luminous brotherhood, A
Book Description
In nineteenth-century New Orleans, a fascinating spiritual community emerged that would challenge both religious and social boundaries. The Cercle Harmonique, composed of African-descended men, practiced Spiritualism in a city dominated by Catholic tradition, creating a unique space for both divine connection and social transformation.
Emily Suzanne Clark reveals how this remarkable group used séance practices and spirit communication as tools for navigating the turbulent period from the Civil War through Reconstruction. As free blacks faced increasingly oppressive laws and violent resistance to their rights, these Afro-Creole Spiritualists found guidance and strength through messages from the spirit world.
The departed souls who communicated through their séances included an extraordinary range of figures, from François Rabelais and Emanuel Swedenborg to Abraham Lincoln and John Brown. These spiritual encounters addressed profound questions about government, human moral progress, and equality, offering the Cercle members both rich religious experiences and inspiration for political activism rooted in republican ideals.
Through detailed examination of actual séance records and the lives of the mediums themselves, Clark demonstrates how Spiritualism provided this community with a powerful framework for envisioning a transformed world. The spirits encouraged continued struggle for justice in a future realm where spiritual enlightenment would transcend racial divisions.
This groundbreaking history illuminates how diverse spiritual practices have woven through American culture, offering profound insights into the intersection of faith, politics, and social change.
Who Is This For?
📖 Reading Level: Medium (200-400 pages) (~7 hours)
📄 Length: 265 pages
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Religious life and customs
- ✓ Explore Religious aspects
- ✓ Explore Race
- ✓ Explore African American Spiritual churches
- ✓ Explore Church history
- ✓ Explore New orleans (la.), history
- ✓ Explore African american churches
- ✓ Explore New orleans (la.), social life and customs
