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Religious diversity importance
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During the 1st century there is this historical moment recorded in the book of Acts when the Spirit of God filled a crowd so they could speak in each other languages which made them all understand each other. Later, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, preaches a sermon to this crowd which consists of many different races gathered together in Jerusalem and they are all converted. The book later describes that this forms the early Christian church which is made up of many different races. Fast forward 2,000 years and in America where Christian churches hardly make up two different races. The fact that few churches in America aren’t working harder towards being more multi-racial is birthing a new unhealthy trend of laziness, passion-less and declining growth for Christian churches.
Christian churches aren’t being intentional about being more multiracial in the congregations because it is easier to be made up of one race with certain mainstream similarities. Congregations feel like they are losing their identity when many races are incorporated into corporate worship. For example, consider a black church that starts having more white members. There arises an idea among members and leadership that there needs to be more changes to accompany these member such as style of worship, mode of preaching and even kinds of food at church events is considered. It is really easy for a church to get comfortable when the congregation and the leadership are all of the same race. What happens when an all-white church hires a new pastor who is black? In an article about racial integration, Gerardo Marti talks to African-American church goers who are given this example in which one responds by saying the following:
There are still people who are I’d sa...
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...p Jesus Christ because he has reconciled races together to do his mission on the earth.
Works Cited
Emerson, Michael O., and George A. Yancey. Transcending Racial Barriers : Toward A Mutual Obligations Approach. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
Halliday, Adele. "Migration And Multicultural Ministries As Mission." International Review Of Mission 101.2 (2012): 407-414. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
Marti, Gerardo. "The Religious Racial Integration Of African Americans Into Diverse Churches." Journal For The Scientific Study Of Religion 49.2 (2010): 201-217. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
Velloso Ewell, C. Rosalee. "Missio Dei Missio Dei: The Theological Roots Of Evangelism." International Review Of Mission 101.2 (2012): 385-387. Academic Search Complete. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.
This paper elaborates on the diverse contributions peoples of African descent have made to the pluralistic religious landscape of America and replicates various passages from our textbook. It focuses on the personal narratives of non-religious to religious leaders—exemplifying their influence on the African American religious movement during slavery and the reconstruction of America. Each section represents different historical periods, regional variations, and non-Christian expressions of African-American religion.
Christian leaders have often written about homosexuality in a negative manner. Throughout the majority of Christian history most theologians and dominations have viewed homosexual behavior as sinful and immoral especially in African-American churches. Certain orthodox interpretations of Christian morality have led the overwhelming majority of African-Americans who attend church to consider homosexuality a sin and thus same-sex marriages as wrong. Black liberation theology, especially in the context of the black political church, has led a minority of African-Americans to be inclusive of homosexuals and to permit their churches to serve as a political resource for those receptive to lesbian and gay rights (Shaw). However, in the past century some African-American Christian religious groups and churches have espoused a wide variety of beliefs and practices towards homosexuals, including the establishment of some 'open and accepting' congregations that actively support queer members. The Abyssinian Baptist church is one of these institutions. By comparing the preaching’s of early 20th century pastor Adam Clayton Powell Jr, to present day pastor Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III, there is strong evidence to show the evolution of churches position on homosexuality in the Abyssinian Baptist Church.
Roswell Street Baptist Church was once a slave plantation, but now seeks to reach intercultural, and intergenerational body of believers. Martin encourages not to be entrapped by nationalism, but to adopt the view Christ has which is His people, from all nationalities. Marin states, “Indeed, if all nations and all peoples would look to to God and acknowledge God as sovereign, there would be relative international order, harmony, and peace.” (Martin, 212, 2004) Roswell Street Baptist church has the history chains of being a “white supremacist” church that judged anyone: Latino, Muslims, and those with dark skin. Through the years their hearts have changed.
Wuthnow, R. (2009). Boundless Faith: The Global Outreach of American Churches. California: University of California Press.
Montgomery, William. Under Their Own Vine and Fig Tree: The African-American Church in the South. Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1993. Print.
Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 19(1), 69-84. Heim, D. (1996). The 'Standard'. Phil Jackson, Seeker in Sneakers. Christian Century, 133(20), 654-656.
Many people who hear the name African Methodist Episcopal Church automatically make assumptions. These assumptions are based on the faulty premises that the name of the church denotes that the church is only meant for African-Americans or that it is filled with racist’s teachings. Neither of those assumptions is true. The Africans communities established their own churches and ordained their own preachers who could relate to the struggle of being a slave and the struggle of being a free African in a strange land that spoke freedom but their action said something different.
They created their own times and found secret locations as a group or community. According to the book, World Religions in America, there are four types of African American churches. The Pastoral type, the Prophetic type, the Political type, and the Nationalist type. Beginning with The Pastoral Type, this is the oldest type which was used before forming individual churches and it was focused on hope for a better future and the goodness found in people or God. As stated in the book, "optimistic in outlook, they have consistently challenged blacks to be more self-respecting, industrious, honest, thrifty, self-reliant, morally virtuous, and hopeful that a better day will surely dam because of God's providence," (Neusner 66). It shows how this type of church provided comfort and grew hope in their hearts. The second type, The Prophetic Type, focuses more on proclaiming the justice of God by publicly condemning all forms of racial injustice. As stated, "Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. Du Bois, Martin Luther king Jr., and Jesse Jackson represented some of the greatest leaders to emerge from the prophetic type of ministry," (Neusner 67). This type is similar to the Pastoral Type but it focuses more on spirituals, the guttural exuberance of the gospel music, and the persuasive oratory of dynamic preaching. The third type, The Political
Thomas, Oliver "Buzz". "How To Keep The 'United' In United States: Coping With Religious Diversity In The World's First 'New' Nation." Church & State Feb. 2007: 19+. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 1 Mar. 2013.
For as long as I can remember, racial injustice has been the topic of discussion amongst the American nation. A nation commercializing itself as being free and having equality for all, however, one questions how this is true when every other day on the news we hear about the injustices and discriminations of one race over another. Eula Biss published an essay called “White Debt” which unveils her thoughts on discrimination and what she believes white Americans owe, the debt they owe, to a dark past that essentially provided what is out there today. Ta-Nehisi Coates published “Between the World and Me,” offering his perspective about “the Dream” that Americans want, the fear that he faced being black growing up and that black bodies are what
In relation to the Critical Race Theory, the idea of the “gap between law, politics, economics, and sociological reality of racialized lives” (Critical Race Theory slides). The critical race theory gives us a guide to analyze privileges and hardships that comes across different races and gender. For example, analyzing how and why a “black” or “indigenous” woman may experience more hardships versus not only a “white” man, but a “white”
“An array of knowledges, skills, abilities and contacts possessed and used by Communities of Color to survive and resist racism and other forms of oppression” encompasses the main idea of Community Cultural Wealth. It is vital to understand that students will step foot into the classroom with a variety of cultures zipped up in their backpacks, and it is our job as educators to make sure that equality is instilled/taught in our classrooms. The second a student feels a sense of discrimination, whether from ourselves or their fellow classmate(s), is when the safe and comforting environment of the classroom begins to diminish. Here I will discuss just how important it is to see the differences amongst students as an advantage
I was aware of these oppressions and have often times struggled with what I can do individually to work towards alleviating these oppressions. The Next Steps portion of the chapter on racism really outlined methods of actions that could be applied to all forms of oppression. One method entitled “FLEXing Cross- cultural Communications,” outlines productive communication, depersonalization, and open- mindedness when it comes to understanding and practicing competency. This model serves as a tool to motivate action to those form other cultures in ways that in the end everyone can
Nyoyoko, Vincent G. “The Biblical and Theological foundations for Inculturation”. Mission Today. 6/3 (July- Sept., 2004).
In that setting, racial difference and racial hierarchy can be made to appear with seeming spontaneity as a stabilizing force. They can supply vivid natural means to lock an increasingly inhospitable and lonely social world in place and to secure one 's own position in turbulent environments (Gilroy, 430).