Intersection of ethnicity and Christianity in the United States
SOC 412 Topic 7 DQ 2
How does ethnicity and Christianity intersect in the United States? (See Religion in America, pages 140-141.)
ADDITIONAL DETAILS
Intersection of ethnicity and Christianity in the United States
Asian Americans and Christians
Asian Americans have a diverse religious background. They come from a wide range of Christian denominations and backgrounds, including Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Asian American Christians are often misunderstood because their lives are influenced by the combination of their ethnic heritage and the American culture in which they live.
Asian Americans who embrace Christianity face challenges that other groups do not face: discrimination from non-Christians; language barriers that prevent them from fully participating in church life; conflict over issues like abortion or same sex marriage (which is still illegal in some states); cultural differences between Westernized Christians who want to be more inclusive than conservative churches might allow them to be (e.g., allowing women pastors) vs. conservative churches which refuse change at all costs despite evidence supporting its efficacy (e.g., young people leaving their faith).
Black Christians in the United States
Black people have been in the United States since the early 17th century, but it wasn’t until after slavery was abolished that they were able to come here and be free. The first African-American church was formed in Boston by black Christians who wanted a place where they could worship together without having to worry about being attacked or harassed by other whites who didn’t approve of their faith.
Black churches played an important role in helping organize civil rights protests against segregation laws during the 1960s and 1970s—and today they continue serving as centers of community activism across America.
There are more than 1.5 million black churches in the United States, and they vary widely in their beliefs, practices, and sizes. Some black churches focus on preaching and teaching the Bible; others use music as a primary form of worship. The largest U.S. church is located in Atlanta and has more than 23 thousand members who attend services there each week!
Latin-American Christians
Latin-American Christians are the fastest growing group of Christians in the United States. They generally identify as Catholic, but there are also large numbers who self-identify as Pentecostal or Evangelical.
Latin American immigrants have been arriving in this country since at least 1890, when they began arriving in what is now California’s Imperial Valley to farm cotton and other crops. In recent years, many more have come from Mexico and Central America, although some remain undocumented due to political instability in their home countries.
Today, there are more than 35 million Latinos in the United States, making up 17 percent of the population. About 22 percent of all Hispanics identify as Catholic, while approximately 28 percent are Protestant—the majority of whom are Pentecostal or Evangelical.
White Christians in the United States
The white Christian population in the United States is declining, aging and shrinking in some regions. In fact, the South has seen a decline of about 1 million white Christians since 1990, while Midwestern states such as Minnesota have experienced an increase of about 2 million people who are now classified as religious minorities.
In addition to these demographic trends, there has been a shift away from mainline Protestantism over the last few decades and toward evangelical Protestantism; this change has been particularly pronounced among younger Americans who identify themselves as non-religious or “spiritual but not religious.”
Takeaway:
The intersection of ethnicity and Christianity in the United States is a complex one. It is important to remember that past generations have struggled with these issues, but we should also hope for a more positive future where these groups can work together toward common goals.
One of the most important things for Christians to remember is that we are all sinners. We all have our own struggles and faults which we must constantly be working to overcome. While this is not a license to commit whatever sins you want, it should remind us that God’s grace is available to all people, regardless of ethnicity or background.
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