Why Are There White Churches and Black Churches in Some Places?
Visitors to American Christianity sometimes notice something curious. On Sunday morning, people who live in the same town, believe in the same God, and read the same Bible often gather in congregations that appear largely separated by race. There may be predominantly Black churches, predominantly White churches, Hispanic churches, Korean churches, and others. If Christianity teaches that all people are equal before God, why does this happen? The answer is complicated, involving both history and human nature. Part of the Story Is America's History Many historically Black churches were born during times when African Americans were excluded from, segregated within, or treated unequally by White churches. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Black Christians often discovered that they were welcome in White congregations only as second-class participants. Some were required to sit in separate sections. Others had little voice in church leadership. As a result, many African Amer...