The Emergence of a Black Catholic Community

Download The Emergence of a Black Catholic Community PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : CUA Press
ISBN 13 : 9780813209432
Total Pages : 564 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (94 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Emergence of a Black Catholic Community by : Morris J. MacGregor

Download or read book The Emergence of a Black Catholic Community written by Morris J. MacGregor and published by CUA Press. This book was released on 1999 with total page 564 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Morris J. MacGregor traces the history of St. Augustine's from its beginning as a modest chapel and school to its recent years as one of the city's most imposing and active churches. For more than a century, the congregation has counted among its members many of the intellectual and social elite of black society as well as impoverished newcomers struggling with the perils of urban life. This socially diverse membership, enhanced by a constant stream of visitors of all races and classes drawn by the beauty of the church and the artistry of its musicians, has made St. Augustine's an exemplar of Christian brotherhood. The book presents in considerable detail the history of race relations in church and state since the founding of the Federal City.

The History of Black Catholics in the United States

Download The History of Black Catholics in the United States PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780824550080
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (5 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The History of Black Catholics in the United States by : Cyprian Davis

Download or read book The History of Black Catholics in the United States written by Cyprian Davis and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Authentically Black and Truly Catholic

Download Authentically Black and Truly Catholic PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : NYU Press
ISBN 13 : 1479898120
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (798 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Authentically Black and Truly Catholic by : Matthew J. Cressler

Download or read book Authentically Black and Truly Catholic written by Matthew J. Cressler and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2017-11-14 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the contentious debates among Black Catholics about the proper relationship between religious practice and racial identity Chicago has been known as the Black Metropolis. But before the Great Migration, Chicago could have been called the Catholic Metropolis, with its skyline defined by parish spires as well as by industrial smoke stacks and skyscrapers. This book uncovers the intersection of the two. Authentically Black and Truly Catholic traces the developments within the church in Chicago to show how Black Catholic activists in the 1960s and 1970s made Black Catholicism as we know it today. The sweep of the Great Migration brought many Black migrants face-to-face with white missionaries for the first time and transformed the religious landscape of the urban North. The hopes migrants had for their new home met with the desires of missionaries to convert entire neighborhoods. Missionaries and migrants forged fraught relationships with one another and tens of thousands of Black men and women became Catholic in the middle decades of the twentieth century as a result. These Black Catholic converts saved failing parishes by embracing relationships and ritual life that distinguished them from the evangelical churches proliferating around them. They praised the “quiet dignity” of the Latin Mass, while distancing themselves from the gospel choirs, altar calls, and shouts of “amen!” increasingly common in Black evangelical churches. Their unique rituals and relationships came under intense scrutiny in the late 1960s, when a growing group of Black Catholic activists sparked a revolution in U.S. Catholicism. Inspired by both Black Power and Vatican II, they fought for the self-determination of Black parishes and the right to identify as both Black and Catholic. Faced with strong opposition from fellow Black Catholics, activists became missionaries of a sort as they sought to convert their coreligionists to a distinctively Black Catholicism. This book brings to light the complexities of these debates in what became one of the most significant Black Catholic communities in the country, changing the way we view the history of American Catholicism.

