Category: Negro Spirituals

Living an African-American Orthodox Christian Life: Maintaining Our Musical Heritage

December 29, 2020

One thing that keeps black people from inquiring about and becoming catechist of the Orthodox Church is a lack of music that we are familiar with.  Growing up Baptist, we never heard of Byzantine or Slavonic tones.  I was working a summer job when I met someone from the Greek Orthodox Church and it was … More Living an African-American Orthodox Christian Life: Maintaining Our Musical Heritage

Relevance and a Need for Real Faith: Reflections from the First Symposium of the VA Chapter of the Brotherhood

September 15, 2014

What is the relevance of this ancient African Christianity?   What is the relevance of Orthodox Christianity?  I tell you the relevance is the future of our community and nothing short … Subdeacon Paul Abernathy Broken souls need a home to come to.  Those souls are not finding a suitable home in the poor theologies … More Relevance and a Need for Real Faith: Reflections from the First Symposium of the VA Chapter of the Brotherhood

Black Gospel Music & The Orthodox Church: A Need To Seek Common Ground

February 13, 2014

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