In describing to me her own spiritual socialization as a child, Sister Ima stressed the central role of adult church members:

In this chapter, African-American adults reflect, in their own words, upon the meaning of spiritual socialization in their own lives and in the lives of their children and students. Their reflections provide an important context for interpreting adults' socialization practices at First Baptist Church. Indeed, a growing body of literature in cultural psychology describes the complex ways in which individuals' belief systems provide a frame of reference within which they interpret experience, and formulate goals and strategies for socialization (e.g., Goncu, 1999; Goodnow & Collins, 1990; Harkness & Super, 1996; Haight, Parke & Black, 1997). As we will see in this chapter, adults' beliefs may be described as childsensitive and growth-oriented. Adults were sensitive to children's emotional needs and relative immaturity. For example, they valued positive adult–child relationships as a prerequisite for effective socialization. Adults also expressed the importance for African-American children and youth to behave in a mature and highly competent fashion in order to survive and develop in neighborhoods and schools that they perceived to be racist.