The Black Church

Download The Black Church PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 1984880357
Total Pages : 305 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (848 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Black Church by : Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Download or read book The Black Church written by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2022-01-18 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The instant New York Times bestseller and companion book to the PBS series. “Absolutely brilliant . . . A necessary and moving work.” —Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., author of Begin Again “Engaging. . . . In Gates’s telling, the Black church shines bright even as the nation itself moves uncertainly through the gloaming, seeking justice on earth—as it is in heaven.” —Jon Meacham, New York Times Book Review From the New York Times bestselling author of Stony the Road and The Black Box, and one of our most important voices on the African American experience, comes a powerful new history of the Black church as a foundation of Black life and a driving force in the larger freedom struggle in America. For the young Henry Louis Gates, Jr., growing up in a small, residentially segregated West Virginia town, the church was a center of gravity—an intimate place where voices rose up in song and neighbors gathered to celebrate life's blessings and offer comfort amid its trials and tribulations. In this tender and expansive reckoning with the meaning of the Black Church in America, Gates takes us on a journey spanning more than five centuries, from the intersection of Christianity and the transatlantic slave trade to today’s political landscape. At road’s end, and after Gates’s distinctive meditation on the churches of his childhood, we emerge with a new understanding of the importance of African American religion to the larger national narrative—as a center of resistance to slavery and white supremacy, as a magnet for political mobilization, as an incubator of musical and oratorical talent that would transform the culture, and as a crucible for working through the Black community’s most critical personal and social issues. In a country that has historically afforded its citizens from the African diaspora tragically few safe spaces, the Black Church has always been more than a sanctuary. This fact was never lost on white supremacists: from the earliest days of slavery, when enslaved people were allowed to worship at all, their meetinghouses were subject to surveillance and destruction. Long after slavery’s formal eradication, church burnings and bombings by anti-Black racists continued, a hallmark of the violent effort to suppress the African American struggle for equality. The past often isn’t even past—Dylann Roof committed his slaughter in the Mother Emanuel AME Church 193 years after it was first burned down by white citizens of Charleston, South Carolina, following a thwarted slave rebellion. But as Gates brilliantly shows, the Black church has never been only one thing. Its story lies at the heart of the Black political struggle, and it has produced many of the Black community’s most notable leaders. At the same time, some churches and denominations have eschewed political engagement and exemplified practices of exclusion and intolerance that have caused polarization and pain. Those tensions remain today, as a rising generation demands freedom and dignity for all within and beyond their communities, regardless of race, sex, or gender. Still, as a source of faith and refuge, spiritual sustenance and struggle against society’s darkest forces, the Black Church has been central, as this enthralling history makes vividly clear.

The History of Black Catholics in the United States

Download The History of Black Catholics in the United States PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Herder & Herder
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 372 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (49 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The History of Black Catholics in the United States by : Cyprian Davis

Download or read book The History of Black Catholics in the United States written by Cyprian Davis and published by Herder & Herder. This book was released on 1995 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of a dozen books that every Catholic should read. U.S. Catholic

Perseverance in the Parish?

Download Perseverance in the Parish? PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1108127568
Total Pages : 201 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (81 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Perseverance in the Parish? by : Darren W. Davis

Download or read book Perseverance in the Parish? written by Darren W. Davis and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-09-14 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: African American Catholics, though small in number and historically the targets of racial intolerance, are now the backbone of the church. The vast majority of African American Catholics do not perceive racial marginalization and intolerance in the church. African American Catholics are among the strongest religious identifiers in the church, while whites show a more fragile Catholic identity. The Catholic church may have finally overcome its racist past for the vast majority of African American Catholics, but serious concerns remain for white Catholics. Based on data from a national religion survey, this book explores religious attitudes from an African American Catholic perspective.

Birth of a Movement

Download Birth of a Movement PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Orbis Books
ISBN 13 : 1608338835
Total Pages : 138 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (83 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Birth of a Movement by : Segura, Olga M.

Download or read book Birth of a Movement written by Segura, Olga M. and published by Orbis Books. This book was released on 2021-02-17 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Birth of a Movement tells the story of the Black Lives Matter movement through a Christian lens. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of the movement and why it can help the church, and the country, move closer to racial equality. Readers will understand why Black Lives Matter is a truly "Christ-like movement.""--

Augustus Tolton

Download Augustus Tolton PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Liturgical Press
ISBN 13 : 0814644988
Total Pages : 128 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (146 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Augustus Tolton by : Joyce Duriga

Download or read book Augustus Tolton written by Joyce Duriga and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 2020-12-09 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Father Augustus Tolton was the first identified black American ordained to the priesthood in the United States. He was born into slavery and escaped to freedom with his mother and siblings under harrowing circumstances. Throughout his life he displayed a great devotion to the Lord and the Catholic faith despite facing racism within the Church at nearly every turn. Still, he felt and preached that the Catholic Church’s teaching that all people are children of God regardless of race made it the true church for African Americans in the United States following the Civil War. In Augustus Tolton, Joyce Duriga brings to light his quiet witness as a challenge to prejudices and narrow-mindedness that can keep us insulated from the universal diversity of the kingdom of God.

Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood

Download Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Our Sunday Visitor
ISBN 13 : 1681927934
Total Pages : 77 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (819 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood by : Michael R. Heinlein, Editor

Download or read book Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood written by Michael R. Heinlein, Editor and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2020-12-15 with total page 77 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Church in the United States is greatly blessed by the contributions of Black Catholics and the legacy of holiness of so many men and women of color. These men and women lived lives that are worthy of our study and emulation. In Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood, Michael R. Heinlein provides the first book to explore the lives of the six Black Catholics from the United States whose causes are under formal consideration by the Catholic Church for canonization. Including biographies and personal reflections from diverse contributors, this book shows how these six men and women provide a model of holiness for all Catholics and people of good will. Venerable Pierre Toussaint, Venerable Henriette Delille, Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, Servant of God Mother Mary Lange, Servant of God Julia Greeley, and Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman are sources of inspiration for us all. As we continue to pray for the advancement of their causes for canonization, all Catholics of every race can learn a great deal from these holy men and women. By their stories of faith and virtue, they show us how to respond to the call to holiness, bringing healing, reconciliation, and peace to our wounded nation and world. “It is my profound honor to add my voice in support of Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood. This book gives an insightful look at the Black Americans that are on the path to canonized sainthood in the Catholic Church. The book introduces readers to six Black Americans who dealt in their lifetimes with the human denigration and suffering that is manifested by America’s Original Sin of racism. Yet they not only persevered, but truly lived as Christian people, which so many Americans claim to be, but whose actions do not support that claim. These Black Americans sought to show love, compassion, and forgiveness to all people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or station in life. All of the men and women you will meet in Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood — through their faith in God and by giving of themselves to God’s people, their sisters and brothers — did what Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman said: ‘we must return love, no matter what.’ These men and women show us the way forward.” Most Reverend Roy E. Campbell, Jr., Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, President of the National Black Catholic Congress “Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood is an inspiring look at six holy Black men and women who mirrored Christ in service to others. All of them persevered, despite the many rejections they encountered, giving Black Catholics today the inspiration to meet the obstacles of racial inequity with equal grace and love, and providing insight to all Catholics, regardless of race, into the effects of systemic racism and the many gifts and talents people of color bring to the Church. The accompanying reflections, written by Catholic laity and religious, provide deeper insight into the lives of the six candidates for Canonization, and how best we can learn from them and emulate their examples in our own lives.” The National Black Catholic Congress “Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood is a great expose on the lives and faith of some of our Black ancestors who responded with both prayer and action to overcome racism. Discovering through this book their life stories, their suffering, and their faith-filled response, one is inspired to seek the conversion of hearts with regard to racism through prayer and action so that we too can aspire to be saints by the manner in which we love one another.” Most Reverend Shelton J. Fabre, Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Chairman of the USCCB Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism “Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood provides a glimpse into the power of God’s grace at work in the lives of men and women who were often treated with disdain. The Archdiocese of Denver has been blessed by the heroic, charitable witness of Julia Greeley on our streets, in our churches, and in our homes. This book extends that blessing to all who are seeking additional examples of courage, perseverance, and determination. As our country and Church work to address racism, may we turn to these holy men and women for their example and intercession.” Most Reverend Samuel J. Aquila, Archbishop of Denver “Michael Heinlein performs a great service in bringing together engaging reflections on and portraits of Black Catholics who are on the road to sainthood. Their stories differ but they have at least one thing in common: They rose above the racism of their day to the heights of holiness. From their place in eternity, they challenge us to root out racism from our midst. This volume should prompt us to pray and work for the canonization of these worthy witnesses to the Lord’s truth and love.” Most Reverend William E. Lori Archdiocese of Baltimore “The last three Bishops of Rome have called Christ’s Church to a New Evangelization, a renewal of the mandate given at Pentecost: to carry on the mission of the Redeemer. Heinlein’s book offers us a glimpse of a central theme of our renewal — personal witness, the heart of it seen in the cloud of witness of these holy ones. These men and women of color lived their faith life and became living gospels of the Gift: the Passion of the Cross, seen in the evil of racism; the Liberation of the Resurrection, recognized in the courage of the prophets; and the songs of the Kingdom, heard and shared in the joy of the Spirit. They call us to witness.” Most Reverend David P. Talley, Bishop of Memphis “‘Can anything good come from Nazareth?’ was Nathaniel’s response in John’s gospel to Philip’s invitation to meet Jesus. Philip’s words in reply echo down the centuries: ‘Come and see’ (John 1:45–46). Within this book is a cohort of six awe-inspiring disciples who encountered the Lord and proved that, when grasped by Jesus Christ, God can raise up goodness from anywhere. As former slaves and descendants of chattel slavery, they bore fruit a hundred-fold in their time and place and bequeathed to the Church a lasting legacy. I invite all who yearn for racial justice and peace to come and see in this book six black women and men who show us the path to life in this world as they continue on the road to sainthood.” Most Reverend Joseph Kopacz, Bishop of Jackson “Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood gives us an opportunity to become better acquainted with six black women and men from the United States and to be inspired by their lives of faith. As we strive for holiness, we are given the privilege to learn more about their journey to canonization and to participate in their process.” Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans “Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood is essential reading for all Catholics, particularly at this time in our country’s history. There is a common thread in the stories of these six holy men and women: a strong faith, love for others, and personal sacrifice. I appreciate OSV raising awareness of the lives of these candidates for sainthood. It is my hope that reading about their lives and struggles will inspire not just devotion but others to follow in their footsteps. The world desperately needs models of holiness and virtue like the ones contained in this short volume. May their testimony of faith help us bring healing and reconciliation to a divided world and inspire us to respond to our own call to holiness.” Most Reverend Nelson J. Pérez, Archbishop of Philadelphia, chairman USCCB Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church

Black Saints in Early Modern Global Catholicism

Download Black Saints in Early Modern Global Catholicism PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1108421210
Total Pages : 317 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (84 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Black Saints in Early Modern Global Catholicism by : Erin Kathleen Rowe

Download or read book Black Saints in Early Modern Global Catholicism written by Erin Kathleen Rowe and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2019-12-12 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the untold story of how black saints - and the slaves who venerated them - transformed the early modern church. It speaks to race, the Atlantic slave trade, and global Christianity, and provides new ways of thinking about blackness, holiness, and cultural authority.

The Black Church in the African American Experience

Download The Black Church in the African American Experience PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Duke University Press
ISBN 13 : 0822381648
Total Pages : 538 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (223 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Black Church in the African American Experience by : C. Eric Lincoln

Download or read book The Black Church in the African American Experience written by C. Eric Lincoln and published by Duke University Press. This book was released on 1990-11-07 with total page 538 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Black churches in America have long been recognized as the most independent, stable, and dominant institutions in black communities. In The Black Church in the African American Experience, based on a ten-year study, is the largest nongovernmental study of urban and rural churches ever undertaken and the first major field study on the subject since the 1930s. Drawing on interviews with more than 1,800 black clergy in both urban and rural settings, combined with a comprehensive historical overview of seven mainline black denominations, C. Eric Lincoln and Lawrence H. Mamiya present an analysis of the Black Church as it relates to the history of African Americans and to contemporary black culture. In examining both the internal structure of the Church and the reactions of the Church to external, societal changes, the authors provide important insights into the Church’s relationship to politics, economics, women, youth, and music. Among other topics, Lincoln and Mamiya discuss the attitude of the clergy toward women pastors, the reaction of the Church to the civil rights movement, the attempts of the Church to involve young people, the impact of the black consciousness movement and Black Liberation Theology and clergy, and trends that will define the Black Church well into the next century. This study is complete with a comprehensive bibliography of literature on the black experience in religion. Funding for the ten-year survey was made possible by the Lilly Endowment and the Ford Foundation.

Parish Boundaries

Download Parish Boundaries PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 9780226558745
Total Pages : 372 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (587 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Parish Boundaries by : John T. McGreevy

Download or read book Parish Boundaries written by John T. McGreevy and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1998-05-08 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Steeples topped by crosses still dominate neighborhood skylines in many American cities, silent markers of local worlds rarely examined by historians. In Parish Boundaries, John McGreevy chronicles the history of these Catholic parishes and connects their unique place in the urban landscape to the course of American race relations in the twentieth century.

Let It Shine!

Download Let It Shine! PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Fordham Univ Press
ISBN 13 : 9780823229932
Total Pages : 181 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (299 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Let It Shine! by : Mary E. McGann, R.S.C.J.

Download or read book Let It Shine! written by Mary E. McGann, R.S.C.J. and published by Fordham Univ Press. This book was released on 2009-08-25 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Let It Shine! probes the distinctive contribution of black Catholics to the life of the American church, and to the unfolding of lived Christianity in the United States. This important book explores the powerful spiritual renaissance that has marked African American life and selfunderstanding over the last several decades by examining one critical dimension: the forging of new expressions of Catholic worship rooted in the larger Catholic tradition, yet shaped in unique ways by African American religious culture. Starting with the 1960s, the book traces the dynamic interplay of social change, cultural awakening, and charismatic leadership that have sparked the emergence of distinctive styles of black Catholic worship. In their historical overview, McGann and Eva Marie Lumas chronicle the liturgical and pastoral issues of a black Catholic liturgical movement that has transformed the larger American church. McGann then examines the foundational vision of Rev. Clarence R. J. Rivers, who promoted forms of black worship, music, preaching, and prayer that have enabled African American Catholics to reclaim the fullness of their religious identity. Finally, Harbor constructs a black Catholic aesthetic based on the theological, ethical, and liturgical insights of four African American scholars, expressed through twenty-three performative values. This liturgical aesthetic illuminates the distinctive gift of black Catholics to the multicultural tapestry of lived faith in the American church and can also serve as a pastoral model for other cultural communities. Blending history, theology, and liturgy, Let It Shine! is a valuable resource for scholars, teachers, and students and a practical pastoral guide to bringing African American spirituality more firmly into the sacramental life of American parishes.

Racial Justice and the Catholic Church

Download Racial Justice and the Catholic Church PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Orbis Books
ISBN 13 : 1608331806
Total Pages : pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (83 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Racial Justice and the Catholic Church by : Bryan N. Massingale

Download or read book Racial Justice and the Catholic Church written by Bryan N. Massingale and published by Orbis Books. This book was released on 2014-07-30 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Uncommon Faithfulness

Download Uncommon Faithfulness PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Orbis Books
ISBN 13 : 1570758190
Total Pages : 317 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (77 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Uncommon Faithfulness by : Mary Shawn Copeland

Download or read book Uncommon Faithfulness written by Mary Shawn Copeland and published by Orbis Books. This book was released on 2009 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An engaging study of black catholics, their contributions to the Catholic church, and the challenges they face. These essays describe the experience of black Catholics in this country since their arrival in North america in the sixteenth century ujtil the present day. The essays highlight the difficulties black Catholics faced in their early attempts to join churches and enter religious communities, their participation in the civil rights struggle, and the challenges they face today as they seek full inclusion in the church, whether in terms of liturgical practice or pastoral ministry.

African Catholic

Download African Catholic PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 0674987667
Total Pages : 385 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (749 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis African Catholic by : Elizabeth A. Foster

Download or read book African Catholic written by Elizabeth A. Foster and published by . This book was released on 2019-03-04 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Elizabeth Foster examines how French imperialists and the Africans they ruled imagined the religious future of sub-Saharan Africa in the years just before and after decolonization. The story encompasses the transition to independence, Catholic contributions to black intellectual currents, and efforts to create an authentically "African" church.

Black and Catholic in Savannah, Georgia

Download Black and Catholic in Savannah, Georgia PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Univ. of Tennessee Press
ISBN 13 : 9780870498114
Total Pages : 404 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (981 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Black and Catholic in Savannah, Georgia by : Gary W. McDonogh

Download or read book Black and Catholic in Savannah, Georgia written by Gary W. McDonogh and published by Univ. of Tennessee Press. This book was released on 1993 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this unique ethnography of urban southern Catholicism - one of the few substantial studies of modern African-American Catholics since the 1920s - Gary W. McDonogh employs a decade of anthropological and historical research to explore the contradictions and survival of black and Catholic parishes in Savannah. Given the disfranchisement of African Americans in the South as well as nativist responses to Catholics among both blacks and whites, those who are black and Catholic in Savannah constitute a double minority whose lives McDonogh explores by examining the interaction of community, church, and individual. A city divided for two centuries by conflicts over culture, class, and race, Savannah is permeated by ambiguous identities that often end up before the altar. Religion thus serves as a cultural language through which urban life can be observed as well as a system of belief and identity shared by blacks and Catholics. This multidisciplinary study links ethnography to wider debates on symbolism, gender, class, and cultural power. The vivid voices, memories, ritual and social acts, and observations of Savannah provide the basis for comparative insights and theoretical generalizations on communities within the United States and on a broad range of urban and religious issues.