The Historical Directory of the Christian Denomination and Afro-Christian Churches

This program celebrated the release of The Historical Directory of the Christian Denomination and Afro-Christian Churches in a virtual discussion with author Richard H. Taylor.

In this important new resource, Taylor explores the history of the first native-born Protestant religious movement in the United States, the Christian Connection. Early America set the stage for a “religion of the people.” Empowered by religious freedom and increasing literacy rates, ordinary people read the Bible on their own. Many sought to free themselves from complicated theologies and arbitrary authorities. Three break outs of these values coalesced to form the Christian Connection, whose heirs united with the Congregationalists in 1931. Closely related to them was an autonomous Afro-Christian movement that drew from their African roots to embody an Afrocentric Christianity. These movements also provided the incubator for many other American religious groups.

Richard Taylor’s new book gives a history of their active, but little known, traditions, principles. and activities. It helps local historians to see their impact on their communities, directs genealogists to the lives of nearly 7,000 congregations, and assembles a large body of resources for individual and academic study.

SPEAKER BIO

Richard H. Taylor is the former Chair of the Historical Council of the United Church of Christ (2002-2009). He served as Vice President of the Congregational Christian Historical Society from 1981 until its union with the American Congregational Association (ACA; Congregational Library) in 2008. His articles, essays, and research have appeared in many books, collections, and journals, including the recent Afro-Christian Convention: The Fifth Stream of the United Church of Christ (2023). An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, he has served pastorates in Rhode Island, Michigan, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.