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United by Faith: The Multiracial Congregation As an Answer to the Problem of Race
In the last four decades, desegregation has revolutionized almost every aspect of life in the United States: schools, businesses, government offices, even entertainment. But there is one area that remains largely untouched, and that is the church. Now comes a major new call for multiracial congregations in every possible setting--a call that is surprisingly controversial, even in the twenty-first century.
In United By Faith , a multiracial team of sociologists and a minister of the Church of God argue that multiracial Christian congregations offer a key to opening the still-locked door between the races in the United States. They note, however, that a belief persists--even in African-American and Latino churches--that racial segregation is an acceptable, even useful practice. The authors examine this question from biblical, historical, and theological perspectives to make their case. They explore the long history of interracialism in the church, with specific examples of multiracial congregations in the United States. They cite examples ranging from the abolitionist movement to an astonishing 1897 camp meeting in Alabama that brought together hundreds of whites and blacks literally into the same tent. Here, too, is a critical account of the theological arguments in favor of racial separation, as voiced in the African-American, Latino, Asian-American, Native-American, and white
contexts. The authors respond in detail, closing with a foundation for a theology suited to sustaining multiracial congregations over time.
Faith can be the basis for healing, but too often Christian faith has been a field for injury and division. In this important new book, readers will glimpse a way forward, a path toward once again making the church the basis for racial reconciliation in our still-splintered nation.
In United By Faith , a multiracial team of sociologists and a minister of the Church of God argue that multiracial Christian congregations offer a key to opening the still-locked door between the races in the United States. They note, however, that a belief persists--even in African-American and Latino churches--that racial segregation is an acceptable, even useful practice. The authors examine this question from biblical, historical, and theological perspectives to make their case. They explore the long history of interracialism in the church, with specific examples of multiracial congregations in the United States. They cite examples ranging from the abolitionist movement to an astonishing 1897 camp meeting in Alabama that brought together hundreds of whites and blacks literally into the same tent. Here, too, is a critical account of the theological arguments in favor of racial separation, as voiced in the African-American, Latino, Asian-American, Native-American, and white
contexts. The authors respond in detail, closing with a foundation for a theology suited to sustaining multiracial congregations over time.
Faith can be the basis for healing, but too often Christian faith has been a field for injury and division. In this important new book, readers will glimpse a way forward, a path toward once again making the church the basis for racial reconciliation in our still-splintered nation.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
20 people are currently reading
245 people want to read
About the author
Curtiss Paul DeYoung
26 books12 followersRev. Dr. Curtiss Paul DeYoung is a racial justice academic, author, and activist. He served as the Co-CEO of the Minnesota Council of Churches (MCC)—an ecumenical council of 27-member denominational communions from Historic Black, Mainline Protestant, Pentecostal, Peace, and Greek Orthodox churches. MCC has programs in racial justice, refugee services, and interfaith relations. DeYoung previously served as the Executive Director of the historic faith-based racial justice organization Community Renewal Society in Chicago, IL with its unique programmatic combination of church-based community organizing, policy advocacy, and investigative journalism.
Dr. DeYoung was the inaugural Professor of Reconciliation Studies and Co-chair of the Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Reconciliation Studies at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN. He served as an adjunct professor at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL.
Rev. DeYoung served on staff at congregations in Minneapolis, New York City, and Washington, DC. He is an ordained minister in the Church of God (Anderson, IN). He consults and speaks nationally and internationally with extensive relationships among activists and peacemakers across the United States and in South Africa and the Holy Land.
Dr. DeYoung was the inaugural Professor of Reconciliation Studies and Co-chair of the Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and Reconciliation Studies at Bethel University in St. Paul, MN. He served as an adjunct professor at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL.
Rev. DeYoung served on staff at congregations in Minneapolis, New York City, and Washington, DC. He is an ordained minister in the Church of God (Anderson, IN). He consults and speaks nationally and internationally with extensive relationships among activists and peacemakers across the United States and in South Africa and the Holy Land.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
August 10, 2020
Like some other reviewers have noted, this is not as good as Divided by Faith, but it's a solid biblical foundation for the call to multiracial church bodies and the history of such groups. It doesn't really get into what many readers are looking for: how do you have a multicultural, multiethnic church body, practically speaking? How do you navigate the challenges of figuring out how to make decisions, handle conflict, and relate? What level of discomfort will each congregant need to experience in order for everyone to feel a little bit more comfortable together? Chapter 10 hits the challenges without many suggestions as to how to approach / value / integrate different cultural values and styles.
