Book Review  Fortress Introduction to Black Church History

"This book will be welcomed by all who seek a concise, readable history of the origins and growth of African American denominationalism in the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Its format makes it an excellent guide for both adult reading and youth study group." --Peter J. Paris, Princeton Theological Seminary, author of The Spirituality of African Peoples

"A detailed and comprehensive treatment, the Fortress Introduction to Black Church History  examines all the historic black denominations--their origin, history, theology, and witness; their bureaucratic structures, splits and realignments; their fight for social justice and the crucial role of black Christian women. Anyone concerned about the larger relation between religion and society will do well to read this book." --Dwight N. Hopkins, University of Chicago Divinity School

This concise and accessible history, co-authored by a black minister and a black theologian, provides an overview of the shape and history of major black religious bodies: Methodist, Baptist, and Pentecostal. With photos, timelines, profiles, and additional readings, Pinn and Pinn ably explain the evolution of black Christianity into the groups we know today. A final chapter sketches the more just American society. The Pinn's book will help a new generation of black American assess the religious legacy of the black churches and the larger society to gauge their social import.