“Catch the word”: Violated contracts and prophetic confirmation in African American Pentecostalism
- 1 December 2017
- journal article
- Published by University of Chicago Press in HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory
- Vol. 7 (3), 237-260
- https://doi.org/10.14318/hau7.3.014
Abstract
The image of a violated social contract has long held a distinctive place in African American Christian thought about injustice. This essay discusses the efforts made by members of Pentecostal churches in Buffalo, New York, to enter into forms of contract with God that supersede the broken social contracts they see as devaluing their lives. These believers listen to God’s words as expressed in prophetic utterances for “confirmation” of the significance of events. In their view, “catching the word” through faithful listening enables them to create social commitments on their own terms, whereas their creative capacities are liable to be alienated from them if they listen improperly. Applying David Graeber’s revisionist treatment of “fetishism” as a form of social creativity, this essay explores how believers create their blessings within a dialogic space involving themselves, God, the devil, and pastor-prophets with exceptional abilities to listen to and convey the terms of the divine contract. L’image d’un contrat social bafoué tient depuis longtemps une place de choix dans la pensée Chrétienne Afro-américaine de l’injustice. Cet essai évoque les efforts effectués par des membres des églises pentecôtistes à Buffalo, New York, pour entrer dans des formes de contrat avec Dieu remplaçant les contrats sociaux rompus qui dévalorisent leurs vies. Ces croyants écoutent la parole de Dieu telle qu’elle est exprimée dans l’énonciation prophétique de la “confirmation” de la signification des évènements. D’après eux, “saisir la Parole” grâce à une écoute fidèle leur permet de créer des engagements sociaux selon leurs propres termes, tandis que leurs capacités créatives pourraient leur être ôtées s’ils n’écoutaient pas convenablement. En ayant recours au traitement révisionniste de David Graeber de la notion de “fétichisme,” conçue comme une forme de créativité sociale, cet essai montre comment ces croyants génèrent leur bénédiction dans un espace dialogique les incluant, eux ainsi que Dieu, le diable et des pasteurs-prophètes avec des capacités d’écoute exceptionnelles leur permettant de relayer les termes du contrat divin.Keywords
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