What do you think?
Rate this book
Canaan Land: A Religious History of African Americans
Throughout African-American history, religion has been indelibly intertwined with the fight against intolerance and racial prejudice. Martin Luther King, Jr.-America's best-known champion of civil liberties-was a Baptist minister. Father Divine, a fiery preacher who established a large following in the 1920s and 1930s, convinced his disciples that he could cure not only disease and infirmity, but also poverty and racism.
An in-depth examination of African-American history and religion, this comprehensive and lively book provides panoramic coverage of the black religious and social experience in America. Renowned historian Albert J. Raboteau traces the subtle blending of African tribal customs with the powerful Christian establishment, the migration to cities, the growth of Islam, and the 200-year fight for freedom and identity which was so often centered around African-American churches. From the African Methodist Episcopal Church to the Nation of Islam and from the first African slaves to Louis Farrakhan, this far-reaching book chronicles the evolution of an important and influential component of our religious and historical heritage. African American Religion combines meticulously researched historical facts with a fast-paced, engaging narrative that will appeal to readers of any age.
An in-depth examination of African-American history and religion, this comprehensive and lively book provides panoramic coverage of the black religious and social experience in America. Renowned historian Albert J. Raboteau traces the subtle blending of African tribal customs with the powerful Christian establishment, the migration to cities, the growth of Islam, and the 200-year fight for freedom and identity which was so often centered around African-American churches. From the African Methodist Episcopal Church to the Nation of Islam and from the first African slaves to Louis Farrakhan, this far-reaching book chronicles the evolution of an important and influential component of our religious and historical heritage. African American Religion combines meticulously researched historical facts with a fast-paced, engaging narrative that will appeal to readers of any age.
184 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2001
62 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
About the author
Albert J. Raboteau
16 books22 followersAlbert J. Raboteau (PhD, Yale) was the Henry W. Putnam Professor of Religion at Princeton University. Dr. Raboteau came to Princeton in 1982, and is a specialist in American religious history. His research and teaching have focused on American Catholic history, African-American religious movements and currently he is working on the place of beauty in the history of Eastern and Western Christian Spirituality.
He was the first recipient of the J.W.C. Pennington Award from the University of Heidelberg and in 2012 delivered the Stone Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary. He retired in June, 2013.
He was the first recipient of the J.W.C. Pennington Award from the University of Heidelberg and in 2012 delivered the Stone Lectures at Princeton Theological Seminary. He retired in June, 2013.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 25, 2020
I dare you to read the first 4 pages without shedding tears. In my opinion, an accurate depiction of slavery and the Holocaust should be part of a regular mental "diet. "
This book gives a good panoramic view of the topic (a word I stole from the description on the back). Too many people focus on Christianity and avoid Islam(my college courses didn't touch on it until Malcolm X). But it existed earlier than that and needs to be covered. I also loved the way it interspersed what Stephen L Carter has often taught, that religion is often the force behind protest. Why? Because morality adds strength and creates connection and the structure for that is already in place in religion. Even before Dr. King, religion was used to encourage moral change.
So why does it now hamper it? In my opinion, it is not the church/religion that has changed.
This book gives a good panoramic view of the topic (a word I stole from the description on the back). Too many people focus on Christianity and avoid Islam(my college courses didn't touch on it until Malcolm X). But it existed earlier than that and needs to be covered. I also loved the way it interspersed what Stephen L Carter has often taught, that religion is often the force behind protest. Why? Because morality adds strength and creates connection and the structure for that is already in place in religion. Even before Dr. King, religion was used to encourage moral change.
So why does it now hamper it? In my opinion, it is not the church/religion that has changed.
May 19, 2017
Humbling, eye opening, real, and accurate.
March 21, 2018
A wonderful short read on the religious life of African-American people.
February 2, 2021
This is a very informative Book about Black people as slaves In the United States .
It does talk about Christopher Columbus And finding out that There were slaves Already in the United States Previously before coming to shore. The slaves Did come from Africa and along the Mediterranean Sea.
The white British colonies Of the Thirteen original colonies That were in the United States , Had told the slaves that If you want a baptism Then you cannot ask To be freed Of your duties as being a Slave To your slave master . I think that That was so wrong To tell the black sleeves That Especially coming from Reverend's.