July 4, 2020
United by Faith was written by four authors, black, white, and Asian-American, as a follow-up to the book Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race. The book’s goal is “to make a bold, clear, controversial argument: Christian congregations, when possible, should be multiracial” (2). The first two chapters focus on the New Testament: Jesus’s ministry and teaching, and the early church. The first chapter concludes that “Jesus’ inclusive table fellowship and vision of a house of prayer for all the nations was a precursor to what we call multiracial congregations” (20) and the second that “the early congregations of the church of God were culturally diverse” (37).
The book then moves to evaluating the context in the United States offering a historical overview of segregated churches from 1600–1940 (ch. 3). Rather than reconciling, “Christianity in the United States became a principal divider of people by race” (61). W.E.B. Du Bois said in 1929: “The American Church of Christ is Jim Crowed from top to bottom. No other institution in America is built os thoroughly or more absolutely on the color line. Everybody knows this” (61). Chapter 4 describes some early initial attempts to move toward integration from 1940–2000, concluding that “a movement toward more multiracial congregations must be the cutting edge for ministry and growth in this [twenty-first] century” (74). Chapter 5 examines the example of four churches who have attempted to integrate their congregations, pointing out lessons learned from each.
The book then considers a number of objections to multiracial congregations. Some minorities resist joining whites in church because they think Christianity has been used to oppress minorities in the past, and that they need a place of cultural refuge in a society that constantly tries to force them into a white mold. The “homogenous unit principle” also argues that it’s easier to do evangelism amongst similar people groups. However, the authors still contend that “when possible, congregations should be multiracial” (143). They acknowledge exceptions: rural areas that only have one racial group living there; lack of a common language; and the unique circumstances of first-generation immigrant groups.
The concluding chapters address ways to develop multiracial congregations. One way is by emphasizing “a theology of oneness” (153). Only when we explicitly remind ourselves of our deep unity in Christ can we counteract the multitude of cultural differences that seek to divide us. Another insight is to recognize that Ephesians 2 “dismisses the idea that evangelism (reconciliation with God) has priority over reconciliation between members of the human family. According to this passage, the two actions happen simultaneously” (154).
Which cultural expressions will take place in a multiracial congregation? The authors argue for a “mesizaje culture,” or, a “unique blend of all the cultures in the congregation” (155). This is not the same as “assimilation” where one culture dominates and obscures the rest.
Further, in order for progress to be made, the “theology of oneness” needs to move to a “core belief” (158), a “non-negotiable commitment and mind-set. It resides in the depths of our souls” (156). It should be present in all of the activities and ministries of the church so that “no one should be able to miss the centrality of oneness in the Christian faith.”
Relationships are essential: “there is no substitutes for fellowship… Unless we develop many deep and intimate relationships with individuals outside our racial and cultural group, oneness will not become a part of our lifestyle” (159).
The authors also issue a warning: “Courage is part and parcel of a stance that is non-negotiable. If you refuse to accept the time-honored racial divisions in the United States as relevant to your life choices and behavior for long enough, you will face suffering of some sort… People will misunderstand you and think you are crazy” (160). Some will see this as “a threat by worldly forces to pollute the purity of their church rituals” (166).
The authors offer a helpful grid of different kinds of multiracial churches: assimilated, pluralist, and integrated. Assimilated churches reflect one dominant culture; pluralist have multiple cultures co-existing but largely separate; integrated “maintains aspects of separate cultures and also creates a new culture from the cultures in the congregation” (165). This is the “rarest of the three” (168).
In all, this book was brimming with specific practical steps that an individual and a congregation could take to pursue becoming more integrated and multiracial. I intend to return to it often in the future as new situations arise.
The book then moves to evaluating the context in the United States offering a historical overview of segregated churches from 1600–1940 (ch. 3). Rather than reconciling, “Christianity in the United States became a principal divider of people by race” (61). W.E.B. Du Bois said in 1929: “The American Church of Christ is Jim Crowed from top to bottom. No other institution in America is built os thoroughly or more absolutely on the color line. Everybody knows this” (61). Chapter 4 describes some early initial attempts to move toward integration from 1940–2000, concluding that “a movement toward more multiracial congregations must be the cutting edge for ministry and growth in this [twenty-first] century” (74). Chapter 5 examines the example of four churches who have attempted to integrate their congregations, pointing out lessons learned from each.
