Sunday, whether intentional or non-intentional, is arguably the most racially-segregated day of the week in America. Whether you attend worship services in a church located in the urban core, a suburban area, or in the valleys and hillsides along winding country roads, it is very likely that the parishioner beside you or across the isle is of the same race if not the same ethnic group.
Many of us gather in the pews Sunday after Sunday, unbothered and unfettered by the racial homogeneity all around us, even when the edifice and its distinct steeple peers from a neighborhood whose residents may or may not be homogeneous at all. A neighborhood made up of a variety of racial and ethnic groups, members of which have never dared to dawn the church’s entrance, or never invited to come in.
The National Congregations Study, which conducted surveys in 1998 and, most recently in 2006—07, confirms that the vast majority of churches throughout the nation are made up of members of the same race or ethnic group.
At first glance, the “Sunday Self-Segregation” phenomenon is easily understandable. After all, our religious beliefs and methods of worship are extensions of our family life, whether Catholic or Protestant, Islamic or Judaic, or some other religion. So it comes naturally to gather with “our kind.” To do otherwise present a kind of, what we instinctively feel is an unwanted and unnecessary dissonance when we find ourselves outside of “our comfort zone.”
Such dissonance is often palpable for the visitor who goes to a church predominantly of a different race, as well as those he or she visits. So, what does that say about our willingness to invite, accept, include others — a brotherly deed that the very religion we embrace teaches and urges us to practice — who on the surface may look and live very unlike us?
Though we may see more diverse congregations in some areas, and certainly on some televised religious services, integrated congregations are far from being the norm.
But in some areas, there is no progress at all when it comes to welcoming different races to share in the worship experience.
Just last week a church in Pike County, Kentucky voted to ban interracial couples. The church actually crafted, and voted on a resolution excluding black people from church functions. The church decided to adopt this measure when one of its life-long members, a 24-year-old-graduate student brought her black fiancé to Sunday service to introduce him.
While all the members of this Freewill Baptist Church left or declined to vote, the resolution passed anyway. Now the denomination’s regional conference will begin examining the issue and actions taken in the coming weeks.
This church in Kentucky is adamant and determined to remain racially segregated, and members interviewed on CNN last week seemed proud and resolute in maintaining its separateness. How many more churches are there, white or black, or of some other racial origin, that feel just as strongly, but have not been confronted with having to openly state their position?
There are likely many more churches, all over the land, that wish to, and work to remain racially segregated, whether white, black, brown, yellow, or otherwise. Perhaps, even more than we care to fathom.
Do you think we can have true racial integration if we persist in remaining segregated in the worship experience on Sundays, even when we share the same religious beliefs that teach otherwise?
What do you think?
Comments
I did not realize how
I did not realize how racially or ethnically segregated churches are until I read this article. The more I thought about it, the more I noticed how true it is. My own church (a Roman Catholic Church) is filled with Italians or other white people. I barely see any other races or ethnic groups there. Although other groups share the same religion, they tend to go to different churches in the area. The African Americans attend a separate church, the Hispanics attend their own Catholic church, and as do the Asians in my area.
If this persists, we cannot have true racial integration. People have been attending these churches for years and families attend the churches there other family members went to. Also, we tend to go to church were we feel comfortable and welcomed. Even though we share the same beliefs, we go to the churches were others are of the same race or ethnicity. It is almost as if we are recruited there. Most of us do not change churches to become more integrated. We stick to what we have been going to. Integration may occur if others join of different races and ethnic groups, but it is doubtful that it will become drastically integrated.
I really liked how you said
I really liked how you said that we get “recruited” to the churches we attend. This is a really good way to look at it. It’s as if we attend a specific church by default. We go to a certain church because our family has gone there for decades, or a friend has been going for a long time, or whoever. Like you stated, we go places we feel comfortable, and who we feel comfortable with usually ends up being people we can relate to. Our society has taught us that the people we can relate to translates into people who are of the same race. Although we all know that this is not necessarily true, I think –unfortunately – this is what it amounts to. It comes down to the fact that we’ve been taught to believe that sameness equals race, when in reality it really shouldn’t. It’s obvious that we have a long road ahead of us if we are to put that myth to rest.
