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Middlesex University Research Repository An open access repository of Middlesex University research http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk Burrell, Rachel-Rose (2019) The Black Majority Church: exploring the impact of faith and a faith community on mental health and well-being. Other thesis, Middlesex University / Metanoia Institute. Final accepted version (with author’s formatting) This version is available at: http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/26479/ Copyright: Middlesex University Research Repository makes the University’s research available electronically. Copyright and moral rights to this work are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners unless otherwise stated. The work is supplied on the understanding that any use for commercial gain is strictly forbidden. A copy may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial, research or study without prior permission and without charge. 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See also repository copyright: re-use policy: http://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/policies.html#copy Rachel-Rose Burrell [F2-DPR16103] Module: DPY 5360 Project 360 Credits Doctorate in Psychotherapy by Professional Studies Middlesex University and Metanoia Institute Final Project Title: The Black Majority Church: Exploring the impact of faith and a faith community on mental health and well-being Submitted: January 3rd 2019 1 Acknowledgements I would like to thank the following individuals for their contribution to this project: Academic Advisor Dr Christine Stevens; Dr Stephen Goss, Dr Marie Adams and Dr Sophie Bager-Charleson; Dr Onel Brooks; Dr Dawn Edge; Dr Kenneth Koenig, Professor Adam Dinham and Dr Peter Brierley for endorsing the study; Interview participants; Research assistant Claudine Ford; Father Britto; Bishop Michael White; Malik Gul and Bishop Delroy Powell; Bishop John Francis, Co-pastor Penny Francis and Ruach City Church; Ruach Research Group: Dr Niyat Henok and Adnan Moudhiddin; Ivor Ettiene at Ruach Radio; Sozo Therapeuo Team: Anita Vincent, Sonia Doughall, Yolanda Antonio, Sharon Walker and Claudine Ford; Pastor Errol Brown; Sharon Nugent; Eunice Amusu; Angela Gillard; The National Spirituality and Mental Health Forum; Alan Gadd and Faiths Together in Lambeth; Dr R. David Muir and The Pentecostal Network; Pastor Nims Obunge; Riana Lee; Evyon McPherson; Marie Reid at ChrispelMedia.com; Luke Allan website designer; Proof readers and critical friends Dr Emma Davies, Vimbai Shire, Anita Vincent and Lascelles Haughton; Friends for your support and prayers; My family for your support and encouragement; Thank you Jesus for help, strength and completion. 2 I dedicate this project to my parents Franklin Samuel and Linette Burrell 3 Table of Contents Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………..…10 1.Introduction …………………………………………………………............................12 1.1. Definition of The Black Majority Church …………………………………….……. 13 1.2. Aims of the Study …………………………………………………………….……….19 1.3. Background to the Study……………………………………………………….……..22 1.4. Early Africans and Christianity………………………………………………..…….. 25 1.5. The Caribbean and Christianity…………………………………………………….. .27 1.6. Early Presence of Black People in Britain…………………………………………. 30 1.7. Migration to the UK………………………………………………………………….…31 1.8. Pentecostalism in the UK………………................................................................32 1.8.1. History of Pentecostalism……………………………………………………..…….33 1.8.2. Growth of Pentecostalism in the UK………………………………………….……35 1.9. Black Mental Health in the UK………………………………………………………..37 1.10. Spiritual Care and Health…………………………………………………………....38 1.10.1. Impact of Religion on Health………………………………………………...……39 2. Literature Review ……………………………………………….……………………..41 2.1. Traditional African Religion……….……………………………………………..……41 2.1.1. Africa and Christianity…………………………….…………………………………42 2.1.2. African Presence in Europe……………………………………………………...…47 2.1.3. The Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries………………………………….……...47 2.1.4. The Holiness Tradition……………………………………….………………….…..49 2.1.5. Origins of Pentecostalism in the UK . …………………………………….……… 49 2.1.5.1. Pentecostal Beliefs in the UK…………………………………………….……….50 2.1.5.2. Trinitarian and Oneness…………………………………………………..............51 2.1.5.3. Sabbatarianism………………………………………..