10/6/10
In a CNN BeliefBlog post, bloggers posed questions regarding the “segregation” of American churches, referring to a new sociology journal article that says, in the vast majority of U.S. churches, a single race accounts for more than 80 percent of the church’s membership. Article author Kevin Dougherty, sociologist at Baylor University, says churches may attempt to attract racial minorities to their congregations but are most often unable to retain them. Dougherty says these single-race congregations are not usually formed by racial animosity; rather, churchgoers simply “prefer attending church with others who look like them.” The CNN blog pointed out that the early Church was greatly diversified, but it would appear, according to Dougherty’s research, that today’s churchgoers are more comfortable without such diversity.
What do you think? Can American churches remain racially separate, or should they strive to become more diverse? What does it take to retain a diverse congregation?
