ABSTRACT
This essay provides a contextual framing for mapping religious expressions and the spirituality of African descendant communities. These expressions are complex, multi-layered, and are a vital force in the production and reproduction of African cultural, social, economic, and political life on the continent and in the diaspora. The work of the Transatlantic Roundtable on Religion and Race is highlighted as a modern manifestation of religious organizational expression aimed at improving prospects for African descendant communities around the world, with dialogue, activism, and research seen as important mechanisms through which Pan-African-inspired religious expression can find a constructive outlet. The work articulates and supports an intersectional approach to mapping and assessing the significance of African religious expressions, but argues that spirituality needs to be accounted for in intersectional analysis where issues of race, gender, sexuality, and class have traditionally been foregrounded. Recognizing the workings of the Spirit in the lives of African descendant communities provides us with new insights and enhances our ability to understand our histories and to chart positive futures.