The book then considers a number of objections to multiracial congregations. Some minorities resist joining whites in church because they think Christianity has been used to oppress minorities in the past, and that they need a place of cultural refuge in a society that constantly tries to force them into a white mold. The “homogenous unit principle” also argues that it’s easier to do evangelism amongst similar people groups. However, the authors still contend that “when possible, congregations should be multiracial” (143). They acknowledge exceptions: rural areas that only have one racial group living there; lack of a common language; and the unique circumstances of first-generation immigrant groups.
The concluding chapters address ways to develop multiracial congregations. One way is by emphasizing “a theology of oneness” (153). Only when we explicitly remind ourselves of our deep unity in Christ can we counteract the multitude of cultural differences that seek to divide us. Another insight is to recognize that Ephesians 2 “dismisses the idea that evangelism (reconciliation with God) has priority over reconciliation between members of the human family. According to this passage, the two actions happen simultaneously” (154).
Which cultural expressions will take place in a multiracial congregation? The authors argue for a “mesizaje culture,” or, a “unique blend of all the cultures in the congregation” (155). This is not the same as “assimilation” where one culture dominates and obscures the rest.
Further, in order for progress to be made, the “theology of oneness” needs to move to a “core belief” (158), a “non-negotiable commitment and mind-set. It resides in the depths of our souls” (156). It should be present in all of the activities and ministries of the church so that “no one should be able to miss the centrality of oneness in the Christian faith.”
Relationships are essential: “there is no substitutes for fellowship… Unless we develop many deep and intimate relationships with individuals outside our racial and cultural group, oneness will not become a part of our lifestyle” (159).
The authors also issue a warning: “Courage is part and parcel of a stance that is non-negotiable. If you refuse to accept the time-honored racial divisions in the United States as relevant to your life choices and behavior for long enough, you will face suffering of some sort… People will misunderstand you and think you are crazy” (160). Some will see this as “a threat by worldly forces to pollute the purity of their church rituals” (166).
The authors offer a helpful grid of different kinds of multiracial churches: assimilated, pluralist, and integrated. Assimilated churches reflect one dominant culture; pluralist have multiple cultures co-existing but largely separate; integrated “maintains aspects of separate cultures and also creates a new culture from the cultures in the congregation” (165). This is the “rarest of the three” (168).
In all, this book was brimming with specific practical steps that an individual and a congregation could take to pursue becoming more integrated and multiracial. I intend to return to it often in the future as new situations arise.
March 6, 2011
This book sets out to make a bold, clear, controversial argument: “Christian congregations, when possible, should be multiracial (2).” The book is divided into four sections: biblical antecedents for multiracial congregations, a historiography of multiracial congregations in the USA from 1600-2000, rationales and responses to the racial segregation of congregations, and finally--developing multiracial congregations in the 21st century.
This book would be helpful to anyone interested in considering the view that racial/economic/ethnic diversity is what the gospel calls for in local congregations, not homogeneity. According to the five sociologists who partnered in writing this book, the intent of Jesus was/is for His church to be a house of prayer for the nations. The authors (who do not write from an evangelical perspective) argue that church, at its birth in Acts 2, was multi-racial/multiethnic. “The first century church moved from an ethnocentric congregation in Jerusalem to a multiethnic congregation in Antioch (Acts 2-13).” (p 10)
“Nor can we say for sure that every congregation included both Jews and Gentiles. Some areas did not have a Jewish population. But we can observe the inclusion of both Gentiles and Jews in most locales where Acts offers a description of events or a reference to the ethnic makeup of the congregation (30).” They make the argument that Jews and gentiles together in a congregation was abnormal, counter-cultural, difficult, God-glorifying, and beautiful. This is God’s plan, not just for the first century. Churches today should intentionally and strategically reflect the ethnic/racial constituencies found in the community at large.
The authors make a compelling case that the NT calls for churches to be communities of people composed of individuals who are dissimilar in various ways. Their singular and preeminent cause for unity, friendship, and integration is a love for Jesus Christ. The very composition of the church should be a statement of the reconciling power of the gospel. They cite Rom 10:12; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:28; Eph 2:11-26; Col 3:11 as passages in which Paul reminds congregations of their unity across various racial/gender/class lines. Contrariwise, when the composition of congregations is established by economic or ethnic homogeneity, the reconciling power of the gospel is denied and churches look like the world--hang out with people who are like us and who will most benefit us.
“When in America the churches are divided along racial lines, the power of the gospel to overcome our human differences is denied (67).”