After that point The black slaves were starting to learn about the Bible and Christianity And Around that time That is when The Civil War happened . The Union Won the war Against slavery And A lot of Migrants that were black slaves Came up to the north To be more free From the south And the southern slave masters .
The author of this book Is very well informed of the history Of black slaves , As well as the History of the slave movements , and The Politics of slavery .
There were a lot of Excerpts From A couple of Bible entries, A couple of Readings from The Slave songs , And Readings from Political figures who were African Americans And Excerpts from The African American Reverend's And churches .
There were lots of brand-new churches that branched off From Christianity , Where African American slaves We're given the opportunity to Be preachers And have an education And get a formal education Some colleges To be preachers , since that was the only Career path That They could take . There were even White And British slave masters that Did not want the black slaves to learn anything Or else they would help themselves And learn to Get out of slavery And out from under working from slave masters . Some slave masters were In favor of their black slaves Getting educated And That was wonderful .
Aside from that Because of the Churches branching off into other Christian churches Like Baptists and Protestants , There were starting to become more Political figures Involved in the scene of Political rights , Black and African American Rights For African Americans And There was talk in the book about A lot of White people Rejecting the idea And Not wanting it to happen .
Because of These Churches Forming out of Black slavery , There were a lot of black women that wanted to The preachers and preach the gospel of God . However, The black women slaves And eventually Black African American women Did not get to have That right 2 Be a preacher But we're able to Preached in missionaries And In evangelicals . There is still a Disagreement Today on black women Being refused to Have a job as a preacher .
The black community , A black slaves , And the African American People Started to Branch off from Christianity Into learning and eventually Practicing Hinduism from India and Read the Quran From Muslim . There is actually A growing number I'm about 6 million Black Muslims who identify as religious Muslims in the United States As of 1996 .
I think that there needs to be more Civil rights And job opportunities for African Americans . There has been a decline of The religious community With Christian churches and other religious movements in the United States , which has led to a lot of African American On African American Crime , Regular crime, prison time , Fathers Leaving the Family When A African American baby is born , Lack of community support From the African American community Because of reduced numbers Of Christian churches serving the African American community In today's modern times .
There was a quote in the Book Where one of the Ministers of the slaves At the time I told the slaves about a Bible verse called Ephesians 6:1 Where it says That slaves have to obey their masters . And when I looked at my Apologetics Study Bible For more understanding of this first , The footnotes which are in educational Notes to help you better understand the verses Says that The Bible and especially Christ and God did not like the term of slaves or The thought of Slavery Since Moses helps to Bring slaves Out from under Egypt in from the pharaoh . And In this apologetics Study Bible , It tells me that Slavery should only be accepted as happiness to be a Slave Under God or Jesus Christ . And that People serving as a Christian under God and Jesus Should be happy to Want to serve under Their masters which would be God And Jesus . The Preachers That originally told the black slaves 1 parts of the sentence from the Bible did not fully tell Them The entire Verse of That part of the Bible in Ephesians . So Because of that A lot of black slaves were misled into thinking Differently about slavery .
We can also as Christians , Credit The history Of Martin Luther King jr. , and Malcolm X , for holding Revivals For the black community Because When King Junior , Was at the rallies For the black community , He would start the Rally's off with Singing of songs and hymns , Prayer , Bible worship being and preaching of the Bible from preachers and reverence , The goals of What to do For the upcoming week that will be shared with The people And then be shared with the congregation , And then a closing prayer , and More singing Before the rally Closed down . So the Christian Community And the Christian churches Especially the Predominantly white Christian churches Can think The Black communities And Rally's for Starting off This movement inside of churches .
And honestly I think that King Junior , would be laughing If not smiling in his grave right now And through his spirit To see and to know That What he started At the rallies for prayer And for And worship at the rallies became the standard for Congregations Inside of Christian churches Today .
It does talk about Christopher Columbus And finding out that There were slaves Already in the United States Previously before coming to shore. The slaves Did come from Africa and along the Mediterranean Sea.
