The Funk of White Souls: Toward a Du Boisian Theory of the White Church

Abstract

This article revisits the writings of W.E.B. Du Bois on the white church. Drawing on a synthetic reading of his scholarship on white Christianity, I argue that Du Bois conceives of the white church as a racialized organization that has been indelibly shaped by white supremacy. I then elaborate six mechanisms identified by Du Bois through which white churches further perpetuate white supremacy: legitimation, revisionism, inaction, segregation, missionary work, and charitable giving. Building on this analysis, I sketch a Du Boisian agenda for research on the white church and show how it can enrich scholarship in the sociology of religion, critical scholarship on race, and the Du Boisian renaissance more broadly.

When to Preach About Poverty: How Location, Race, and Ideology Shape White Evangelical Sermons

“…W.E.B. Du Bois identifies six mechanisms that help explain how white churches maintain white supremacy: legitimation, revisionism, inaction, segregation, missionary work, and charitable giving (Mayrl 2022). Although each of these are potentially related to questions of ideology and specifically racial ideology (Mueller 2020), the first three (legitimation, revisionism, and inaction) are especially important for our analysis here.…”

“…To the extent that more of the poor are undeserving than one might have expected, white ministers might simply say nothing, or might describe such poverty in terms related to individual experiences of salvation and grace (Curtis 2018;Lin 2020). And given the connections between poverty and racial minorities, pastors confronted with a diverse population may be even more unwilling to discuss poverty because they lack the tools to explain the systematiccally racist nature of the U.S. political system (Mayrl 2022;Tranby and Hartmann 2008).…”

“Too Much to Hope”: Analyzing Clergy Rhetoric on White Supremacy

“…In both his empirical analyses and creative writing, Du Bois made it clear that religion is closely intertwined with our social structures and social life, not an independent sphere (Zuckerman 2002). Du Bois acknowledged the important role Black Churches played as the center of social life (Du Bois 1899; Lincoln and Mamiya 1990;Mayrl 2023), but his expectations for religion's impact on social life were largely negative (Mayrl 2023). Du Bois criticized both White and Black clergy for their sermons and asserted that "in many cases where moral opposition is needed, the Church became strangely silent and complacent" (Du Bois 1899; Zuckerman 2004:170 [Du Bois 1945).…”

“…Du Bois criticized both White and Black clergy for their sermons and asserted that "in many cases where moral opposition is needed, the Church became strangely silent and complacent" (Du Bois 1899; Zuckerman 2004:170 [Du Bois 1945). In particular, Du Bois held little hope that the White Church would speak or act in the interest of racial equality, given their alignment with White supremacy (Mayrl 2023). At the same time, the same writing quoted above also notes the potential for the "the faith and ideals of organized religion," if allied with scientific knowledge and economic reform, to motivate action toward social progress (Zuckerman 2004:171 [Du Bois 1945).…”

“…The potential of religious organizations to both challenge and reproduce social inequalities represents an important legacy from Du Bois (Emerson, Korver-Glenn, and Douds 2015;Zuckerman, 2000Zuckerman, , 2002. In particular, the White Church is an underanalyzed site, despite Du Bois' recognition almost a century ago of their role in maintaining White supremacy (Mayrl 2023;Zuckerman 2000[Du Bois 1931). Religion represents a source of meaning individuals can draw upon in different ways, including when constructing ideas about race, racism, and racial inequality (Emerson and Smith 2001;Gilkes 2010;Yukich and Edgell 2020).…”