Why Are Churches Still Racially Divided?

Why are churches still racially divided?

Being from the South, I won’t begin to discuss the idea that racial prejudice has ended in our country. I have vast memories of racism from my childhood as well as new memories here in Athens. Racism is alive and kicking in America. With that being said, however, I would like to acknowledge the fact that racial prejudice is beginning to be less apparent in our country then it was fifty or sixty years ago.

Although racial prejudice has changed dramatically since the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s, the racial divide has not. The most apparent racial divide in our country is found within churches. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is quoted as saying, “It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 o’clock on Sunday morning” (Hill, 2013). Dr. King brings up a valid point.

 

My curiosity on this subject builds from my impression that racial prejudice has gotten much better in our country but racial divide hasn’t. We can see this divide on college campuses amongst the array of social and institutional organizations, within sports, and at local hangouts. More so, according to Dr. King and others, the racial divide in America is more visually apparent in the church. Why are churches still racially divided? Is it the music being played, the sermons being taught, the location of the church, or the homogeneity of the congregation?

With regards to our class discussions, I will discuss the role of homogeneity in the congregation as being the factor of racially divided churches. Race, as we have discussed in class, is a societal construction built to categorize people in order to benefit certain groups. At the foundation of what racially divides the church, in my mind, are the differences in doctrinal practices. According to E.K. Bailey, “African Americans lean toward a social emphasis, the white churches lean toward the evangelical, especially in the South.”(Gilbreath, 2002). Basically, the fundamental differences between white and black perspectives are what guide the racial divide in churches. Even though I agree with E.K. Bailey in some ways, isn’t it true that whites and blacks read the same Bible? Harold Myra writes “despite differing rhetoric, they do read the same Bible and ultimately proclaim the same goals: equality, dignity, and justice. But their strategies and priorities can differ dramatically” (Myra, 1995).

What steps are being taken to ensure that this racial divide is being subsided? According to Harold Myra, “the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and the National Black Evangelical Association (NBEA) started 1995 off with a convocation on racial reconciliation” (Myra, 1995). The idea here was to bring the two races together through community outreach programs, the glue that holds the church and the community together. If the two churches are attending different events in the community, this portrays segregation within the churches. As part of my thesis research, I’ve spent copious amounts of time reading literature pertaining to the diffusion patterns of protestant denominations. In some of the literature, there is mentioning of the idea of megachruches, huge churches created to preach the gospel to massive congregations. Pertaining to my research, these churches have aided in the spread of Protestantism across the U.S. Stepping aside from my research; however, I began to think about these churches and my history with them. Attending a few in my past, I’ve noticed the diversity of race within them. That being said, I wondered what role could megachurches play in diminishing the racial divide in churches across the country. I’ve attached an article that specifically asks and answers that question. Read it and see what you think about the role of megachurches and the racial divide found in churches. 

 

Here is the link about Megachurches

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1950943-1,00.html 

 Work cited:

Gilbreath, Edward. "Sunday colors: Dallas churches continue to challenge the racial divide." Christianity Today 46, no. 6 (May 21, 2002): 41-318.

Hill, Jarret. “Losing My Religion Over…My Religion.” The Huffington Post. Jan 8, 2013. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jarrett-hill/losing-my-religion-over-my-religion_b_2412996.html. (accessed February 4, 2013).

Myra, Harold. "Racial Reconciliation Begins with You: Let's Break down the barriers that divide us." Christianity Today 39, no. 3 (March 6, 1995): 18-19.