Black Religiosity: Utilizing W.E.B. Du Bois to explore the popularity of Black Megachurches in Atlanta, Georgia

• In Event: Black Religious Systems and Thought in the United States

Abstract

This research uses the six functions of the Black church proposed by W. E. B. Du Bois in "The Philadelphia Negro," to assess the ministerial/ auxiliary organizations found in ten Black megachurches (BMCs) located in Atlanta, Georgia. The data used in this research is a derivative of the examination of ten Atlanta-metropolitan based Black megachurches webpages. The groups found in these churches were then compared to the six functions proposed by Du Bois in his 1899 publication. This research has been organized to offer an alternative way of interpreting the success and growth of Black megachurches. This research fits into the larger academic community that views Du Bois as one of the first Black sociologist of religion. It is also intended to be explanatory in approach to offer an alternative voice in the academia about the functionality of Black megachurches.

Author

• Delvon A Benson, Clark Atlanta University