The following is a collection of notes I wrote to present to my former congregation and colleagues concerning my desire to form a bridge between African American Baptist and Orthodox Christians. I still believe strongly that such a bridge is very necessary for the sake of black Christians to grow deeper in the faith. Now, … More A Case for Orthodoxy in the African American Church
In volume 15:4, 1995 of Epiphany magazine (from the Christ the Savior Brotherhood, no longer in print), there is a story of a sad example of a missed opportunity that may have bridged the gap between African Americans and the Orthodox Church. In 1893, Bishop Daniel Payne of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church went … More The Pain of Missed Opportunities
The only truly salvific music that came from America is the Negro Spiritual. ——- Archbishop Dimitri (OCA) Black Gospel was born in suffering. Slaves, at first, were denied the gift of Christianity. Masters were eventually convinced that the faith could be taught to “their property” to encourage them to accept their lot in life and … More Black Gospel Music & The Orthodox Church: A Need To Seek Common Ground
February is the month where we take the time to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of African-Americans. Some of us also recognize noteworthy kings and queens of Africa as well. It is not unusual to have church bulitien boards filled with pictures of great religious leaders from Richard Allen (founder of the African Methodist Episcopal … More Black History Month: Come and See
