Chapter 2 of Whitebread Protestants: Food and Religion in American Culture by Daniel Sack focuses on food as a central mode of community organizing within America’s churches. He argues that “Americans go to church for more than teaching and prayer. They go looking for community” (pp. 61-2). He argues that in our culture of competition, there…
In Gerardo Marti’s book, Worship Across the Racial Divide, he discusses the life and vitality of a multiethnic congregation. One of his early findings is that many members of the congregation, particularly those who are not Black, assume that “black worship” is a superior form of worship (p. 52). Marti writes, “Blacks singing gospel are…
A 2013 article in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin Journal Sentinel explores the issue of gender in the pews. It outlines statistics that suggest that the average congregation is 60% female, and it’s even higher for Catholics, where 64% of members are female. There are a number of explanations for this gendered separation in the pews. One…
For many congregations, having a more racially or ethnically diverse congregation is a goal, as the communities look to expand their reach to new enclaves of potential members. Alex Murashko, of the Christian Post Reporter, discusses both the issue the role and placement of multicultural leaders, as well as the importance of understanding how Christianity is understand…