The authors introduce the reader to a spanish term “mestizaje.” This term, in a word, is their aim. “Elements of different racial cultures are not incorporated to “appease” diverse constituencies; rather, the new hybrid culture is an expression of the congregation’s unified collective identity (168).” This is what Paul calls the “new man” in Col 3:10 (KJV). This new man creates a “unity far more complete than can be done [in conventional homogenous American congregations] (169).
The authors rightly identify that we live in a racialized and economically segregated culture. They are calling for local churches to intentionally go against this natural tendency. “We are calling for a fundamental reorientation of the Christian faith in the United States (161).”
This book would be helpful to anyone interested in considering the view that racial/economic/ethnic diversity is what the gospel calls for in local congregations, not homogeneity. According to the five sociologists who partnered in writing this book, the intent of Jesus was/is for His church to be a house of prayer for the nations. The authors (who do not write from an evangelical perspective) argue that church, at its birth in Acts 2, was multi-racial/multiethnic. “The first century church moved from an ethnocentric congregation in Jerusalem to a multiethnic congregation in Antioch (Acts 2-13).” (p 10)
“Nor can we say for sure that every congregation included both Jews and Gentiles. Some areas did not have a Jewish population. But we can observe the inclusion of both Gentiles and Jews in most locales where Acts offers a description of events or a reference to the ethnic makeup of the congregation (30).” They make the argument that Jews and gentiles together in a congregation was abnormal, counter-cultural, difficult, God-glorifying, and beautiful. This is God’s plan, not just for the first century. Churches today should intentionally and strategically reflect the ethnic/racial constituencies found in the community at large.
The authors make a compelling case that the NT calls for churches to be communities of people composed of individuals who are dissimilar in various ways. Their singular and preeminent cause for unity, friendship, and integration is a love for Jesus Christ. The very composition of the church should be a statement of the reconciling power of the gospel. They cite Rom 10:12; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:28; Eph 2:11-26; Col 3:11 as passages in which Paul reminds congregations of their unity across various racial/gender/class lines. Contrariwise, when the composition of congregations is established by economic or ethnic homogeneity, the reconciling power of the gospel is denied and churches look like the world--hang out with people who are like us and who will most benefit us.
“When in America the churches are divided along racial lines, the power of the gospel to overcome our human differences is denied (67).”
The authors introduce the reader to a spanish term “mestizaje.” This term, in a word, is their aim. “Elements of different racial cultures are not incorporated to “appease” diverse constituencies; rather, the new hybrid culture is an expression of the congregation’s unified collective identity (168).” This is what Paul calls the “new man” in Col 3:10 (KJV). This new man creates a “unity far more complete than can be done [in conventional homogenous American congregations] (169).
The authors rightly identify that we live in a racialized and economically segregated culture. They are calling for local churches to intentionally go against this natural tendency. “We are calling for a fundamental reorientation of the Christian faith in the United States (161).”
November 12, 2020
We read this book with a group from our church. I generally agree with the premise - that Christian congregations, when possible, should be multiracial. This book has one of the same authors as Divided by Faith, so I think they're trying to answer some of the criticism from that book - that it is void of helpful "what next" ideas. While I agree with a lot of points provided, there was a lot that was obviously overly simplified in an unhelpful way. For instance, there was a blurring of doctrinal/biblical priority across denominations (catholic, mainline protestant, evangelical, orthodox, pentecostal) as though all would equally embrace makeovers of different cultural priorities, to create a new integrated theology....that doesn't seem historically honest in terms as why there are these different views theologically, and there was no note of measuring truth (ethnically or otherwise) against a bar of scripture. Another overly simplified section was about activism in the church (136-137), as though all people of different ethnicities agrees on politics. We can see from voter demographics that that is not as obvious as the authors were presenting it - faith and politics are certainly related (although they say dominant culture thinks otherwise), but solutions and the particular application to politics is not a clearcut consideration. Another was a generality around the idea of worship differences.
One of the authors of this book did some follow up research in 2019 that notes the progression of diversity: https://outreachmagazine.com/features...
p. 3: multiracial congregations can play an important role in reducing racial division and inequality and that this should be a goal of Christian people.
