There's a lot of fuss about the supposed "segregation" of races in churches. In another post here I brought up the fact that perhaps other races and ethnic groups didn't want to come to our churches, preferring their own language/manner of worship. That doesn't seem to occur to the "church integrationists." For the record, I want to see all types of races and ethnicities stting toether in churches, but I feel it is insulting to minorities to insist they come to our churches. Why don't we go to their churches? I never hear this suggestion from the "church integrationists."
But let's suppose a miracle occurs and other racial and ethnic peoples swarm into our churches. Here is what will happen, I can assure you, because it's already happening in churches that do attract a variety of people. The black members will sit together; the Asians will sit together. Well, actually the Japanese will sit together in one section; Philippinos in another section; Koreans in another section, and so forth. the Latinos will sit together, and the Whites will segregate according to age. Then after church, the racial/ethnic groups will go together on their way, not integrated for the most part, with the exception of some brave and friendly souls who make a real effort to get through this segregation within the church. And, that is what I want churches to do. I want them to admit right out loud that their racial integration experiment really isn't working, that all they are interested in, really is saying, "well, at least got 'them' into our church." We need to admit that until we solve the problem of how to really get people together within the church, we are simply hypocrits "playing" at integration, trying to look "good" to other churches, and the society in general. After all, we must be politically correct mustn't we?
Instead of worrying about being politically correct, why don't we work on why true integration isn't happening in our churches? Or. perhaps it shouldn't. Maybe we white folks should just allow others to worship where they want to. Or, maybe not.
What do you think?
Deadbeats?
2 days ago
4 comments:
I don't disagree with your main point, but there is a more limited argument that I don't think commits the same error. I think it can be fairly argued from scripture that it's contrary to the basic principles behind what the church in fact is that we should be strongly opposed to starting new congregations purely along ethnic lines. It's a much more difficult question what to do when you have existing congregations divided along ethnic lines. But is it all right to start a new congregation just to appeal to a certain ethnic group that doesn't have a congregation in your area of their own? People do that all the time, and I can't see how it's remotely compatible with a gospel mentality.
I should say that I don't think the same objection applies to congregations focused on language with a community that hasn't learned the dominant language of the surrounding culture. They can benefit from their own congregation that speaks their language, provided that they don't start a service for their young adult children that uses the very language that their congregation formed because they didn't know. That then does commit the error of my just-previous comment.
You know, a friend of mine awhile back told me that blacks should quit segregating themselves and attend predominantly-white churches. I pointed out that, since many didn't want to or felt uncomfortable doing so, it would be far better for he to start attending a predominantly-black church to get the ball rolling. And, as I predicted, he was whole-heartedly against that idea.
I should also mention that I used to worship at a church that merged with a Spanish-speaking congregation. Although the children were together, many of the older members of the white congregation were upset that there would be a separate service for the Hispanic adults. For some reason, they thought their age was a fine excuse not to learn Spanish or how to use email, but they wanted other seniors to master English!
Jeremy and Jenny,
I agree with your points. I wanted to kind of "stick" the facts in peoples' faces to get them to think about what is REALLY going on, not what they think is going on. I live in a very multi-ethnic area and what is happening is, although people finally learn English, they just will not leave their ethnic churches. And the pressure on their children when they are grown is tremendous to also attend these churches instead of integrating with the English speaking churches. And so it just goes on generation after generation.
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