(The Root) — Whether or not you're religious, it's pretty inarguable that for many black Americans, the black church has played a major role in their lives. Whether attending services themselves or having family members who had major roles within the church, black Americans have an intimate connection with the church.
In a recent article in the Atlantic, Alessandra Ram discussed the ramifications of gentrification in relation to the black church. Now, there is much to discuss about her position on this subject, which I will attempt to tackle at another time. However, we did talk with professor Anthea Butler of the University of Pennsylvania's department of religious studies about this on TWIB Radio. You can find the whole conversation on iTunes, but check out this segment in which Butler posits a reason for some of the decline within the black church.
Elon James White is a writer and satirist and host of the award-winning video and radio series This Week in Blackness. Listen Monday to Thursday at 1:30 p.m. EST at TWIB.FM and watch at TV.TWIB.ME/LIVE. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr.