569. We
welcome Jeroen Dewulf back to the podcast to discuss his new book,
Afro-Atlantic Catholics: America’s First Black Christians. "This volume examines the
influence of African Catholics on the historical development of Black
Christianity in America during the seventeenth century. Dewulf’s
analysis focuses on the historical documentation of Afro-Atlantic
Catholic rituals, devotions, and social structures. Of particular
importance are brotherhood practices, which were critical in the
dissemination of Afro-Atlantic Catholic culture among Black communities,
a culture that was pre-Tridentine in nature and wary of external
influences. These fraternal Black mutual-aid and burial society
structures were critically important to the development and resilience
of Black Christianity in America through periods of changing social
conditions." "Jeroen Dewulf (born 1972 in Nieuwpoort, Belgium) is a
Belgian scholar specializing in Dutch culture, the Dutch language,
German Studies, slavery and African-American culture, Caribbean Studies,
and Latin American Studies. He is a professor at the University of
California, Berkeley."