...the team defined a multiracial congregation as a congregation in which no one racial group accounts for 80 percent or more of the membership.
p. 4: When religious people make choices based on their individual rights, they largely end up in homogeneous congregations.
p. 33: The first century church struggled to keep its Christ-inspired unity movement intact in the midst of such diversity. The idea that Gentiles and Jews could or should worship and socialize together in the same congregation was foreign to the worldviews of most people....Paul often reminded his congregations that there was no Jew or Gentile in Christ (Romans 10:12; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:28; Eph 2:11-26; Colossians 3:11).
p. 37: Quote biblical scholar Gerd Theissen: How could the Jesus movement cherish the hope of permeating the whole of society with this pattern? What that not to expect a miracle? And indeed a miracle is what they hoped for. The Jesus movement believed in miracles, in the realization of what appeared to be impossible.
So for Theissen and us, the basic question is this: "How were relatively stable and sturdy communities with considerable inner cohesion formed from a mixture of ethnic, social and religious groups? How did Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and Barbarians, slaves and freemen, men and women, come to form a new unity in Christ?" We declare that the first-century church was united by faith! This unity occurred as local congregations strategically implemented Jesus' vision of a house of prayer for all the nations. Together these congregations produced a movement for social unity across the great divide of culture, tradition, class, and race. Ultimately, the unity of the first century church was the result of the miracle of reconciliation-a conversion from their ethnocentrism to the intention, practice, and vision of Jesus.
The chapter A Closer Look at Four Multicultural Congregations was interesting in that it overviewed four churches around the United States that were pursuing racial reconciliation in different ways. There was a theme of being intentional to talk about differences and welcoming them (Ie being ok when others think differently).
The chapter Rejecting the White Man's Religion was really oddly framed, as a big departure from the priority of scriptural truth. In the section on Native American churches, it based a lot of its theological quotes on Vine DeLoria, a historian who started out saying "I have in my lifetime concluded that Christianity is the chief evil ever to have been loosed on the planet" (100). Despite this statement Vine DeLoria suggested that the denominations "assist in the creation of a national Indian Chrisitan Church," led only by Indians, and combining Indian and Christian practices (examples included nature and location worship, and an understanding that according to George Tinker "Each Native American tribal community in North America had a relationship with God as Creator that was healthy and responsible long before they knew of or confessed the gospel of Jesus Christ" 105). The section on African American churches similarly held up writers of liberation theology, and a departure from orthodox views of scripture (which are held worldwide by non-whites).
p. 133: Unity is the New Testament model of church growth based on the power of the Holy Spirit to reconcile people across socially constructed divides. First century congregations grew as a result of the coming together of Jews and Gentiles, not in spite of this phenomenon.
p. 134: Congregations that do not attempt to affirm their members as children of God can hardly be described as Christian .... We must be transparent in our own self-examination and full of grace towards others who are on the journey with us.
p. 139: The beauty and power of culture are realized--and this is so often missed--when they are shared and lived with people raised in different cultures. ...For example, "God is love" is emphasized in some cultures. True enough, God is love. But God is much more than that. And the term "love" has a multitude of rich meanings. No single culture captures this richness. It is only revealed and made complete when diverse perspectives and experiences are brought together (Eph 4:1-17).
....Over time, a new culture is developed, one that did not exist before. People will move beyond simply representing their separate groups. They will forge a new, common identity, even as they maintain their uniqueness. As we describe in more detail in chapter ten, assimilation-to become one and the same--is not the goal. Integration-to be united in our equally respected differences-is the goal.
p. 144: Multiracial congregations must witness to their faith in Christ, affirm all people as fully human and created in the image of God, respect a wide range of culturally influenced theological perspectives, address racism in society and in the church, embrace a new mestizage congregational culture, and provide a refuge to all who are battered by racism in society.
p. 149: We must be anchored in a belief system that inspires and engenders racial unity, and keeps us from losing hope when difficulties assail us-and they will.
p. 158: Today, multiracial congregations-and all other congregations-should reinforce their belief in unity through preaching, teaching, Christian education, discipleship, catechism, new member classes, and baptismal services. No one should be able to miss the centrality of oneness in the Christian faith.
p. 165: Chart about assimilated, pluralist, integrated multiracial congregations.
p. 168: There is no sense of "us" and "them" according to race, but it is more "us" as a congregation and "them" outside our congregation. We are hard pressed to cite definitive examples of such congregations from our study, but some of the congregations that we discuss in chapter five have come quite close.
p. 170: Leaders must be willing to spend time praying about the issues and to make the commitment this type of church demands. The necessary commitment involves head, heart, and history. By head we mean leaders are committed to learning all they can about multiracial ministry. By heart we mean leaders have a passion for becoming multiracial. And by history we mean that leaders already have a history of living integrated, multiracial lives.
