The Changing Church and the Challenge of Racial Justice

Abstract

Research shows that church attendance increasingly correlates with conservative political views and racial attitudes, particularly among White Christians. Despite increasing diversity in American society, Sunday services remain highly segregated such that worship practices, fellowship networks, and shared religious beliefs often reinforce, rather than challenge, racial divisions. This article suggests ways in which churches can embody the prophetic call for justice by moving beyond performative inclusion to sustained efforts that dismantle racism. In doing so, clergy, staff, and lay leaders must avoid merely symbolic allyship and enact substantive actions, even in the face of tensions and disagreements among their own members.