Absolute truths were sought, with little room for shades of gray: “Both church and home activities called for bounded knowledge which is exhibited in the repetition of memorized words exactly as they have been taught” (Heath 1996, 140–41; emphasis mine). In the black church of Trackton, the particulars were very different. A model of creative interpretation and spontaneous audience participation mirrored a cultural tendency that favored creativity and spontaneous expression of feelings, in words or other sounds, such as “A-men,” “That’s right,” or “Mmm-hmmm.” Likewise, the preacher made up
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