At the core of “Hard, Hard Religion,” shared faith

Without a doubt, factors like race and class affect the way we view our society, but do they also affect the way we view our faith?

Dr. John Hayes, associate professor of History, believes so. In his new book, “Hard, Hard Religion: Interracial Faith in the Poor South,” published by the University of North Carolina press, Hayes explores the creation of a shared “folk Christianity” among poor whites and blacks living in the post-war New South at the turn of the twentieth century. While race has divided the poor for generations, especially in the South, Hayes argues that hardship and poverty created a religious exchange of sorts in which elements of African and European traditions came together to form an entirely new breed of Christian faith.

For more information about “Hard, Hard Religion,” check out Hayes’ guest post for the UNC Press Blog.