THE AMBIGUOUS LENSES OF INTEGRATED AND SEGREGATED SPACES IN RELIGION 

Race, Religion, Space in Pentecostalism and other Multicultural Denominations Oliver A. Washington Jr.

PRESENTATION QUESTION OF THE DAY

Would you be able to interact, worship, and socialize in an ambiguous integrated, segregated, spiritual-religious space simultaneously? Y/N, unsure, or indifferent. This also could be applied to other socio-cultural institutions.

THE SOCIO-HISTORICAL AMBIGUOUSNESS OF AMERICAN PENTECOSTALISM 1905-2000

• Charles Parham Bible School promoting the theology of Pentecostalism: Charles Parham, pioneer of Pentecostalism

• William J. Seymour- African-American student at Charles Parham Bible School, relegated to sit in the hallway to learn according to the social mores in Houston, Tx., in 1905

• Historical ambiguity equals segregation within the Pentecostal sphere of religion

• Student becomes the interracial pioneer of institutional Pentecostalism in 1906, The Azusa Street Revival in Los Angles, Ca., attracts an avid multicultural audience

THE SOCIO-HISTORICAL AMBIGUOUSNESS OF AMERICAN PENTECOSTALISM 1905-2000, CONT’D• Parham arrives in LA in 1906 & is dismayed by what he

witnesses. Why?• Displeased by the mixing of races during services, ecstatic

praying & frenzied dancing: another incident showcasing the ambiguity of an integrated & segregated spaces in the origins of Pentecostalism.

• Parham derided these services as “Southern darky camp meetings,” eventually leading to a Pentecostal split along racial lines.

• COGIC-the Black Pentecostal denomination• Assemblies of God- the White Pentecostal denomination• Seymour and the Azusa Mission is hailed as a symbol of racial

reconciliation, however, societal racial fighting results in denominational infighting along racial lines: whites aren’t allowed to operate in leadership roles in the Azusa Mission and their daughter churches

• Could this be called the ambiguous racial compromise?• Robert Harrison, African-American Assemblies of God elder & civil

rights advocate, inconsistent credentialing, Memphis Miracle between the Assemblies of God & COGIC

THE SOCIO-CULTURAL DICHOTOMY OF PENTECOSTALISM

Pentecostalism Racial relations,

cross-cultural traditions & the

influence of social mores

COGIC: predominantly African-American

leadership, parishioners, community outreach, & a debatable-mediocre civil

rights record

Assemblies of God : Mission Work in S.

Africa, abysmal civil rights record, predominantly

White leadership

INTEGRATING THE SEGREGATED SPACES OF TABERNACLE ASSEMBLY OF GOD• Why does segregation continue to influence church attendance in a

multicultural society?• Why should denominations and local churches seek to bridge the cross-

cultural chasm fostering denominational & racial segregation?• https://partners.nytimes.com/library/national/race/060400sack-church.html

# :Integration saves the Tabernacle from financial hardships, however, the church endures and navigates racial tensions, colorism, congregational segregation, & cross-cultural & intra-racial differences

• http://racerelations.about.com/od/diversitymatters/a/RacialSegregationinChurch.htm : The importance of modeling a racially and multicultural inclusive congregation helping to change the urban-suburban landscape; diverse ethnic and cultural leadership, urban-rural outreach, embracing worship & music differences, understanding religious segregation.

• http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/27/the-most-and-least-racially-diverse-u-s-religious-groups/: Statistics showcasing the least diverse & most diverse congregations

• http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/08/04/segregated.sundays/index.html?_s=PM:LIVING#cnnSTCOther1: The socio-cultural difficulties and realities of the ambiguousness of church segregation, integration within the sphere of religion.

• http://www.christianchronicle.org/article/sundays-not-segregated-at-florissant : Florissant Church of Christ a model of racial reconciliation and integration.

WHAT’S NEXT???

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• Beginning to understand the ambiguous lenses, social mores, and cross-cultural traditions fostering the segregated and integrated spaces of religious institutions.

• Model racial reconciliation• What are your recommendations??• Listen and watch Hezekiah Walker video modeling &

promoting interracial, cross-cultural, interdenominational inclusiveness.