Reflections of Heritage and Pentecostalism

The Hebrew Bible records these words in the poetic passage Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”  Tradition holds that Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest of all of Israel’s Kings, penned Ecclesiastes or The Preacher to convey to the people “knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.”  While Solomon had at his disposal all the luxuries great wealth could afford, he ultimately concluded that all of life “under the sun was vanity.”  Solomon’s conclusions are interpreted in light of his refrain “under the sun”, indicating that beyond the sun, there is a far greater purpose to all of history. History has a point. This is Heritage. The interpretations, preservations and perpetuations of these points and perspectives are Heritage Studies.

At the intersection of our personal histories and collective lives emerges a cultural heritage. Heritage Studies involves reflection, contemplation, and recording of those personal and collective histories.
As Lynn Meskell observes, “There is no unmediated past. Our negotiations and endless iterations reveal that the past is always already a representation of a representation.”  All of collective history and personal heritage is viewed through the lens of personal experience and interpretation. This presents challenges to those who seek to preserve heritage for future generations.

It is difficult for me to think of my own personal heritage apart from the religious and cultural perspectives I have inherited. My earliest memories are of kneeling next to my grandmother as she prayed to God in the name of Jesus, and listening to her read aloud from the King James Version of the Bible while offering commentary on its declarations and narratives. My grandmother was the matriarch of her family, practically raising her five children (three boys and two girls) by herself after her husband died shortly after the birth of the fifth child. She chose not to remarry, but instead scraped together a meager existence with her children on a plot of land in the Arkansas Delta just south of the Missouri State line. According to family tradition, and my own memories of her testimonies (perhaps exaggerated), my grandmother came to her particular brand of Christianity through personal Bible study and private interpretation. She would later refer to this as “personal revelation from God”. She passed these personal revelations on to her children and grandchildren and found expression of her religion in a small but enthusiastic sect of Christianity known as Pentecostalism.

Pentecostalism is defined by its exuberant emotional outburst, literal interpretations of Scripture, apocalyptic emphasis, and most importantly a belief that  “Speaking in tongues”, or supernaturally speaking in a foreign language is the initial evidence of “receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost”.  The Pentecostal movement also downplayed the importance of education, emphasizing action over contemplation.

The actions that were rewarded were typically those of a perceived spiritual nature. The most emotional, vocal and enthusiastic responses to Christian songs and Bible expositions were rewarded with recognition within the group that gathered for Sunday and Wednesday worship. It was on the pews of the small Pentecostal church in Blytheville, Arkansas that my religious education continued.
It is difficult for me to imagine a more formative experience than that of my religious upbringing in the Pentecostal Church. In my life, these experiences were central to my personal identity. Therefore, heritage for me has been defined in the relics of my religion. And generally the role of religion in the interpretation, preservation and perpetuation of heritage is one of undeniable influence.

American Southern culture continues to be influenced by religion, and although my particular brand of Christianity may be somewhat obscure, Christianity, in all of its expressions dominates the culture of the Southern United States. This presents challenges to understanding how to best preserve, not just my personal heritage, but also that of the American Southern culture collectively.

For example, progressive times demand that things change. This presents inherent challenges for any institution of conservative leanings, such as the Christian Church. The Church faces the pressure to attract new believers and must at the same time wrestle with the questions of preserving what it believes to be old truths. These challenges are forcing church leaders to grapple with the questions of “What does it mean to be a Christian?”  And central to these questions of identity are also the questions of “sacred places”. Who determines and defines legitimate places of worship and legitimate expressions of worship? Ultimately, these are questions that will be answered, as they are in every age, by those who lead and by those who are willing to follow that leadership.

The nature of defining Heritage Studies will be central to the survival of Christianity in pluralistic societies. There is perhaps no other institution that is wrestling more with the cultural pressures of relevance than the Church. The central question that must be addressed is “What is the point of this two-thousand year old institution in the 21st Century?” The Christian Church with its leaders and constituents must decide how to accurately and effectively represent its core beliefs without denying the problematic aspects of its history. And at the same time recognizing that it will always be at odds with the greater culture due to the exclusivity of its message.

In the final analysis, Heritage Studies is the recognized and recorded point of history as interpreted by preservationist. And any given point of history may look different depending on the perspective of those involved in its preserving and perpetuating. As C.S. Lewis has observed, “What you see, depends on where you stand.” In the case of the Christian Church, its survival will depend on those with the insight to be careful preservationist of heritage with a keen eye on the evolving cultural landscapes, in order to perpetuate its influence.

In order for this to be accomplished, the study of Heritage, and specifically the preservation and perpetuation of Christian Heritage must look more like a well and less like a fence. A metaphor employed by David Livermore, “Most farmers in the United States build fences around the land where their animals roam as a way to keep their livestock in and the livestock of neighboring farms out. But in many rural communities around the world fencing is not an option, either because of the cost or because of the expansiveness of the region. In many of those places, such as several ranches across Australia, farmers use wells instead. It is assumed that livestock, though they will stray, will never roam too far from the well, lest they die…As long as there is a supply of clean water, the livestock will remain close by.”

Inside and outside of Christianity, Heritage Studies provides the points and perspectives of history, boring wells that will continue to provide sustaining water for generations to come.

Nat Turner: A slave rebellion in history and memory

An interpretive essay of Nat Turner: A Slave Rebellion in History and Memory

As Edited by Kenneth S. Greenberg

In August of 1831, a slave by the name of Nat Turner led a rebellion in an attempt to destroy an institution that held him and many others captive. The rebellion took place in Southampton County, Virginia, and according to Nat Turner and others, the insurrection was inspired by Turner’s belief that he was called on by God to lead his people to liberty. While his actions continue to compete for their appropriate place in history, his rhetoric, marked by an emphasis on Old and New Testament interpretations and mystical propensities, continues to be echoed by those communities seeking to further their pursuits of individual and collective liberties.

