K:ok, alright, ok

K: Alright so, apart of my paper I'm gonna be discussing uhhh recall. You know, the preacher says something, people say amen.

L: (giggles)

K: but its not so much a call and recall, its just a recall. the preacher doesnt't call for anything...

L: (interrupting happily) you just say amen,amen.

K: or thank you Jesus...

L: ok so do you notice any violations.... [she jumps back in surprise] (laughter from a spectator)

Here I literally had to pause the recording because at the word "violations she jumped back and looked at me with a .. for lack of a better word, crazy look. I took the time to explain.

K: Ok so we just took a pause to explain what a violation is

L: Yes (still laughing a little)

K: Uhmmm.... what...what would... what guides those things, like what... what guides when somebodys  in violation or if they're not. Do they.. like is it to long of a comment, to loud of a comment...uhh is it the wrong word they say.

L: Uhhh... uhh I don't know about the wrong they say. I think the violation of sayin' amen uhm may be due to an experience they have had maybe with someone or with a certain situation so I think uhm.. its like reading between the lines. Why are you sayin...

K: ok

L: (cont)....amen that loud.

K: ok

L: Its obvious that you've had some kind of issue.

L: [starting to laugh] ( prob because I am)

K: Ahhh ok

L: Ok?

K: ok.

L: yea

K: thats a.. thats a great answer... thats a great answer..
L: Or, too, you're saying amen to say,you know, to really speak back to another person in response to whatever occured prior to... the situation...

K: thats very interesting..

L: yes

K: ok. alright

L: I know about it

[We all laugh loudly]

L: "Amen"( jokingly mimicing how someone who was in violation for the reasons she expolained would sound)

K: Alright so I wannna jump to this question-and this is a bit of a thinking question

L: ok

K: can  you describe to me your fondest experience in a worship service-- or one of your fondest experience

L: ok one of my fondest experiences is....uhhm........(4 second pause here) I know its/it is church order to follow the program, you know, thats why... a lot of churches have programs but, when you go/ when the spirit of the Lord comes in where you don't/you cannot follow the program because the Lord is having His way....

K: (interrupting) His way, yea

L: (continuing) per say, yea

L: And uhm where you cant/where the Holy... Ghost or the Holy Spirit speaks to every individual in the house if u open up your heart to him. And sometimes you don't even have time or need for a preacher per say to speak a word.

K: mmmhh

L: They don't have time to speak because the Holy Ghost is having his way.

L: And that has happened many times in my former church.

K: Really?

L: Yea, wher the preacher/ the pastor couldn't even... he couldn't even say a word; matter of fact, I have gone there to speak- they asked me to come back and speak, and give a, you know, give a word- and I couldn't even speak. Because uhh the Holy Ghost was having His way, and guess what!?

K: what?

L: I hadn't recieved anything from the Lord.

K: oh wooww

L: And that's why...

K: (interrupting) cuz he knew...

L: right, he knew it was gonna take a different/ (to an onlooker viewing our interview and listening) isn't that something!

[All of us pausing to let what has just been said marinate a second]

L: (directly into the mic) The Holy Ghost is real.

K: (also directly into the mic) Amen!

L: Amen! (to the same onlooker) see... amen!

K: Ok so I've used this term uhh black church quite a lot in this interview uhhm and the reason is because its/ the black church is different from any other church . I .. I think.. uhhmm..

L: It is..like any other church/the asian church is different from the...

K: Yes, yes

L: (continued) ya know, so..

K: so what would you/ what would you say is speacial and uhh peculiar.... like, what would you say is speacial about the black church compared to you know.. the asian church or the white church, or maybe even a hispanic church, which a lot of people think are some similarities. whats/ would you say is special, like, what makes the black church have that... thing they call the black church.

[We paused the recording here because of an interruption. It didnt take very long to resume but long enough for me to pause the recording]

K: Ok we were explaining the differences between the black church-- or what makes it special.

L: What makes it special, what makes the black church special... uhhm, I believe we are a lively people uhhm we have.... if we have not had a lot of experience with being in bondage- I know we've been taught about, you know, slavery and I guess uhhm.. just .. we're very expressive, uh an expressive people...

K: yes,yes.

L: and uhhm...... if I could say, like having a/ its like, its like when the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt. And when God allowed them to become free, they remembered that God.. (did not all the time)- but me as/ and I'm sure the black church, I 'm gonna say that we remember when we were in bondage.

K mhmm

L:  I mean being in bondage of slavery to sin.

K: uhmn

L:And I think uhm our teachings/ the teachings that we have recieved down through the years have taught us to uh you don't have to be in chains, you don't have to be in shackles,so if you're not in shackles and you are free: act like you're free.

