Recently an apparent attack was levied against the founder of the Church Of God In Christ, Bishop C.H. Mason, claiming that he had used the art of Black magic and divination as a method to both divine the Saints of God and deliver the message of Pentecostalism to his followers.
Although Pentecostalism and Mason has had their fair share of critics over the years, this particular attack seemed to have been inspired in part by the book "Black Magic: Religion And The African American Conjuring Tradition" by Yvonne Chireau University Of CA press 2006.
The book builds upon the assertion that post slavery spiritual ethics revolved around the use of special material objects as a source of power. As stated in the excerpt, (pg. 111) Bishop Mason would illustrate his sermons by pointing out "earthly signs" and "freaks of nature". What is not discussed as much, is that these "illustrations" were used to deliver analogies in order to support a spiritual point. What was also overlooked was the Jesus often did as much using common and natural objects to illustrate spiritual points or make spiritual teachings. I'll discuss that more specifically toward the end of the article.
Clarifying The Confusion
Now, the author didn't seem to have studied enough for this compilation of information. Though it wasn't short on information or historical research, it was woefully short on responsible delivery and handling of the information. The author misinterprets the setting of African American response to biblical instructions at the turn of the century, and how biblical commands were carried out within the Black community in general. In addition the author incorrectly classifies all meta-spiritual occurrences as magic, further exacerbating the problem by lumping all classes of these occurrences together as one or a singular type of event; ie: Black Magic. This is an incorrect and, in my opinion, unscholarly approach set on course by a presupposition which leads to an incorrect examination of the causes that inspired and under girds reported spiritual events, miracles and observations. One can't assume that because mysticism occurred among African cultures that their descendants were inclined to the same type and practices of mysticism. This is a stereotype and a boarder-line insult if not an out right insult on all Black people who hold to and value their spirituality and in particularly their relationship to Christ.
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