The Black Practice Of Disbelief: An Introduction To The Principles, History, And Communities Of Black Nonbeliever S,Used

A short introduction to Black Humanism: its history, its present, and the rich cultural sensibilities that infuse itIn the United States, to be a Black American is to be a Black Christian. And theres something to this assumption in that the vast majority of African Americans are Christian. However, in recent years a growing number of African Americans have said they claim no particular religious affiliationthey are Black 'nones.' And of these Black 'nones,' the most public and vocal are those who claim to be humanists.What does it mean to be a Black humanist? What do Black humanist believe, and what do they do? This slim volume answers these questions. Animated by six central principles, and discussed in terms of its history, practices, formations, and community rituals, this book argues that Black humanism can be understood as a religious movement. Pinn makes a distinction between theism and religionwhich is simply a tool for examining, naming, and finding the meaning in human experience. Black humanism, based on this definition isnt theistic but it is a religious system used to explore human experience and foster life meaning. It infuses humanism with rich cultural sensibilities drawn from Black experience. As shown in these pages, thinking about Black humanism this way frees readers from making unfounded assumptions and enables them to better appreciate the secular beliefs, ritual structures, and community formation constituted by Black humanists.