The congregation is the most visible expression of the Christian tradition. Yet there is little academic data on congregations in general, and much less on African-American congregational life, in particular. This dissertation is a response to the dearth of theological literature on African-American congregational life. It seeks to examine the theological trajectories that generate and give meaning to the various expressions of Abyssinian's concepts and practices of social ministry, and how does context influence these trajectories? The dissertation is guided by two basic questions: (1) in what ways is the Abyssinian Baptist Church involved in social ministry in Harlem and (2) what are the determinants of this involvement? For example, how do theological understandings expressed in preaching, teaching, and singing shape Abyssinian's involvement in housing, employment, education, and economic development? In short, this dissertation seeks to ascertain if Abyssinian scratches where Harlem itches. By employing traditional ethnographic methods-including interviews, questionnaires, and particular observation-this dissertation posits that certain theologies, as set forth in Abyssinian's liturgy, Christian education, and auxiliary participation engender specific responses to human need. These theologies will be identified, mapped, and situated in a dialectical conversation with Carlyle Stewart's street corner theology and James Cone's black theology.