K:mmh

L: Uhh show that.. this is a testimony of testament that God has... uhmm ( to one of the onlookers aside) I hope I'm answering this right....

K:[here I said no very quietly in a way meaning "no, you're fine". I probably also had some phsyical communication giving her a green light]

L: (continued) God has.. delivered you...from bondage. And so, because he has sent the Holy Ghost, which is the comforter, I think the black church is more open to uhhh letting the Holy Ghost have His way- recognizing who He is, and what He has done, and what He's continuing to do. And so I think we / and we're also soulful people....

K: mhmm

L: (continuing) so we're  able to connect, you know, with the music, and the rythm, and...

K: mhmm

L:so when the Spirit of the Lord takes control... Idk its just different- black church church is just different.. and uhm I  appreciate.... those uhmm.. what word can I use... those attributes... can I say that? tryna use my words...

K: thats..No, that's great..

L: correctly...Great then.

K: We want to thank Evangelist Loria Blue for this interview, it is now time for her to participate in the black church, so we'll let her go..... Thank you!

[Weak Appplause]

L: Thank you!

Blog 21

I was in class today transcribing today for the blog post today. Blog 21 (continued) will have the full interview.

April 11 Blog 19

Right off the bat I can see that one of the problems with the paper that I have so far is the problem. In the introduction, I do feel like I have a gap, but it doesn't make give a problem. The introduction at least lets the reader know that a lot of research has not been done recently on the church as a discourse community, but I'd like to see if there is not room to identify more serious/dramatics reasons for why the new or updated research I am presenting is important.

As far as strengths go, I'm am really looking forward to the data I'm gonna be analyzing soon. I have one interview lines up that I expect to be rich with data, and another one to give this Sunday. The good thing about my topic is that I know from personal experience that if u can get a member of any black church talking about their experiences, they can talk for a long time. I just hope no one is thrown off by the fact that they know what they say will be used in a paper. Fingers crosses. Unfortunately bc of starting late, and scheduling conflicts after that, interviewing is also an area of 'catch up'. What I need do today during down time is continue to develop and strengthen my paper.

I've already gathered a bunch of data through observation, but I've found it hard to record a lot of what I am observing as far as what the members are doing/ saying. Still I'll have my interviews. Like I say in my last post, I am really looking forward to interviewing my asistant pastors wife because she grew up in another denomination.

What I really need to do is find a system in which I can accurately quantify how many times members 'participate in a sermon' and what they say. Also, if possible, I would love to try and see if a certain sound register is appropiate and what is not. I know from experience that too loud is bad, but so many factors go into it that I'll have to be careful to observe. Perhaps this Sunday I'll just come with the mindset of straight research. heretofor, I've been trying to be a member and a researcher at the same time. I'll help solidify this mindset, maybe coming in dressed down or something.

I have identified a gap in the research, and it is this: much of the research takes for granted that the black church is indeed a discouse community.

Interview Questions

The purpose of my research will be to show the black church as a community of people who have their own distinct lexis and language that transcends area and even denomination. To show this I plan on interviewing various people in my church in different age ranges and who hold different positions and levels of responsibility. I already have two people in mind I want to interview- one young women, age 29, and a middle aged man in his 50’s. I want to interview the young lady because I know her to be comfortable in, and a participant in a lot of the lexis of the church, and at the same time, be removed enough to answer any why questions. And the gentlemen will be extremely useful, because though he has been in the community for so long, is not a very outspoken member, and therefore does not participate in a lot of the language practices in the church setting. My assistant pastor’s wife is also someone I am considering, as she grew up in another black church community other than the one she is in (Church Of God In Christ).I feel I must use a conversational interviewing style with my interviewees so that they will feel most comfortable in asking questions, and therefore be most open and honest. Here are a few questions that I will work from:

·         How long have you been a member of this congregation?

·         Have you ever been a part of any other congregation? Was it apart of another denomination?

·         Have you ever experienced a worship a service in a church where the congregation was not predominantly black?

·         Do you use words such as “amen” outside of the setting of a worship service? Have you ever used in colloquial conversation? How does the person/audience react?

·         What would you say is the line that participation goes overboard

·         Try and define the term black church.

·         What is would your response be to someone who said that it is best to keep ones emotional responses to oneself in the context of church?

·         Do you think it is acceptable to “praise” in church as they would at a Football or basketball game? What do you think are the differences or similarities?

·         Would you find it odd to participate in a sermon where the preacher does not come from a black church background?

·         Tell me about one of your fondest worship experiences

·         There has been scholarly work that determined that the black church can be considered a mental wellness center, what do you say is the reason behind this?

·         Do you consider the way the black church conducts worship a simple preference, or do you feel that there should be elements of it in every Christian service?

·         Speaking in tongues in a church setting is a volatile issue amongst different denominations, what do you think of it?