After the top response of forming cross-cultural friendships , strategies for improving racial dynamics within the church strongly differ by race . While white practicing Christians want to lean on faith-sharing , Black practicing Christians want to address minorities ’ needs for greater economic and leadership opportunity . Overall , all minorities outpace white practicing Christians in their desire to spread a biblical understanding of caring for the vulnerable and marginalized . One of the most significant findings from Beyond Diversity concluded that : Overreachingly , people want the Church to take a place of leadership on these critical topics . According to the research , practicing Christians believe churches can help improve race relations by welcoming people of all races in their congregations ( 80 %). This remains the top option regardless of respondents ’ racial category and mirrors the hope of improving racial dynamics on an individual level by cultivating more diverse personal circles . A small minority of practicing Christians ( 8 %) believe churches cannot or should not help improve race relations in the country . Among them , there is a prevailing sentiment that this is “ not the Church ’ s job ” ( 46 %). Other smaller proportions have an actual aversion to the Church ’ s involvement in this area because they feel churches are hypocritical ( 5 %) or the source of the problem to begin with ( 7 %).
Most Christians Assume Diverse Community Will Improve Race Relations
There is currently a widely held belief that cross-racial interactions and friendships , inside and outside the Church , are a first step toward pursuing racial justice within the congregation . According to a recent Barna study created in partnership with the Racial Justice and Unity center , 7 in 10 Americans Think Diverse Friendships Will Improve Racial Dynamics in the U . S . According to the research , building diverse relationships is the most popular response ( 67 % all U . S . adults , 70 % practicing Christians ) when asked what steps individuals could take to improve racial dynamics in the country . This option outpaced all others as the top choice , regardless of age , race or faith . Barna noted that the nature of this solution matches Americans ’ perceptions of the nature of the problem : according to most people in the U . S ., it ’ s personal , not systemic . While relationships are an important component of developing empathy and understanding , the Beyond Diversity research shows it ’ s potentially counterproductive if it ’ s the only step . A broader take on the role of individuals includes efforts to undo unjust systems , perhaps through advocacy , influencing policies or actively seeking a better understanding of race dynamics , according to the study . In the general population , the second and third most frequently chosen actions are to support the economic thriving of people of color ( 38 %) and to advocate for people of color in leadership positions ( 33 %), a trend that holds across race . In contrast , beyond building diverse relationships , practicing Christians ’ approach tends toward the evangelistic ; half say helping people become Christians is an effective personal means to improve race relations ( 47 %). This approach is especially favored by white practicing Christians ( 51 %, compared to 40 % Black , 36 % Hispanic and 41 % Asian ). Barna noted that one-third of practicing Christians emphasizes sharing biblical teachings that encourage special kindness to marginalized groups , a tactic they support as strongly as fostering economic thriving for people of color ( 34 %). Practicing Christians also chose advocacy for leadership opportunities for people of color ( 26 %), though notably less frequently than the general population .
White evangelicals more likely than other Christians to say people should prioritize marriage , procreation
Political differences among U . S . religious groups have been well documented in recent decades . But disagreements among Americans across the religious spectrum extend to issues in the personal realm , too – including priorities in life and gender roles within the family . According to a recent Pew Research Center survey , white evangelical Protestants consistently hold more traditional views than others , including other Christians , on these questions . About one third of U . S . adults ( 34 %) say that society is better off if people make marriage and childbearing a priority , while almost twice as many ( 64 %) feel that society is just as well off if people have priorities other than marriage and children . According to the study , among all Americans with a religious affiliation – whether Christian , Jewish , Muslim or something else – 56 % believe it is OK for society if people have priorities besides marriage and children , compared with 82 % of those with no religion . White evangelicals was the only religious subgroup analyzed in which a majority ( 56 %) say that prioritizing marriage and having children is better for society . On average , evangelical Christians bear about the same number of children as other Americans , and while they tend to marry at a younger age than other U . S . adults , members of evangelical denominations on the whole are not necessarily more likely to be married than members of other Christian subgroups . Pew noted that by comparison , self-described atheists overwhelmingly say society fares just as well when people have priorities other than marriage and children ( 91 %). Most Catholics ( 63 %) and White Protestants who do not identify as evangelical ( 64 %) also take this position . ( The survey did not include enough interviews with Jews , Muslims and members of other smaller religious groups to analyze their views separately .) The study found that these patterns also extend to measures of religious observance . For example , highly religious people – those who say religion is very important in their lives and those who
28 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | MAR / APR 2022