Divided By Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America
Michael O Emerson and Christian Smith, Oxford University Press, 2000.
Book Review by Darold H. Morgan,
President Emeritus of the Annuity Board of the SBC
In this book we have two university professors of Sociology resurrecting with force and logic, substantiated by a wealth of research, the very old and very much alive problem of racism in America as it pertains to evangelical Christians. The volume is especially timely for this large group of believers who think that the race problem is no longer a front-burner issue. It applies directly to white evangelicals who believe in the individualist tradition that has convinced many that choices rightly made have all but solved this particular problem. The authors do not challenge the sincerity of the evangelical`s racial concepts, but their abundant research produces a conclusion that this group may actually be preserving a sad status quo in America`s racial problems by their "head-in-the-sand" bias.
American evangelicals constitute a mixed bag of theological groupings. Included are the fundamentalists, some Pentecostals, samples from mainline denominations, and that rather nebulous group which crosses denominational lines and enjoys the title of "evangelicals." A common thread is apparent in a variety of commitments to biblical inerrancy. By no means is there a specific denominational identity in this study.
There are several strengths in the book. One is the genuinely helpful historical review of racism in the United States from the colonial period, particularly through the aftermath of the Civil War. This section of the book is genuinely helpful in determining why racism is such a deeply rooted problem in the land. Another strength is found in the extensive research the authors have done through thousands of phone conversations and hundreds of personal interviews. This has resulted in a series of graphs that confirm their findings. One must not underestimate the extensive bibliography that will certainly be of benefit to the serious student who wishes to go further in this study.
A major weakness in the book comes from a lack of conclusions as to how to move American evangelicals to cope positively with the problem. Perhaps their intent is to convince this influential American crowd as to the range and depth of the problem itself. That substantive progress has been made in America in the White/Black racial dilemma (and this is the primary focus of the book) is obvious. But there is so much more to be done. Evangelical inconsistencies remain a major factor in this searing critique.
The research the authors have done point succinctly to the white evangelicals who genuinely want this problem solved but do not want to pay the price necessary to bring progress to the table. They fail to recognize the depth of the problem.
The authors firmly conclude that evangelicals could make a significant difference in America`s racial dilemma (which, of course, extend far beyond the white/black arena). They are also convinced that progress in federal and state legislation to some degree has been a solution. Nevertheless, American evangelicals must face the complexities of racism for "a racialized society is a society wherein race matters profoundly . . . it is a society that allocates differential economic, political, social, and even psychological rewards to groups along racial lines that are socially constructed" (p. 7).
Many white evangelicals simply are unwilling to explore throroughly these issues because of inherent individualism, believing that blacks could solve their problems if they really wanted to. Hence, the peculiar conclusion evangelicals face is a reluctant pessimism about the entire issue–this group will not face up to reality.
Throughout the book there are some very interesting and appropriate references to the nineteenth-century observations of Alexis de Toqueville and the twentieth century`s classic study of race relations in America by Gunnar Myrdal. These European observers are strangely up-to-date in their widely publicized views, especially as it applies to contemporary evangelicals and their concepts of race in America. Both of these astute writers give balance and perspective to the charges that the evangelical movement not only minimizes the racial problem, but also blames the blacks for contributing to the problem by their unwillingness to forget the past.
Perhaps the strongest lesson stemming from these pages is in the challenge that there is much work to be done "to reach the destination of equality, interdependence, and mutual understanding." The authors compliment the evangelicals for their sincere desire to address racial issues; but the compliment is corrupted by the fact that most evangelicals (according to their research) are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to bring substantive progress. "Good intention fails to recognize the institutionalization of racialization in . . . the system" (p. 10).
The book is a sharp wakeup call for all sincere Christians who currently are not aware of the seriousness and complexity of America`s racial problems. It is not pleasant reading, but it is necessary reading for concerned followers of Christ, especially conservative, Bible-believing Christians who have unique barriers to overcome.