Boundary Work
I agree that there is almost a sort of recruitment going on in churches for members of the same race. In our class textbook, Racial Domination, Racial Progress, this is something the author calls boundary work where no one explicitly says other races aren't invited (that would actually undermine the purpose of the organization), but only people of the same race are actively extended invites. This is also common among cultural groups on college campuses: they always want members who are racially different, but only people who are similar to the name of the cultural group are enthusiastically included! It's jarring in the religious realm because we preach our oneness under God, yet when we stand before God on Sundays we're more racially divided than we are any other time during the week!
My parish has become more
My parish has become more racially diverse over the years and none of the parishoners are unhappy about this. I believe that some parishes are one race due to past immigration. Certain races rested in areas and their children now live there. This may be the cause of hte unsegregated parishes. I believe the bigger issue is people actually attending mass. At my parish if you go to a SUnday morning mass, the pews aren't even filled up. I think the pastor and the diocese need to figure out ways to attract a higher percentage of folllowers.
Upon reading this article, I
Upon reading this article, I realize that I've always noticed -- on a subconscious level -- that there is a large amount of homogeneity in the churches I've attended. Although I consider myself a Christian, I don't regularly attend church and throughout my childhood I attended many different churches. Looking back, yes, most of them in fact were of the same race as me. Why is this? Is religion a place where you gather with others that are like yourself? Either way, I think this is devastating. This tradition only perpetuates "otherness". Your religious group is not consisted of people who are unlike you. People who are not in your religious group are the other. This only further separates what is "normal" and what is "other" in all aspects, really. No matter what "side" you are on, there's the "other". This is a terrible mentality that churches are only stimulating more, instead of lessening.
The Sunday Self Segregation
The Sunday Self Segregation Phenomenon is definitely an unspoken race issue in America. Personally I worship with a predominately African American congregation however there are some Caucasian members. I think that previously church was a safe place. Historically African Americans knew they were safe from demeaning and segregating behavior in their church with their “own kind”. My belief is church should be a safe zone but not a safe zone in regards to race alone. Church was designed as a place of worship and that is what it should be. When you enter into the doors of any church no one should be there to judge because we all have sinned, everyone should be focused on what they came to get and that is spiritual food. If people are going to church for any other reason than we have a problem universally. I know that this is the case but there is no way to correct it. Freedom of religion is FREE!! People that want to fellowship and truly be obedient to the Holy Bible in its entirety and not certain parts will choose to worship with anyone regardless of race, color, creed or denomination. The people of America that are overly concerned with race, creed and color are the people with the problem and assist in creating a prejudice society.
My parish is racially
My parish is racially homogeneous, however I think it has to do with the neighborhood I live in. My neighborhood is not that diverse in terms of races and ethnicities. That can be a major part as to why houses of worship are not that diverse. However, that doesn't mean that racial segregation amongst our churches and houses of worship is acceptable. I think that ethnicities go to houses of worship where their culture and own ways are embraced and accepted. I also think ethnicities and races have their own take on the a religious sect (ie: Catholicism). However, I think that a heterogeneous church should be encouraged because all races can worship together and celebrate their own differences and cultures.
Homogeneous Neighborhoods
I’m glad you brought up the idea of racially homogeneous churches in relation to neighborhoods. I think that to a certain degree, this racial homogeneity extends into the community as a whole, in turn influencing the demographics of churches in the area. Because some communities are also racially homogeneous, church attendance merely reflects these trends.
Racial Segregation in Churches
I attended a Christian school that was housed within my city’s Evangelical “megachurch.” Not only were the televised services primarily attended by white people, but all of my classmates were also white. Because I grew up within this isolated environment, I had no understanding of racial issues until I switched to a secular high school. The voluntary racial segregation that occurs in churches all over the country merely demonstrates the fact that race, and divisions of race specifically, remain an “uncomfortable” topic for most people, so therefore it is “easier” to congregate with people of one’s own race.
While the actions of that Kentucky church are disgusting, I think that these sort of ideologies exist in countless churches, although these rules are unspoken rather than outlined in actual church sanctions.
