Differences Betweeand Black and White Christianity/Church

Martin Luther King Jr. was once quoted to say, “Sunday is the most segregated

day in America”. When I was thinking about this statement , I was disturbed to discover

a truth that is very real. I will not pretend to know a lot about the religions of other

cultures. All that I know comes from the text readings that we’ve had is class. My

experiences in a formal church setting come only from services I’ve regularly attended at

an ELCA Lutheran church and a Presbyterian church. Both congregations are made

entirely of white families. In fact, I only saw one black person enter the doors of the

Lutheran church (to witness a friend’s baptism) in 10 years of attendance, and never at the

Presbyterian church. So when I talk about the white church, I have only those

I’ve been to one “black church” in my life. During a Sunday School class in high

school we organized a trip to a Baptist church a couple blocks away. When we got there,

the pastor of the church greeted us warmly as we had called ahead of time to let him

know we were going to be joining them. He lead us to some seats close to the front of the

To me, the most interesting thing that occurred in black churches is the music.

elderly, white congregation. Music was played almost constantly, the sermon was lively,

high tech pipe organ so they can continue the rich, white tradition of organ preludes,

Some topics in this essay:
ELCA Lutheran, Bible Southern, Jew Jesus’, Christianity Blacks, Roman Catholics, King Jr, Civil War, North South, God Reformation, Raboteau Hopefully, white churches, black churches, presbyterian church, differences black, black white, differences black white, ideas freedom, churches literate, vast differences, white church, pipe organ,