One of the authors of this book did some follow up research in 2019 that notes the progression of diversity: https://outreachmagazine.com/features...
p. 3: multiracial congregations can play an important role in reducing racial division and inequality and that this should be a goal of Christian people.
...the team defined a multiracial congregation as a congregation in which no one racial group accounts for 80 percent or more of the membership.
p. 4: When religious people make choices based on their individual rights, they largely end up in homogeneous congregations.
p. 33: The first century church struggled to keep its Christ-inspired unity movement intact in the midst of such diversity. The idea that Gentiles and Jews could or should worship and socialize together in the same congregation was foreign to the worldviews of most people....Paul often reminded his congregations that there was no Jew or Gentile in Christ (Romans 10:12; 1 Cor 12:13; Gal 3:28; Eph 2:11-26; Colossians 3:11).
p. 37: Quote biblical scholar Gerd Theissen: How could the Jesus movement cherish the hope of permeating the whole of society with this pattern? What that not to expect a miracle? And indeed a miracle is what they hoped for. The Jesus movement believed in miracles, in the realization of what appeared to be impossible.
So for Theissen and us, the basic question is this: "How were relatively stable and sturdy communities with considerable inner cohesion formed from a mixture of ethnic, social and religious groups? How did Jews and Gentiles, Greeks and Barbarians, slaves and freemen, men and women, come to form a new unity in Christ?" We declare that the first-century church was united by faith! This unity occurred as local congregations strategically implemented Jesus' vision of a house of prayer for all the nations. Together these congregations produced a movement for social unity across the great divide of culture, tradition, class, and race. Ultimately, the unity of the first century church was the result of the miracle of reconciliation-a conversion from their ethnocentrism to the intention, practice, and vision of Jesus.
The chapter A Closer Look at Four Multicultural Congregations was interesting in that it overviewed four churches around the United States that were pursuing racial reconciliation in different ways. There was a theme of being intentional to talk about differences and welcoming them (Ie being ok when others think differently).
The chapter Rejecting the White Man's Religion was really oddly framed, as a big departure from the priority of scriptural truth. In the section on Native American churches, it based a lot of its theological quotes on Vine DeLoria, a historian who started out saying "I have in my lifetime concluded that Christianity is the chief evil ever to have been loosed on the planet" (100). Despite this statement Vine DeLoria suggested that the denominations "assist in the creation of a national Indian Chrisitan Church," led only by Indians, and combining Indian and Christian practices (examples included nature and location worship, and an understanding that according to George Tinker "Each Native American tribal community in North America had a relationship with God as Creator that was healthy and responsible long before they knew of or confessed the gospel of Jesus Christ" 105). The section on African American churches similarly held up writers of liberation theology, and a departure from orthodox views of scripture (which are held worldwide by non-whites).
p. 133: Unity is the New Testament model of church growth based on the power of the Holy Spirit to reconcile people across socially constructed divides. First century congregations grew as a result of the coming together of Jews and Gentiles, not in spite of this phenomenon.
p. 134: Congregations that do not attempt to affirm their members as children of God can hardly be described as Christian .... We must be transparent in our own self-examination and full of grace towards others who are on the journey with us.
p. 139: The beauty and power of culture are realized--and this is so often missed--when they are shared and lived with people raised in different cultures. ...For example, "God is love" is emphasized in some cultures. True enough, God is love. But God is much more than that. And the term "love" has a multitude of rich meanings. No single culture captures this richness. It is only revealed and made complete when diverse perspectives and experiences are brought together (Eph 4:1-17).
....Over time, a new culture is developed, one that did not exist before. People will move beyond simply representing their separate groups. They will forge a new, common identity, even as they maintain their uniqueness. As we describe in more detail in chapter ten, assimilation-to become one and the same--is not the goal. Integration-to be united in our equally respected differences-is the goal.
p. 144: Multiracial congregations must witness to their faith in Christ, affirm all people as fully human and created in the image of God, respect a wide range of culturally influenced theological perspectives, address racism in society and in the church, embrace a new mestizage congregational culture, and provide a refuge to all who are battered by racism in society.
p. 149: We must be anchored in a belief system that inspires and engenders racial unity, and keeps us from losing hope when difficulties assail us-and they will.
p. 158: Today, multiracial congregations-and all other congregations-should reinforce their belief in unity through preaching, teaching, Christian education, discipleship, catechism, new member classes, and baptismal services. No one should be able to miss the centrality of oneness in the Christian faith.
