Black church?s role in sexuality summit

By Henry Tomes, PhD
Executive Director for the Public Interest

On a nice day in late spring, a week or so from calendar summer last year, I found myself in a house of worship, and not on a Sunday. I sat in a black church, the chapel of Howard University?s School of Divinity. Not the usual for me. I observed closely as the familiar words of a worship service were offered and an old hymn was sung softly with feeling. All the pleasant sounds and sights that I associate with being in a black church.

However, one thing was different. These rituals were being utilized to open a much anticipated conference, 'National black religious summit on sexuality: breaking the silence,' sponsored by The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and hosted by the School of Divinity.

The summit brought together pastors, laity and health professionals to discuss sexuality, a topic that hasn?t been addressed within many black churches. What seems clear from the emphasis on religion and spirituality is that conference organizers wanted to create an atmosphere within which religion and spirituality could foster useful discussions about sex, sexuality and reproductive choice?difficult topics to discuss within many communities, but especially within back churches.

I had been encouraged to attend the summit by Lori Valencia-Greene, an APA Public Policy staffer and one of the conference organizers. Several respected African-American health and religious leaders lended their influence to the event as speakers: Dr. Gail Wyatt, Dr. Henry Foster, the Reverend Calvin D. Butts III and Reverend Walter Fauntroy.

The Conference

Aided by the religious and spiritual atmosphere, the silence surrounding these issues was indeed broken. Plenary sessions on sexuality and teen pregnancy preceded interactive workshops on domestic violence, sexuality education, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, male involvement and substance abuse. The information shared enabled ministers and other church leaders to counsel, teach or preach to their congregations about several things: sexual and other interpersonal encounters that place individuals and families at risk for disease; diminished quality of life; and, most importantly, the need for the churches to reach out to those faith communities that look first to them for guidance and direction.

It was encouraging to see how the conference treated issues such as teen-age pregnancy, and sexual transmission of HIV/AIDS virus via unprotected sex and needle-sharing among injecting drug users. Of the two topics, more emphasis was placed of reaching out and supporting sexually active teen-age girls?both in terms of prevention, as well as developing support within the church community.

What did the conference accomplish?

In a public way, leaders of the black churches who attended devoted two days to addressing sexual issues, which has proven to be very difficult for them as a group. These discussions were clearly enhanced and supported, as they occurred within a chapel used for religious services and accompanied by activities with strong devotional emphases. The religious and professional presenters were in spiritual concert with their audience; in many instances they blended significant data and knowledge in a context that made it possible for participants to hear what was being said.

A second conference is also being planned, which will also take place at Howard?s Divinity School, July 8?10.

Can psychologists help?

Watching as the conference unfolded, I thought of several ways that health and mental health professionals could help faith communities in similar efforts. Conferences of this kind could occur in different faith communities across the country. Often community religious leaders are willing to take the initiative, if assured the professionals will be respectful of the people and their religious beliefs. Often there is a disconnect between what psychologists and other learned professionals understand and what is known or believed by others. We understand the power of belief systems and their ability to influence cognitions and emotions. Religious beliefs can be just as strongly held and have the same power to influence behavior.

Everyone may not able to relate to black churches and congregations and vice versa. However, health professionals, especially psychologists, have knowledge and skills that, if shared with others in a faith context, have the potential to influence behavior, save lives and improve the quality of life for many.

Give it some thought, it is in the public interest to do so.