STUDY: Why Black Women's Faith Is So Strong
Tuesday, August 21, 2012 at 3:39PM 
By EEW Magazine Editors
Experts and scholars find black women and our patterns of behavior fascinating, and are perpetually attempting to assess and analyze us. An area of particular interest is our commitment and devotion to faith as an overall group. A recent survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Washington Post found that 74 percent of black women (and 70 percent of black men) view "living a religious life" as important.
In an article posted on EURWeb.com, the survey's results are cited, which concluded that in hard times, 87 percent of black women from all walks of life, education, class, and income level turn to faith--the highest percentage of any group.
Stacey Floyd-Thomas, an Associate Professor of Ethics and Society at Vanderbilt University, weighed in on the study last month. She links black women's historical struggle to our firm faith roots.
“Black women have been the most mistreated and scandalized in U.S. society and culture as they wrestle both individually and collectively with the triple jeopardy of racism, sexism and classism,” said Floyd-Thomas.
According to her, black women, due to our oppression, seek out faith "as a way of finding relief, reprieve, resolution, and redemption."
Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, a professor of sociology and African American studies at Colby College in Maine, on the other hand, views things from somewhat of a different perspective. Gilkes suggests black women's religious devotion can be tied to cultural heritage.
"African Americans are more likely to have grown up with gospel music in the background of their lives, as well as with a mother or grandmother who insisted on all-day church on Sundays and Bible school in the summers," says the article featuring Gilkes, an African American ordained minister and assistant pastor at a Baptist church.
Your thoughts?
Reader Comments (3)
The whole slavery-religion link gets on my nerves. A lot of people use that as a reverse way to say religious people are weak-minded and turn to "false beliefs in a fake God" because they can't handle life.
I agree with both of these ladies. It's a mixture of that an a lot of other things. We can't deny our history or heritage. It did influence our faith greatly.
I believe that ALL women have a unique devotion to God .Just because the world is just realizing this does not mean that women weren't devoted to God from the beginning of time. Why was it that in the garden Satan came after Eve first and and not Adam first??? There are many different viewpoints on that situation but I believe God was showing us that although both men and women can have a "strong" relationship with the Lord, women in particular have always approached God in such a unique manner. A manner that is so unique, pure, intense and is clearly displayed throughout the scriptures. From the old testament to the new testament women cried out to God and reached out with a "strong" faith until they received their blessing , most importantly until they were in the presence of the Lord. Look at the women who washed Jesus feet with her precious alabaster oil, and the scriptures never mentioned her saying a word to Jesus but when she seen him she was drawn to him and began to pour her love out for him, without words but in action. Women all over should be encouraged that Father God created us in such a unique way that we can get straight to the heart of our King with our worship. He has uniquely designed a place of worship for us that only you as an individual and the Father can experience together. To all people of God, men and women, lets serve God with a pure heart and pour our love on the one who is worthy of everything we have to give and more.