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Within the African-American Christian tradition, preachers and other members of the clergy have historically served an important and wide-ranging role in the community. According to C. Eric Lincoln, in the early struggle for freedom from slavery, African-American clergy were not only an invaluable source of spiritual guidance but also a critical source of strength and leadership to advance the cause of liberation. However, Lincoln notes, the preponderance of clergy only resulted from the lack of viable options for talented African-Americans. Indeed, Lincoln cites Benjamin Mays who asserts that "if the Negro had had greater freedom in the social, economic, and political spheres, fewer Negroes would have been 'called' to preach, and there would have been fewer Negro churches.
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