p. 165: Chart about assimilated, pluralist, integrated multiracial congregations.
p. 168: There is no sense of "us" and "them" according to race, but it is more "us" as a congregation and "them" outside our congregation. We are hard pressed to cite definitive examples of such congregations from our study, but some of the congregations that we discuss in chapter five have come quite close.
p. 170: Leaders must be willing to spend time praying about the issues and to make the commitment this type of church demands. The necessary commitment involves head, heart, and history. By head we mean leaders are committed to learning all they can about multiracial ministry. By heart we mean leaders have a passion for becoming multiracial. And by history we mean that leaders already have a history of living integrated, multiracial lives.
October 16, 2019
A good, helpful overview, but verbose
This book was fair in looking at both the pros and cons of a multiracial congregation. It evaluates why there are segregated churches and seeks to look at the benefits there, while ultimately returning to the need for better multiracial integration as the ideal. It is more of a history merged with ideas for the way forward and how to accomplish that.
This book was fair in looking at both the pros and cons of a multiracial congregation. It evaluates why there are segregated churches and seeks to look at the benefits there, while ultimately returning to the need for better multiracial integration as the ideal. It is more of a history merged with ideas for the way forward and how to accomplish that.
October 24, 2020
A helpful and necessary read for those interested in diversity within the church. I’m not sure I totally agree with all their point, but on the whole they present a lot of great things to think through.
July 31, 2022
Theory over Practice
I found this book very helpful in thinking through the theory and theology of the multiracial church, but severely lacking in practical application. Even the authors admit the examples are limited or non-existent. Still, it was a helpful read.
I found this book very helpful in thinking through the theory and theology of the multiracial church, but severely lacking in practical application. Even the authors admit the examples are limited or non-existent. Still, it was a helpful read.
December 15, 2017
Great read. "Using the fellowship (dinner) table as warfare against the enemy." Those are insights to LIVE by.
February 20, 2018
Excellent. Not quite as good as Divided by Faith, still very good and a passionate call for interracial, integrated churches in America. Worth the read.
February 18, 2019
This book gives hope for the Gospel to bridge the divisions. Great read.
September 13, 2021
I think this book makes some valid points that white people need to hear. However, the argument for multi-racial congregations is meandering and hard to follow, at least based on the chapters I read.
February 1, 2022
A helpful look at the biblical imperative for multiracial congregations.
December 10, 2012
This book picks up where Divided by Faith leaves off. The multiracial team of authors argue that gospel churches are multiracial churches. They begin with the biblical case for multiracial churches included the clearing of the temple to make it "a house of prayer for the nations" (ironic that I just preached on this, hmm...). Then they chronicle the sad history of race relations in the American church and the mostly failed attempts of the past at multiracial churches. Then they move to the present and the emergence of multiracial congregations and the challenges they have face. One challenge is a theological challenge that argues for homogeneity--for church growth, for a safe place for minority cultures, and to preserve cultural distinctiveness. The authors counter these arguments both with appeals to the multiethnic vision of the new testament (neither Jew nor Greek) as well as arguing that multiracial churches can be compelling churches in terms of gospel ministry and Christian discipleship.
The authors don't paint a panacea. It is very difficult and relatively few examples exist of truly integrated multiracial churches that are not merely multiracial in membership or leadership but truly integrated at a social level. Yet they argue that this is worth striving for, using the example of a four-part choral harmony. I would extend the analogy as a singer in a chorus. Many churches just sing melody--they are mono-ethnic or assimilationist. Many churches sing four part harmony but each section is discrete--the pluralist option they describe. And a few are truly integrated, where the singers move out of sections and mix it up so that all the parts really blend and you hear as well as contribute to the blend. That would be true integration. That's tough for singers unless they are secure in their parts, and tough for churches too, apparently.
The authors don't paint a panacea. It is very difficult and relatively few examples exist of truly integrated multiracial churches that are not merely multiracial in membership or leadership but truly integrated at a social level. Yet they argue that this is worth striving for, using the example of a four-part choral harmony. I would extend the analogy as a singer in a chorus. Many churches just sing melody--they are mono-ethnic or assimilationist. Many churches sing four part harmony but each section is discrete--the pluralist option they describe. And a few are truly integrated, where the singers move out of sections and mix it up so that all the parts really blend and you hear as well as contribute to the blend. That would be true integration. That's tough for singers unless they are secure in their parts, and tough for churches too, apparently.