……………………..……..53 2.1.5.4. Pentecostal Practices in the UK…………………………………………………..53 4 2.2. Overview of Christianity in Britain…………………………………………………...56 2.2.1. Status of Christianity in the UK………………………………………………..…..56 2.2.2. Decline of Christianity in Britain…………………………………………….……..58 2.2.3. UK Growth of Christian Pentecostalism …………………………………...……59 2.2.4. Global Pentecostalism……………………………………………………………..59 2.2.5. Pentecostalism and Flexibility………………………………………………..….…60 2.2.6. Growth of Christian Pentecostalism in London……………………….…….. ….61 2.2.7. African Pentecostal Churches in London…………………………………….…..62 2.2.8. Pentecostalism in Britain Today……………………………………………….…...65 2.2.9. BMCs’ Wider Socio-Political Impact……………………………………….….……66 2.3. Black People and Socio-economic Factors……………………………………..…..69 2.3.1 Ethnicity, Ethnic Groupings in the UK………………….………………………..…. 69 2.3.2. Race and Poverty……………………………………………………………………. 70 2.3.3. Race and Education……………………………………………………………...…. 70 2.3.4. Race and Health……….…………………………………………………….……..…71 2.4. Mental Health………………………………………………………….…….……..…….73 2.4.1. The Cost of Mental Health in the UK……………………………..……………….…74 2.4.2. Mental Health and Gender……………………………………………..………….….75 2.4.3. Stigma………………………………….…………………………………..………….. 77 2.4.3.1. Black Mental Health …………………………………………………….…….…... 78 2.4.3.2. Black People and Statutory Mental Health Services……….…………………….79 2.4.3.3. Cultural Context…………………………………………………………..…….…….82 2.4.3.4. Indentity…………………………………………………………….….………….…..83 2.4.3.5. Mental Health and Migration ……………………………………….……..………. 84 2.5. Religion and Mental Health……………………...………………………….…….……87 2.5.1. Religion and Spirituality …………………………………………………….………. 87 2.5.2. Religion and Psychiatry……………………………………………………………..…92 2.5.3. The Positive Impact of Religion on Mental Health…...………………..……………96 5 2.5.3.1. The Negative Impact of Religion on Mental Health……..…………………….…98 2.6. Coping Strategies……………………………………………………………………... 104 2.6.1. Therapy …………………………………………………………………………..……104 2.6.1.1. Therapy and Race …………………..…………………………………………….105 2.6.1.2. Black Client White Counsellor Dyad …………………………….……...107 2.6.1.3. Transcultural Therapy………………………………………………………..……108 2.6.2. Therapy and Religion……………………………………………………………..….109 2.6.2.1. Christian Counselling…………………………………………..……….….…..….114 2.6.3. Therapy Training………………………………………………………………….…..115 2.6.4. Mental Professionals and Delivery of Services…………………………………....118 2.6.5. Perceptions of Health, Illness and Healing……………………………….….…….119 2.6.5.1. Pastors and Leadership Teams…………………………………………….……122 2.6.5.2. Leaders' Influence on Interpretation of Problems …………………..………….122 2.6.5.3. Black Leadership and Training………………………………….………………..124 2.6.6. Religious Coping………..…………………………………………….………….…...125 2.6.6.1. Faith……………………………………………………………….…………….……127 2.6.6.2. Meditation…………………………………………………………..……………......128 2.6.6.3. Prayer ……………………………………………………………..…………………129 2.6.6.4. Worship…………………………………………………………….…….….……….132 2.6.6.5. Singing and Dancing………………………………………………….………....….133 2.6.6.6. Faith Communities (Church)……………………………………….………………134 2.6.6.7. Church Attendance and Membership…………………………….……….………134 2.7. Partnership Working……………………………………………….…………………….135 3. Research Methods……………………………………………………………..………….139 3.1. Focus Groups Research Questions……………………………………….….……...140 3.1.1. Semi-structured Interview Questions…………………………………….…………141 3.1.2. Individual Interview Questions………………………………………….……………145 3.2. Ethical Considerations and Administration……………………………….…………..147 3.3. Participant Recruitment…………….…………………….…………..……….………..149 6 3.4. Summary of Focus Group Process…………………………………….…….………..154 3.4.1. Research Assistant…………………………………………………………………....156 3.4.2. Participant Data Collection: Focus Group Interviews…...…………………………157 3.4.2.1. Overview of Focus Groups………………………………..……………………..…160 3.5. Summary of Individual Interview Process……………………………………………..164 3.5.1. Participant Data Collection: Individual interviews ………………………………….164 4. Data Analysis……………………………………………………………………………….167 4.1. Transcription Process……………………………………………………………………167 4.2. Thematic Analysis………………………………………………………………………..168 4.2.1. Narrative Analysis………………………………………………………….…………..171 4.3. Working with NVivo………………………………………………………………………172 5. Findings ……………………………………………………..…………………………….175 5.1. Focus Group Themes…………………………………….…………………………….175 5.2. Summary of Findings…………………………….………………………………..……175