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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.
Becoming a true theologian and scholar deals with not limiting the extents of homiletics. The assumption is that the black preaching tradition is distinct and identifiable. What is interesting for any African American student of homiletics is that while many argue for a defined set of African American homiletic characteristics, there is little agreement on what these characteristics are? When people try to characterize what makes African Ame...
Montgomery, William. Under Their Own Vine and Fig Tree: The African-American Church in the South. Louisiana: Louisiana State University Press, 1993. Print.
He creates irony within their practice by speculating that Jesus Christ was of a darker complexion. He argues men cannot label themselves Christian, and continue to dehumanize Native Americans; which ultimately contradicts Christian ethics. This sermon engages the reader to sympathize for Native Americans and acts as sort of a “message” to the white men. It points out the hypocrisy in the Christian faith during the 1830’s. Apess successfully supports his claims by adding references to the bible and his vast knowledge in religion. In conclusion, Apess makes coherent arguments that showcase the hypocrisy in Christianity between the white
Today in California we are blessed with such diversity and ethnical outlooks that make this state what it is today. However, the diversity didn't just popped up out of the ground and grows. It has come from along line of dedication and work, through community and most of all church. Churches like Saddleback, First A. M. E, and now more recently Dream Center and many others. Technology is helping lead the way for many of these churches both new and old. The new ideas of the Southern Californian Protestant churches are beginning to liven up the churches with music, dance, and picture and paintings. Years ago they had paintings and color but not to the extent of this new era. Take mission San Juan Capistrano for example, it is a very well known church but, in this modern day it can't compete with churches like F. A. M. E.
We, as a congregation, openly exposes the congregation to different cultures from around the country though the adjustment of worship service. We visit a Jewish Rabi during Passover to get a better understanding of the importance and reverence of this festival. We are currently talking to an African American Church in our area where we will exchange pastor twice a year for a Sunday worship experience. We are working to develop a Sunday Evening worship service to meet the needs of young families who are unable to attend Sunday morning worship. We expose the people in the congregation to worship quarterly at the retirement community close to the church by going there for an afternoon worship service.
Wuthnow, R. (2009). Boundless Faith: The Global Outreach of American Churches. California: University of California Press.
Oxbrow, Mark. "Anglicans And Reconciling Mission: An Assessment Of Two Anglican International Gatherings." International Bulletin Of Missionary Research 33.1 (2009): 8-10. Religion and Philosophy Collection. Web. 2 Nov. 2013.
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.
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.
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.
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
In reviewing this book, I found one dominant sentence that will sum up all of the research and information presented. That theme is this – “all churches if possible, should be multiracial.” While this is idealistic and at the true core is the purest form of Christianity, the question remains on whether congregations want to be multiracial or not. The United States of America is no longer country dominated by one race. The author research in census data says that “the United States has well over 35 million more people of color in 2000 than it did in 1980.” Statistically these numbers will continue to rise to form an even more racially diverse nation. Racially diversity has its challenges even today in this post-modern era. Schools, offices,
Recent happenings in history; For instance, the apartheid that was about the racial oppression that a contest of supremacy of races is traced to the religion of Christianity. Christian teachings of the gospel are totally opposed to domination or being subdued of one race by another. “The biblical understanding of racial differences has been taken out of context resulting to racism an issue Christianity is seeking to address to combat racism true to the Scripture”. Christianity itself places a duty on its faithful to object and protest against racism.
Kärkkäinen, Veli-Matti. An Introduction to Ecclesiology: Ecumenical, Historical. Amazon Kindle edition ed. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2009.
Nyoyoko, Vincent G. “The Biblical and Theological foundations for Inculturation”. Mission Today. 6/3 (July- Sept., 2004).