The white British colonies Of the Thirteen original colonies That were in the United States , Had told the slaves that If you want a baptism Then you cannot ask To be freed Of your duties as being a Slave To your slave master . I think that That was so wrong To tell the black sleeves That Especially coming from Reverend's.
After that point The black slaves were starting to learn about the Bible and Christianity And Around that time That is when The Civil War happened . The Union Won the war Against slavery And A lot of Migrants that were black slaves Came up to the north To be more free From the south And the southern slave masters .
The author of this book Is very well informed of the history Of black slaves , As well as the History of the slave movements , and The Politics of slavery .
There were a lot of Excerpts From A couple of Bible entries, A couple of Readings from The Slave songs , And Readings from Political figures who were African Americans And Excerpts from The African American Reverend's And churches .
There were lots of brand-new churches that branched off From Christianity , Where African American slaves We're given the opportunity to Be preachers And have an education And get a formal education Some colleges To be preachers , since that was the only Career path That They could take . There were even White And British slave masters that Did not want the black slaves to learn anything Or else they would help themselves And learn to Get out of slavery And out from under working from slave masters . Some slave masters were In favor of their black slaves Getting educated And That was wonderful .
Aside from that Because of the Churches branching off into other Christian churches Like Baptists and Protestants , There were starting to become more Political figures Involved in the scene of Political rights , Black and African American Rights For African Americans And There was talk in the book about A lot of White people Rejecting the idea And Not wanting it to happen .
Because of These Churches Forming out of Black slavery , There were a lot of black women that wanted to The preachers and preach the gospel of God . However, The black women slaves And eventually Black African American women Did not get to have That right 2 Be a preacher But we're able to Preached in missionaries And In evangelicals . There is still a Disagreement Today on black women Being refused to Have a job as a preacher .
The black community , A black slaves , And the African American People Started to Branch off from Christianity Into learning and eventually Practicing Hinduism from India and Read the Quran From Muslim . There is actually A growing number I'm about 6 million Black Muslims who identify as religious Muslims in the United States As of 1996 .
I think that there needs to be more Civil rights And job opportunities for African Americans . There has been a decline of The religious community With Christian churches and other religious movements in the United States , which has led to a lot of African American On African American Crime , Regular crime, prison time , Fathers Leaving the Family When A African American baby is born , Lack of community support From the African American community Because of reduced numbers Of Christian churches serving the African American community In today's modern times .
There was a quote in the Book Where one of the Ministers of the slaves At the time I told the slaves about a Bible verse called Ephesians 6:1 Where it says That slaves have to obey their masters . And when I looked at my Apologetics Study Bible For more understanding of this first , The footnotes which are in educational Notes to help you better understand the verses Says that The Bible and especially Christ and God did not like the term of slaves or The thought of Slavery Since Moses helps to Bring slaves Out from under Egypt in from the pharaoh . And In this apologetics Study Bible , It tells me that Slavery should only be accepted as happiness to be a Slave Under God or Jesus Christ . And that People serving as a Christian under God and Jesus Should be happy to Want to serve under Their masters which would be God And Jesus . The Preachers That originally told the black slaves 1 parts of the sentence from the Bible did not fully tell Them The entire Verse of That part of the Bible in Ephesians . So Because of that A lot of black slaves were misled into thinking Differently about slavery .
We can also as Christians , Credit The history Of Martin Luther King jr. , and Malcolm X , for holding Revivals For the black community Because When King Junior , Was at the rallies For the black community , He would start the Rally's off with Singing of songs and hymns , Prayer , Bible worship being and preaching of the Bible from preachers and reverence , The goals of What to do For the upcoming week that will be shared with The people And then be shared with the congregation , And then a closing prayer , and More singing Before the rally Closed down . So the Christian Community And the Christian churches Especially the Predominantly white Christian churches Can think The Black communities And Rally's for Starting off This movement inside of churches .
And honestly I think that King Junior , would be laughing If not smiling in his grave right now And through his spirit To see and to know That What he started At the rallies for prayer And for And worship at the rallies became the standard for Congregations Inside of Christian churches Today .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 4, 2023
Seven or eight out of ten.
(Read for Dr Fox Tree's religions class)
This is a short, approachable work, but it packs a surprising emotional and spiritual punch. Raboteau traces the outlines of black American religious history in a calm, largely disinterested manner. He uses plenty of specific examples. He gently but firmly points out some of the inconsistencies of white American Christian treatment of blacks, including black Christians.
This book was just long enough for me to wish it were a little longer and more in-depth. Perhaps I'll read Raboteau's Slave Religion next. Or I'll go a slightly different direction with Jesus and the Disinherited or The Cross and the Lynching Tree . . .
I'd recommend this book as a solid introduction to the history of Christianity (and, to a lesser extent, Islam) among African Americans.
(Read for Dr Fox Tree's religions class)
This is a short, approachable work, but it packs a surprising emotional and spiritual punch. Raboteau traces the outlines of black American religious history in a calm, largely disinterested manner. He uses plenty of specific examples. He gently but firmly points out some of the inconsistencies of white American Christian treatment of blacks, including black Christians.
This book was just long enough for me to wish it were a little longer and more in-depth. Perhaps I'll read Raboteau's Slave Religion next. Or I'll go a slightly different direction with Jesus and the Disinherited or The Cross and the Lynching Tree . . .
I'd recommend this book as a solid introduction to the history of Christianity (and, to a lesser extent, Islam) among African Americans.
May 17, 2018
Solid primer on African American religions by a senior historian of the field. The opening chapter has a succinct but rich description of West and West Central African religious traditions that kidnapped slaves brought with them to the Americas. Good for high school, college underclassmen, and casually interested public audiences. The Religion in American Life Series is akin to Oxford's Very Short Introductions series, but organized around a particular topic.
October 14, 2020
When it was written I'm sure it was a helpful overview, but with the advent of Wikipedia this seems a little incomplete. At times the author seems to be on the verge of giving a certain opinion or telling the historical story through a certain narrative lens but then backs away from it. I would have liked more of that in this day and age.
December 1, 2025
Fantastic review of African American religious history. I'm taking a theology class focused on Black Life. This was not assigned, but helped me get a better understanding of all the readings we have done so far. If you are looking for a fairly short, but comprehensive reader in the topic - definitely choose this one!
Read
September 24, 2019read this for class, but might have read it anyway. a good introduction to this topic, but quite short. focuses specifically on the united states and xianity, with other locations and religions discussed only briefly. it delivers on its premise; would recommend.
February 28, 2020
For my African American studies class. Really good representation of how religion was an escape to black Americans.
August 16, 2020
An abbreviated but classic history of the African American church from the slave ships to 2000. Told from the perspective of faith.
Read
September 30, 2021Read for class
May 12, 2022
Very well done. All of Albert J. Raboteau's works on this subject are enlightening and very well done.
May 2, 2021
I had to read this book for a class, but I found it very interesting and enlightening.
July 3, 2007
This book is what got me started on a college long love affair with African American religious history. Detailing the major and minor figures and events, as well as overall themes, in the evolution of African American spirituality is no easy task, but Raboteau, a professor at Princeton, does it elegantly and with purpose. I learned so much from this book that I used it as a source for countless papers after reading it during my first year of college. Desite being academic in its scope and relevancy, it really is a readable text and something that is as easy to read for pleasure as for research. I wish I had the brain of Raboteau!
September 30, 2016
Raboteau offers a birds-eye view of the history of African Americans--a "religious history"--from the beginning of the Atlantic Slave Trade to the present day. Very informative. Compelling. I was moved to tears more than once as I read his account of the black man's (and woman's) struggle for freedom. There is so much I did not know, and still do not.
August 15, 2007
Albert J. Raboteau's, Canaan Land will provide both clarity and knowledge of the African-American religious history. He does a wonderful job explaining the foundation, and roots of African-Americans ancestorial religious faith and beliefs.
February 22, 2016
Great primer to African American Religion. Easy to digest and points are brought up that we need to revisit. However, the book is now a bit dated. Some may say that he didn't speak about other faiths enough, but I think he did a great job given the length of the book.
January 31, 2017
A good introductory to the religious aspect of African American life. Very insightful as to why and how religion is practiced by African Americans. A good read for anyone interested in American religious history in general and African American religious history in general. Pick it up!
March 3, 2016
Its ok. Good historical account in some cases.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews