According to Duke University associate professor William Turner, you do not know where you are going unless you know where you have been.

During a March 3 lecture sponsored by the N.C. Central University department of sociology, Turner, a student of the art of preaching, spoke about the role of the black church in contemporary society.

With an audience of about 40 students and faculty members, Turner discussed how the church affected the black community from the days of slavery.

Turner described the transformation of the church over the last two centuries from small, family-based settings, to cathedrals with massive congregations.

Turner said he feels material possessions, such as money and fancy clothes and cars, have shaped the development of the church.

He also addressed the notion that slaves were only the objects of free labor. Slaves were the backbone of early society and were instrumental in building the first Baptist church in America.

According to Turner, African American religious practices can be traced back to the African past.

Forms of this relationship to African culture include dancing and up-tempo music.

Another example is the way a preacher will place his hand on the head of a congregant seeking a heavenly blessing or a connection to God, according to Turner.

This form of prayer has its roots in an African ceremonial tradition called “laying hands,” that involved marking the face and forehead.

He also said slave owners used the Bible to keep Africans in the clutch of servitude.

One simple Bible verse, “Slaves obey your masters, for your reward will be given,” was used by early slave masters to keep slaves submissive.

“His historical references were so profound,” said sociology professor Michelle Laws.

“The past is so important, but, young people know so little about their own origins,” Turner said.

It is one thing to teach young people about black history, but the environment around them should also reflect on black history Turner said. It’s important to their own self-worth, he said.

“This was a great way to end Black History Month,” Laws said. “We have to bring him back.”