The genesis of Turner’s rebellion must be examined in light of the institution that gave it birth. Slavery as an institution in America was one that devalued humanity to the status of property, justifying its existence in the faux benevolence of white landowners, who exploited the slave labor force for their own economic benefit. It was in this context that Nat Turner found his inspiration. Ironically, that inspiration would come from a “white man’s religion”, specifically Christianity. White landowners often sought to convert their slaves as a means of keeping them subservient, however, in the case of Nat Turner; they were sowing the seeds of their own demise.[1] As writer James Sidbury observes, “Nat Turner found…inspiration by interpreting the world through a Christian lens: “And now the Holy Ghost had revealed itself to me…it was plain to me that the Saviour was about to lay down the yoke he had borne for the sins of men, and the great day of judgment was at hand.”[2]

Even a cursory review of the literature will reveal that what Turner believed about himself and what He believed about God and Scripture played an influential role in his motivations for sedition. On this point Sidbury makes it clear, “Turner himself saw the roots of his revolutionary leadership in his ability to interpret God’s word. Early in adulthood he grew obsessed with a biblical passage-“Seek ye the kingdom of Heaven and all things shall be added unto you”-and after much prayer regarding that passage, “the spirit spoke” to him.”[3] Turner’s interpretations of the Bible were not unique for the time, but his interpretations would inflate his influence among the slave communities with which he interacted. This ability to interpret the Scriptures and make them apply to the slaves’ current experiences would serve to offer solace to those suffering and also fuel the flames of rebellion. The influence of Scripture coupled with his ability to read and communicate served to distinguish Turner from other slaves, giving credibility to his leadership skills throughout his life.

However, the record seems to indicate that Turner saw himself as much more than a mere leader, he in fact, saw himself as the “second coming of Christ.”[4] Turner’s view of himself as a messiah would explain the great lengths that he and his followers would pursue in their attempt to free themselves from the bondage of slavery, and the rhetoric he would employ to motivate his followers and craft his legacy before his execution. Given Nat Turner’s understanding of the Scripture and his mystical leanings, consider the parallels that must have been evident to him on his journey to rebellion and (in the views of many) martyrdom.

First, the childhood of Turner was, in his memory, unique, especially for one born into slavery. “Had they considered themselves or young Nat simply to be “slaves,” he would never have become a messenger. Rather, from the outset they taught him that he was meant for some special purpose (and therefore so were they), and they led him in that path.”[5] In the same way that the Christ child was nurtured by Mary and Joseph, Nat Turner was nurtured by his family and in a broader sense, the black community, to become “God’s avenging scourge against the slaveholders and their world.”[6]

Next, the instance of Turner’s desire to be baptized in a very public way, and what he believed the public would witness, provides insight to his mindset about himself being a Christ-like figure. Turner believed that his baptism would serve to lend credibility to his claims of authority within the black community, and solidify his claim as a prophet to the white community. This would explain his desire to be baptized with his white convert, Etheldred Brantley. By communicating to his world that God had used him, a black slave, to convert a white man, would further serve to establish all of Turner’s claims and authority. This would certainly be a unique influence displayed in a racist culture. Turner also claimed “…whilst in the water, a dove would be seen to descend from Heaven and perch on his head.” He had hoped to “collect a great crowd” to witness this unambiguous sign from God that Turner was not a charlatan but one upon whom the Lord’s favor rested.”[7]

Finally, the sundry details surrounding the life and death of Nat Turner provide the texture of a belief system that would have served to confirm what Turner believed about himself. Consider that like the biblical Christ, Turner spent time away from the community in the wilderness, and returned claiming spiritual power and insight. Both Christ and Turner received “stripes” from the end of a whip. And both Christ and Turner would be publicly executed for their claims and actions. These details were not lost on Turner. “Was not Christ crucified?” was part of Turner’s Confessions.[8]

Nat Turner serves as a reminder that the actors in history are shaped by events and context, but also, and perhaps most importantly, by what they believe to be true about themselves. The resulting heritage in the black community, especially among those who would identify themselves as Christians, is one of an emphasis on the theology of liberation. This emphasis can still be heard today in the pulpits and among the parishioners of black churches. Although Nat Turner’s legacy will continue to be debated, his message will continue to be embraced by diverse communities in search of greater personal liberties. And this is, perhaps, his most powerful legacy of all.

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[1] Harding, Vincent, “Symptoms of Liberty and Blackhead Signposts: David Walker and Nat Turner,” in Nat Turner A Slave Rebellion in History and Memory, edited by Kenneth S. Greenberg 81-82 (New York: Oxford University Press) 2003

[2] Sidbury, James, “Reading, Revelation, and Rebellion; The Textual Communities of Gabriel, Denmark Vesey, and Nat Turner” in Nat Turner A Slave Rebellion in History and Memory, edited by Kenneth S. Greenberg 119 (New York: Oxford University Press) 2003

[3] Sidbury, 128

[4] Ibid, 129

[5] Harding, Vincent, “Symptoms of Liberty and Blackhead Signposts: David Walker and Nat Turner,” in Nat Turner A Slave Rebellion in History and Memory, edited by Kenneth S. Greenberg 82 (New York: Oxford University Press) 2003

[6] Ibid, 82

[7] Breen, Patrick H., “A Prophet in His own Land; Support for Nat Turner and His Rebellion within Southampton’s Black Community” in Nat Turner A Slave Rebellion in History and Memory, edited by Kenneth S. Greenberg 112 (New York: Oxford University Press) 2003

[8] Ibid,