Higher Ground Temple C.O.G.I.C.
In an earlier post, I criticized churches who isolate themselves and ignore the "rights and needs" of the common people. In Thomas Merton's words: "...genuine contemplation [religion] is incompatible with complacency and with smug acceptance of prejudiced opinions. It is not merely passive acceptance of the status quo, as some would like to believe - for this would reduce it to the level of spiritual anesthesia".
Not all churches have a history of complacency. Some churches, such as those that played a role in the the Civil Rights Movement, have been the driving force behind social action. On the other hand, some "active" churches have been criticized for taking advantage of the urban poor. It is hard to determine the specific intentions of any church.
Higher Ground Temple is a Church of God in Christ located in the written off city of Camden, NJ. Once South Jersey's thriving center of technological and industrial progress, Camden has become a city stricken with poverty and violence. Here's a video showing the Higher Ground Temple pastor and congregation on a stop the violence walk through North Camden.
Song of the Day: The Holy Ghost - COGIC AIM International Mass Choir (2012)
