Mississippi is a state with a diverse religious composition, with Baptist Family (Mainline Trad. Other Baptists (Mainline Trad.) being the most prominent. In the late antebellum period, many Mississippians had an uncertain position in white-led churches, leading to the establishment of Mission Mississippi in Jackson in 1992. In each county, Catholics represented more than 10 percent of all religious followers, and Hancock County was one of the few counties where Catholics represented more than half of all religious followers. Karla Smith is the director of the Department of Social Studies at the Jefferson Davis campus of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The 21st century has seen Mississippi religion continue to evolve, with new religious groups, interests, and forms of worship emerging.
The Prohibition movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries added new political dimensions to Mississippi religious life. Dupont's research showed how people of faith in Mississippi rejected the religious argument for black equality and actively supported efforts to thwart the civil rights movement. Two trends in the late 19th and early 20th centuries called into question the central role of Baptists, Methodists, and Presbyterians in Mississippi religion. More than half of the church faithful in northeastern Mississippi and in several counties in south-central Mississippi are part of historically white Baptist groups. A 2000 survey of religious life in the United States helped identify some of the most important characteristics of the Mississippi religion.
Emancipation brought about dramatic changes in church life, as many African-Americans interpreted emancipation as part of liberation from slavery to enter the Promised Land and abandoned white-led churches in large numbers to establish their own institutions. The expansion of church activities to provide services to Latino immigrants and the rise of Spanish-speaking church groups have been some of the visible changes in church life in Mississippi. The groups that belonged to that category constituted more than a quarter of all religious faithful throughout the Mississippi territory, except for the extreme northeast of the state and seven counties on the Gulf Coast. By contrast, in 44 Mississippi counties in 2000, Catholics represented less than 1% of all religious faithful. Jews were a minority; there was no county in Mississippi where Jews represented half of 1% of all religious followers. Students will present their research projects to the class.
The Mississippi Conference is divided into 11 districts, and each district is managed by a district superintendent in consultation with the bishop. The religious landscape of northeastern Mississippi is an ever-evolving one that has seen dramatic changes over time. From its beginnings as a largely Baptist-dominated region to its current state as a diverse mix of faiths, this region has seen its fair share of transformation. From Mission Mississippi's establishment to provide a bridge between white and African-American Christians to its current status as a hub for Spanish-speaking churches, northeastern Mississippi has become a melting pot for different faiths. The 2000 survey also revealed some interesting facts about religion in this region. While more than half of church faithful belonged to historically white Baptist groups, Catholics represented more than 10 percent in each county.
In Hancock County, Catholics even represented more than half of all religious followers. On the other hand, Jews were a minority; there was no county where they represented even half a percent. The Prohibition movement also had an impact on religion in this region. People rejected the religious argument for black equality and actively supported efforts to thwart civil rights movements. This has led to further changes in church life as new services are provided for Latino immigrants and Spanish-speaking churches become more prominent. The students at Jefferson Davis campus will present their research projects on this topic to their peers.
The Mississippi Conference is divided into 11 districts which are managed by district superintendents who consult with bishops.
