When Does Religious Racial Integration “Count?” A Caution About Seeking Ideal Ethnographic Cases

Abstract

Ethnographers take a risk whenever they select a case for study. We immerse ourselves among people in the hope of yielding significant findings, yet none of us can predict the outcome of our research. The commitment of time, energy, and professional status is enormous, but ultimately we cannot tell ahead of time the exact dynamics in play or the manner of their operation. It reminds me of the "mystery bag" game we played as children. Each of us would reach into a large sack without knowing what was inside and try to guess the contents based on the touch of our hands. Ethnographic sites are mystery bags; researchers have some sense that there is indeed "something" to be found but cannot entirely be sure what it is until a much greater degree of access, observation, and interpretation is achieved.In the case of Oasis Christian Center (Marti 2010), I was certain there were important racial dynamics in this diverse congregation, but the nature of those dynamics could not be ascertained on my initial visits. If the particular demographics of attendees, their storied backgrounds, and the peculiar aspects of their social and economic circumstances fail to conform to an "ideal scenario" of "ultimate" diversity, we might find ourselves disappointed. This appears to be one of the most important aspects of Richard Pitt's critique. In idealizing a type of case study that he believes is most pressing, Pitt desires a different "ideal" case for analysis, a church with black leadership and a clear black dominance that successfully integrates whites into the congregation. While Pitt presents an alternative research question-What can we learn about white integration into black-dominant congregations?-the question is simply not appropriate for my study of Oasis.

Responses by White Christians to Recent Latino Immigration in the Rural U.S. Midwest

“…Moreover, the label does not itself indicate what members of a congregation think or desire with regard to their racial composition. As a result, he argues, "It would be instructive to more finely differentiate between different types of diverse congregations and the processes embedded within them" ( [33], p. 15).…”

I Double‐Dog Dare you in Jesus’ Name! Claiming Christian Wealth and the American Prosperity Gospel

“…Marti also introduces a potentially game‐changing theory about race relations at Oasis, a concept he terms “ethnic transcendence.” As Marti explains it, ethnic transcendence highlights the fluidity of personal identity and can be seen when racial and ethnic heritage are obscured in deference to other markers of selfhood, in the case of Oasis “a uniquely congregational understanding of what it means to be Christian” (Marti 2008, p. 153). An extensive discussion of the concept of ethnic transcendence, with dissenting commentary can be found in the June 2010 volume of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (Marti 2010a,b; Pitt 2010). As work on multiracial religious communities continues, especially ethnographically driven work, theories of race and ethnicity will unquestionably need to be rethought in order to account for changes in race relations, new rhetoric, and the excavation of old prejudices and inequalities masked in new expressions.…”

United by Faith? Race/Ethnicity, Congregational Diversity, and Explanations of Racial Inequality

“…While the prevailing opinion is that attending racially homogenous congregations tends to reinforce racial divisions on various social attitudes (Lincoln and Mamiya 1990; Park 2012; Perry 2014), scholars are sharply divided on the issue of whether or not significant racial/ethnic differences in racial attitudes will persist in racially diverse congregations (Edwards et al 2013; Marti 2010a, 2010b; Pitt 2010). Drawing on critical race theory, which views racial domination as a central organizing feature in the United States (Bonilla-Silva 1997; Omi and Winant 1994), some scholars contend that racially diverse faith communities are racialized institutions that typically cater to the racial sensibilities of Whites (Christerson et al 2005; Edwards 2008, 2014; Perry 2012).…”