December 24, 2011
The authors of this book (DeYoung is the lead author, but only 1 of 4) make the case that where possible churches should seek to be multi-racial. They define multi-racial as no more than 80% of one racial/ethnic group. The review the history of racism in the American church and attempts to build multi-racial congregations that flourished for a while and then failed. They present the case for uni-ethnic churches and then offer a counter argument for why in most cases multi-racial is the way to go.
The theological basis of their argument was the bridge between Jews and Gentile that was established in the early church. While I do not see the Jew-Gentile divide as strictly parallel to the racial divide in the North American church, they make a strong case.
The book raised all sorts of discomforting questions for me as to why I am not in a multi-racial church, and causes me to think more fully about my theology as it relates to race relations. The piece missing for me in this book was a complex analysis of modern day racism and why despite our rhetoric we continue to be a racially divided church. In this sense the book raises more questions for me than it answer, which is not all bad.
The theological basis of their argument was the bridge between Jews and Gentile that was established in the early church. While I do not see the Jew-Gentile divide as strictly parallel to the racial divide in the North American church, they make a strong case.
The book raised all sorts of discomforting questions for me as to why I am not in a multi-racial church, and causes me to think more fully about my theology as it relates to race relations. The piece missing for me in this book was a complex analysis of modern day racism and why despite our rhetoric we continue to be a racially divided church. In this sense the book raises more questions for me than it answer, which is not all bad.
November 6, 2015
While I stand in agreement that local church congregations should be multiracial (though I wouldn't state the thesis in the form of an absolute imperative as these authors have), the one thing I'll say about this book is that in the philosophy presented and the churches that are celebrated as models of multiethnicity, it seems that in almost every case, too many of the essentials are sacrificed for the sake of inclusivity and multiethnicity; the most essential being the authority of God's Word and the purity of the Gospel. There is a better way forward toward racial inclusivity than what is presented in this book.
June 3, 2016
This book was a thorough, thoughtful, and well-researched book that makes the argument that, whenever possible, all Christian churches should be multiracial. I learned a lot and I am buying what they're selling. The only bad thing, which I can't necessarily blame the authors for, is how hard this is to actually accomplish without falling into the common problematic dynamics (forcing minorities to assimilate, retaining mini-subcultures along race lines, etc). So by the end of the book it felt like they were saying, "Try to do this! You probably won't succeed because no one really has, or at least not for very long. But try anyway!" To which I say, OK! :)
June 18, 2014
In the context of my current church's transitional period, the last few chapters was the most helpful. While a lot of the case study and history was helpful I had to carefully discern applications for my church's cultural & historical context (Chinese - Canadian). I do very much hope more leaders would understand the implications and steps to move toward an integrated multiethnic church as outlined in the last few chapters.
February 18, 2009
With several sociologists for authors, there was precious little sociology and no sociological basis (in theory or evidence) for their main thesis. Mostly, it was poorly narrated history, with some descriptions of a few successful multiracial congregations. I skimmed most of it. There wasn't much to grab my attention. Too bad--it seemed like it could have been interesting.
September 6, 2014
This book made some really interesting points about multiculturalism in the early church and that having multiracial churches now is not just a social issue but a theological one. The writing was not the most compelling, but the content made up for that and really made me think about my role in the Church and the type of congregation I want to be part of.
to-read-ministry-theology
October 14, 2008Has anyone read this? I'm curious about it, but I'm not sure that I'll get around to it. It's about the history/theology of multiracial congregations.
November 27, 2007
very interesting Christian history and history of multiracial congregations in the US
August 17, 2008
Fascinating. Details of multi racial and uniracial congregations among Christian faiths. Very interesting from a sociological perspective.
Read
November 18, 2008A good study on why a multicultural God is worshiped by a mostly monocultural church.
July 17, 2014
3 sociologists and a pastor spend two years scouring America for TRULY multicultural churches (shared power not just faces in the pew). They find only a handful.
July 25, 2012
A passionate call for Christians to take on the vision of multicultural churches as the norm across the country.
March 27, 2016
A strong review of a core intended function of the global Church: cultural reconciliation, which is desperately needed in the American church.
August 18, 2012
Good book! Good message, just hard to put something like this into practice.
March 30, 2017
The authors present a bold, thoroughly biblical case for multiracial churches. They do not shy away from the barriers building such congregations present, but give practical suggestions for how a church might proceed in this direction.
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