Thank you for sharing your
Thank you for sharing your experience with that. I have gone to similar churches in Colorado Springs also. I think this is just an example that no environment or circumstance in this country goes untouched by the issue of racism.
I don’t actually attend
I don’t actually attend worship services, but I feel like the racial make-up of churches is probably a reflection of the communities in which they reside. Most people, I think, tend to take advantage of the services offered closest to home. Therefore, I think this is likely a symptom of a larger problem of segregated communities.
I agree with you it is most
I agree with you it is most likely just the neighborhoods that churches are in that cause a majority of one race to attend.
Church
I do not regularly attend any church, however whenever I have attended a church I have noticed that there are mostly all white people there. That probably had to do with the neighborhoods though. When I was a child I went to preschool in a church and there were all races in my class. I think it has to do with the locations of the churches.
As a person that does not
As a person that does not attend a worship service, it’s difficult for me to say that I’ve experienced this segregation. Yet it does make sense that this occurs. Typically people attend services at churches in their own neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are often racially and ethnically segregated.
I appreciated how Professor Ellis discussed what this segregation says about our willingness to accept and include others. This “love thy neighbor” concept is a cornerstone of many religions, including Christianity, when we are encouraged to embrace others who may be different from us because we are all God’s children. Instead, though, we choose perpetuate this segregation. It’s a bit ironic that this occurs in a place of worship, the religious centerpiece where we are supposed to be at our best.
I when I was growing up I
I when I was growing up I always attend church on Sundays. I felt this was my norm and I felt that every other individual did the same. But I came to realization that my belief was not true. I feel this is demonstrate in our society that Sunday are the days for Church.
Churches perpetuate the cycle
As someone who has attended a church with a majority one race, I know first hand how much of an effect that can have. Churches are supposed to be this strong, community organization that promote this "come as you are" slogan, but only seem to follow that idea on the surface. Religion is one of the most sacred things to a person and if even your religious experience is segregated, it is hard to facilitate integration in other parts of your life.
Churches further uphold this version of racial homophily when they invite members to bring along friends and other family members on certain days. When you look around the congregation, you realize that these friends are usually of the same race/ethnic group. How does this bring anything new to the table at all? My pastor has never once made a sermon on how to reach out to people that are not like us to have a truly fulfilling religious experience. In fact, I think he furthers the divide by creating an "us vs. them" feeling when discussing certain current events. I've always wondered how this could allow you to move forward to achieving multiculturalism when this major part of your life keeps you from doing so. I definitely agree that Sunday (Saturday in some cases) is the most racially divided day of the week.
Irony in the Racial Segregation of Churches
The irony of this topic is truly amazing. How can a huge group of people hold the same set of beliefs, practice them every weak, and yet not come toghether on any type of personal level? As a person of no particular religious faith I cannot speak from personal experience but it seems to me that the message coming from many churches is to love every individual for who they are. For some reason it seems many churches in America think this means love everyone... but at a distance... because we don't want to get to close to those who aren't like us. Like I said I have no personal experience with churches so I would love to hear from someone who knows more about the reality of this concept, but based on what I have heard from my friends and family this has been my impression.
I also want to point out that the segregation of churches is most likely linked directly to the racial history of the U.S. As we can tell by looking back at every other segregated institution in history, segregated communities never lead to true racial integration, regardless of shared beliefs or goals.
Sunday Self-Segregation Phenomenon
I have never though of this before, but after reading this article I realize that my church is made up mostly of white people. It is sad to think that people could be racist in a place that is supposed to be so open and caring to everyone. The story of the church voting to ban interracial couples is ridiculous to me. The girl had gone to that church her whole life, and they turned their back on her. It is crazy to think that there are still racist people out there. After reading this article, I will make an effort to make sure that anyone feels welcome when they attend the church that I attend.
This is totally new to me
This is totally new to me because i never attention to it but now i noticed that it is true. All i see when i pass by the church is Hispanic and black people,but rarely white people. I believe this is happening because people tend not to feel comfortable if they go to another church where there are people of different culture from them.
Preach the truth
It's very true. I started thinking about the individuals that go to church and where and why. I guess people feel comfortable among their own when it comes to prayer and this is a shame. One wouldn't think that one is racially divided when trying to reach in God's arm in prayer.