This Far by Faith

This Far by Faith chronicles the African American religious experience from the 1600s through modern times. The book traces how faith and spirituality supported Black Americans through slavery, emancipation, and the ongoing struggle for civil rights. The authors examine key religious figures and movements that shaped African American Christianity, Islam, and other faiths. They document the rise of the Black church as a center for both spiritual guidance and social action, highlighting its role in community organizing and resistance. The narrative draws from personal accounts, historical records, and scholarly research to present the evolution of African American religious institutions and practices. The text covers both well-known religious leaders and everyday people whose faith sustained them through generations of hardship. The work illuminates the inseparable connection between African American faith traditions and the broader fight for freedom and equality in America. Through this historical lens, the book reveals how spirituality continues to influence Black identity, culture, and social justice movements.

Readers describe this as a solid historical account of African American faith, though several note it lacks sufficient depth on certain religious movements. The companion book to a PBS series covers broad territory but moves quickly through complex topics. What readers liked: - Clear writing style and organization - Strong focus on civil rights era religious leaders - Inclusion of lesser-known historical figures - Quality photographs and visual elements What readers disliked: - Surface-level treatment of some major developments - Limited coverage of contemporary faith movements - Some repetitive content from the PBS series - Not enough attention to non-Christian faiths Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (43 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (22 reviews) Notable reader comment: "Does a good job connecting religious history to social movements, but skims over modern developments in Black spirituality." - Goodreads reviewer "Well-researched but reads like a TV companion book rather than a standalone work." - Amazon reviewer

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📚 Author Juan Williams worked as a political analyst for Fox News and was previously a Washington Post reporter and NPR correspondent before writing this comprehensive history of the Black church in America. ⚜️ The book chronicles 200 years of African American spiritual life, from the slavery era through the Civil Rights Movement and into modern times. 🎭 The text was written as a companion piece to a PBS series of the same name, which aired in 2003 and featured notable figures like Desmond Tutu and John Lewis. 🗝️ Among its revelations, the book details how slave owners initially opposed Christianity for enslaved people, fearing it would inspire rebellion, but later used a modified version to promote obedience. 📖 The narrative highlights lesser-known religious leaders like Richard Allen, who founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1794 after experiencing discrimination in white churches, making it the first independent Black denomination in America.