Revival meetings

Definition

Revival meetings are gatherings aimed at reawakening spiritual fervor among church members and often attracting new participants, characterized by passionate preaching, prayer, and music. These meetings historically served as a way to strengthen community ties, promote social change, and engage in collective prayer, making them crucial in the context of faith as a vehicle for social and political activism.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Revival meetings often feature charismatic speakers who use emotionally charged sermons to engage the audience and inspire spiritual commitment.
2. These gatherings typically include music, such as hymns and gospel songs, which play a vital role in creating an uplifting atmosphere and encouraging participation.
3. Historically, revival meetings emerged in the United States during the 19th century as part of the Second Great Awakening, which sought to revitalize church attendance and moral standards.
4. They provided a platform for marginalized voices within the African American community to express their faith and advocate for social justice.
5. Revival meetings were not just religious events; they also served as spaces for political mobilization and community organization, particularly during the Civil Rights Movement.

Review Questions

• How did revival meetings contribute to community building within African American churches?
  • Revival meetings played a significant role in fostering a sense of community among African American church members by creating opportunities for collective worship and engagement. These gatherings not only reinforced spiritual bonds but also provided a platform for discussing shared experiences, struggles, and aspirations. The emotional intensity of revival meetings often encouraged individuals to connect with one another on a deeper level, thereby strengthening community ties and support systems.
• Discuss how revival meetings intersected with the goals of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference during the Civil Rights Movement.
  • Revival meetings intersected with the goals of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) by serving as venues for mobilizing community support and promoting civil rights activism. Leaders within the SCLC recognized the power of these gatherings to inspire commitment among attendees. By integrating messages of social justice and civil rights into revival meetings, they could rally individuals around common causes, such as desegregation and voting rights, thus effectively merging spiritual renewal with political action.
• Evaluate the impact of revival meetings on the evolution of the Black Church as a social and political institution throughout history.
  • The impact of revival meetings on the evolution of the Black Church as a social and political institution has been profound. These gatherings provided a critical space for African Americans to express their faith while simultaneously addressing issues like racial injustice and inequality. As revival meetings became platforms for activism, they helped cultivate leaders who would spearhead movements for civil rights and social change. This dual role reinforced the Black Church's position as not only a center of worship but also as a powerful agent for social transformation throughout American history.

Related terms

Camp Meeting: A religious gathering held outdoors or in temporary facilities, where people camp together for a series of worship services, often used to foster community and spiritual renewal.

Great Awakening:

A series of religious revivals in the 18th and 19th centuries that emphasized personal faith, emotional expressions of religion, and the need for a deeper relationship with God.

Social Gospel: A movement that applied Christian ethics to social problems, advocating for social justice, civil rights, and improvements in social conditions as an expression of faith.