In the Storm, HE Is Here: The Evocative Work of the Beloved Community to Initiate Transformative Change in Small Town Communities of North Carolina

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the significance, relevance, and importance of Beloved Community and its function in small communities in North Carolina. The original term was a cry against individualism in the mid-1800's. It was re-imagined during the Civil Rights Movement by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who framed the core of its meaning from the Imago Dei. In the introduction, I offer a reflection of the holy Trinity being the first example of the beloved community and conclude the introduction with scriptural examples from Old and New Testament passages that give validity to the existence of this type of community. In the first chapter, I provide a historical overview of the African American experience in the United States. Close attention is paid to the Civil Rights Movement, as I focus on the efforts of the non-violent protesters and the obstacles they faced. Also woven into this chapter is King’s theological interpretation of the Imago Dei and its correlation to the Beloved Community. The second chapter addresses the scholarship of Charles Marsh, John Perkins, John Bell, and two clerics that I interviewed who have a firsthand knowledge of being a part of a beloved community, Rev. Dr. Matt Riggsbee and a woman minister (whom I refer to as Lynelle for the benefit of her anonymity in this project). Each of these five intellectuals shares relevant insights into the discussion of what a beloved community is. The third chapter examines four beloved communities in North Carolina – BeLoved Asheville, Beloved Community Center, The Trees, and the Fellowship of Churches. The four groups are distinctly different from each other as they offer beloved community into their ministerial contexts. In the final segment of this thesis, I offer a summative look at the examples and scholarship of the beloved community with the characteristics that I believe are paramount to its sustainability, effectiveness, and potential to be a viable initiative for change in small communities.