Crossing the Ethnic Divide

Understanding Multiethnic Churches

While religious communities often stress the universal nature of their beliefs, it remains true that people choose to worship alongside those they identify with most easily. Multiethnic churches are rare in the United States, but as American attitudes toward diversity change, so too does the appeal of a church that offers diversity.

The Challenge of Diversity

Joining such a community, however, is uncomfortable—worshippers must literally cross the barriers of ethnic difference by entering the religious space of the ethnically "other."

Case Study: A Southern California Congregation

Through the story of one multiethnic congregation in Southern California, Kathleen Garces-Foley examines what it means to confront the challenges in forming a religious community across ethnic divisions and attracting a more varied membership.