by Douglas Ruffle, The Multi-ethnic Net Circular

Perhaps the most significant contribution to American religious history has been the role and vitality of historically black churches. The combination of transformation that is both personal and social has made a lasting impact on American life. What happens, though, when non-blacks begin attending historically African American churches? Moreover, what happens when as much as 25% of the participants of these churches are white? Can historically black churches accommodate white members without compromising their mission and identity?

Keep in mind that the Church was the first institution that blacks were able to organize for themselves during slavery in America. Religious historian Lawrence N. Jones has written "The agenda of African American churches has been mandated not only by the gospel and by institutional considerations, but also by the historical situation of their members," (Jones, "The Organized Church" in Directory of African American Religious Bodies, 1995.) Slavery, oppression, institutional racism have been the context of that situation.

What about today? What happens in the context of a "post-Christian" American society where church attendance and membership has less to do with tradition and obligation and more and more to do with deeply felt spiritual needs that yearn for expression?

The issue has been raised in the secular press. In the April 2000 issue of the now defunct TALK (Tom Cruise on the cover), author Jan Jarboe Russell wrote about "The Man Who Saved Jane," a reference to the Reverend Gerald Durley, pastor of Atlanta's predominantly black Providence Missionary Baptist Church. Jane Fonda had attended the church, and Durley was credited with playing an instrumental role in her new openness to Christianity. "But," writes Russell, "Durley has little in common with quick-to-judge traditional Christians. Instead, he's at the forefront of an emerging trend in religious practice, known as "Afrocentric evangelical," that is becoming popular in mainstream America." Russell describes this trend as combining evangelical theology with a "proactive approach to spirituality and social activism," but in a way that affirms rather than chastises. It is a trend that attracts whites as well as blacks. According to Russell, Durley disdained the judgmental and mean-spirited nature of the church when he was growing up. In the case of Jane Fonda, Durley finds it appalling that conservative churches that treated her like an anti-Christ just months ago would now be clamoring for her endorsement on books today.

Russell's article cites two United Methodist Churches that reflect this Afrocentric evangelical trend: the 12,500 member Windsor Village UMC in Houston, Texas and the 2000 member St. Mark's UMC in Wichita, Kansas, which is now 25 percent white. Are whites attending because they are finding in these churches a place to fulfill their spiritual needs? Is it the style of preaching, music and praying that is drawing them to these churches? Or, is it their economic success and high visibility?

Question: Should historically black churches be intentionally multi-racial? Or, do they continue forward with the same identity and mission as always, but with an openness to the few whites and any others who may decide to attend? Will multi-culturalism threaten the core values and identity of a historically black church?

As a response to some of these questions, one African-American Baptist pastor said: "When people come into our church, do we want them to say, 'Oh, this is where blacks worship,' or do we want them to say, 'Oh, this is where Christians worship?'"

What do you think?