theophiles.org - Black churches as tourist entertainment

Written by holmegm

Friday, 16 March 2012 11:29

From The Washington Times:

The clash between tourists and congregants plays out every Sunday at Mother African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the oldest black church in New York state. It’s one of many Harlem churches that have become tourist attractions for visitors from all over the world who want to listen to soulful gospel music at a black church service. With a record number of tourists descending upon New York City last year, the crowd of foreigners is becoming a source of irritation among faithful churchgoers.

Comments

laika - Socio-Tourism? Pilgrimage?

|2012-03-16 14:56:53

Interesting. Local to me, there's a predominantly black church that is a stop on - for lack of a better term - the civil rights circuit. It's odd to think of such places as tourist destinations, but if one thinks in terms of pilgrimages, then perhaps it makes better sense and such has been going on in other places since forever.

Quote:

But the reality is that these visitors are often filling church pews that otherwise would remain empty - and filling the collection basket with precious dollar bills.

I can imagine that it's hard to argue with that.

PineHall - Pilgrimage? No

|2012-03-17 17:05:04

laika wrote:

I am not certain I would call it a pilgrimage. I see it to be a little like the big cathedrals in Europe. Tourists come in and look at the art in the building, take pictures, and leave, all while a worship service for a small group of worshipers is happening. (I admit I was one of those tourists and felt a little odd about it.) So I think the tourists come in, get a taste of gospel music, and then leave. My guess for most of them, they went to a concert and did not worship. One difference is many of the cathedrals have a very small store by the front door. In Europe, it is a business.

laika - re: Pilgrimage? No

|2012-03-20 22:55:10

PineHill wrote:

I am not certain I would call it a pilgrimage.

You're right, what the article describes sounds closer to attending a concert where a worship service happens to be going on.

whitemice - re: re: Pilgrimage? No

|2012-03-22 20:30:18

laika wrote:

You're right, what the article describes sounds closer to attending a concert where a worship service happens to be going on.

The carnival aspect of it is a bit, at least, weird. Where I grew up had significant Amish settlements, with their own markets and even a cheese factory of their own. When you are used to having them around and dealing with them... all the people who come to essentially look-at-the-sideshow-freaks - the weirdness becomes apparent. The same is probably true of many native american settlements. Lots of time it is friendly and genuine curiosity; many other times it can feel like someone is being exhibited (or exhibiting themselves, which also has an odd component).

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Last Updated on Friday, 16 March 2012 11:36

Our valuable member holmegm has been with us since Thursday, 03 April 2008.

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