
Hard-Fighting Soldiers
A History of African American Churches of Christ
Edward J. Robinson(Author)
University of Tennessee Press
Published on 30. July 2021
Book
Paperback/Softback
277 pages
978-1-62190-719-0 (ISBN)
Description
In the first full-length scholarly synthesis of the African American Churches of Christ, Edward J. Robinson provides a comprehensive look at the church's improbable development against a backdrop of African American oppression. The journey begins with a lesser known preacher, F. F. Carson, in many ways a forerunner in the struggles and triumphs awaiting the preachers and lay people in the congregations to come. Robinson then builds on scholarship treating well-known figures, including Marshall Keeble and G. P. Bowser, to present a wide-ranging history of African American Churches of Christ from their beginnings-when enslaved people embraced the nascent Stone-Campbell Christian Movement even though founder Alexander Campbell himself favored slavery. The author moves on to examine how the churches grew under the leadership of S. R. Cassius, even as Jim Crow restrictions put extreme pressure on organizations of any kind among African Americans.
Robinson's well-researched narrative treats not only the black male leaders of the church, but also women leaders, such as Annie C. Tuggle, as well as notable activities of the church, including music, education, and global evangelism, thus painting a complete picture of African American Churches of Christ. Through scholarship and compelling storytelling, Robinson tells the two-hundred-year tale of how "black believers survived and thrived on the discarded 'scraps' of America, forging their own identity, fashioning their own lofty ecclesiology and 'hard' theology, and creating their own papers, lectureships, liturgy, and congregations." A groundbreaking exploration by a seasoned scholar in American religion, Hard-Fighting Soldiers is sure to become the standard text for anyone researching the African American Churches of Christ.
Robinson's well-researched narrative treats not only the black male leaders of the church, but also women leaders, such as Annie C. Tuggle, as well as notable activities of the church, including music, education, and global evangelism, thus painting a complete picture of African American Churches of Christ. Through scholarship and compelling storytelling, Robinson tells the two-hundred-year tale of how "black believers survived and thrived on the discarded 'scraps' of America, forging their own identity, fashioning their own lofty ecclesiology and 'hard' theology, and creating their own papers, lectureships, liturgy, and congregations." A groundbreaking exploration by a seasoned scholar in American religion, Hard-Fighting Soldiers is sure to become the standard text for anyone researching the African American Churches of Christ.
Reviews / Votes
This book will become the reference for anyone doing research on the African American Churches of Christ." - Jerry Rushford, director of Churches of Christ Heritage Center, Pepperdine UniversityMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Chicago
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 226 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
363 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-62190-719-0 (9781621907190)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2023
1st Edition
University of Tennessee Press
€21.99
Available for download
Person
Edward J. Robinson, associate professor of history and religion at Texas Col-lege, has published seven books, including To Save My Race from Abuse: The Life of Samuel Robert Cassius, A Godsend to His People: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Marshall Keeble, and I Was Under a Heavy Burden: The Life of Annie C. Tuggle.