African American Christianity Essay

I have a passion for researching the different contextual expressions of African-American Christianity and the conservative tradition of African-American theology. I interpret African-American Christianity, and by extension its academic discipline, as representative of faith in, love for, and the worship of Jesus Christ in the context of oppression.

Some of the basic tenants of the Christian faith are embraced, embodied and defended by African-American Christians through the principles of emancipation and reconciliation. African-American Christianity testifies to the tension between conflict and solidarity that exists within humanity, and with God. African-American Christianity articulates the complexity of spiritual and physical emancipation and reconciliation. The beliefs, lifestyles, sermons and theologies of African-American Christians testify to the struggle of spiritual emancipation from sin, and reconciliation to God through Jesus Christ. This is directly related to the attempts of physical emancipation from sociopolitical bondage, and the progression of racial-reconciliation to European-Americans. Moreover, I maintain that African-American pastoral, practical, public, and sociopolitical theologies have contextualized the inerrancy of scripture,

Hammon published a collection of seven poems and prose articles that displayed an impressive grasp of Old Testament wisdom literature, and New Testament Pauline theology. Hammon occupied the roles of an evangelist, teacher, pastor, and theologian to the African/African-American slave communities in Long Island, New York. Hammon’s first poem, “An Evening Thought. Salvation by Christ, with Penitential Cries,” advocated humanity’s desperate need to repent for its sins, and to respond to the call of the Gospel message. For Hammon, salvation is created, personified, and acquired solely through Jesus