Black Church Pedagogy: An Assets-based Approach to Education Is Still Alive

• In Event: The Black Church Ain’t Dead! A Revival on the Educational Legacy of the Black Church

Abstract

The Black Church—one of the most influential institutions in the Black community—has successfully educated Black families across generations (Lincoln & Mamiya, 2005). Yet, the voice of the Black Church has been excluded from conversations concerning the best way to educate Black students in the place called “school” (Butler, 2012). Before public education was accessible, the Black Church fulfilled the responsibility of teaching literacy skills to its members and encouraging literate members to help others become literate (Frazier, 1964; Williams, 2005). The value of education was preached and embraced from the pulpit to the fields. Attaining an education was considered the pathway to an improved quality of life, and sacrifices were made to increase literacy levels in the Black community (Anderson, 1988).
An important question is: “What can educators learn from the Black Church?” A close examination of the Black Church reveals the complex interconnectedness of specific components. This multifaceted community was intentionally established by committed ancestors whose descendants have continued to fight for literacy and equity for all based on a Black theological approach (Hopkins, 2002). Studies have identified how Black Theology is developed and perpetuated within the learning environment of the Black Church, and how it is steeped in its rich literary practices, giving rise to Black Church Pedagogy (Frey & Driskill, 2010; Pinn, 2002). An in-depth discussion of Black Church Pedagogy highlights sources of incongruence and points of connection between church and school settings for many Black students and families, serving as a reminder of the Black Church's role as the established expert in the education of Black people.

Author

• Gwendolyn Thompson McMillon, Oakland University