DURING THE PANDEMIC, BLACK CHURCHES EXPERIENCED GREATER DIFFICULTIES, BUT THEY ADAPTED BETTER.

Oleh Leonardo Blair, Reporter Senior Jumat, 19 Januari 2024

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A new study shows that majority black congregations have suffered greater losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to white and multiracial churches, but they seem to have adapted better to the challenges posed by the virus.

Researchers in an article published this month by The Hartford Institute for Religion Research titled "Understanding the pandemic's effect on black and multiracial churches" found that, despite the white church, the multiracial community, and the majority of blacks, they have experienced negative impacts from the pandemic and lockdowns in the past three years. years, structural racism further aggravated the predominantly black congregation. As a result, a decrease in the attendance, income, and welfare of pastors is especially noticeable in such congregations.

The American Medical Association states that "the totality of ways society encourages racial discrimination through mutually reinforcing systems of housing, education, employment, income, benefits, credit, media, health care, and criminal justice" is the definition of structural racism.

Our report has shown since the EPIC study began in 2021 how the pandemic has impacted congregations' attendance, vitality, volunteering, religious education, and adapted creative methods. The researchers, led by Scott Thumma, professor of sociology of religion at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace and director of the Hartford Institute for Religious Research, found that the experiences of majority-black congregations in the United States are multiplied by a combination of the pandemic and ongoing structural racism.

"The burden of systematic racism still exists both individually and collectively in majority black and multiracial congregations." They also stated that external factors outside the pandemic, such as income inequality, redlining, disparate education, and access to resources, multiplied the impact of the pandemic on black communities. In addition, the internal factors resulting from these influences also play a role in the well-being of the clergy.

Only 41% of white majority members of congregations said their financial status did not change from 2018 to spring 2023, while 49% of white majority members said their financial status remained the same.

In addition, data collected in the spring of 2023 showed that 34% of black majority members reported declining financial health since 2018. This is lower than the 28% multiracial and 29% white majority members.

The researchers found that, compared with 24% of multiracial congregations and 22% of white-majority congregations, 25% of predominantly black churches also experienced financial improvements, possibly as a result of additional grants or federal aid funding during the pandemic.

"For some congregations, the provision of additional congregations and federal assistance during COVID may have put all congregations through a financial burden. It seems that the majority of the black community is still struggling to achieve financial stability. The researchers state that this cycle of instability and dependency speaks to the systemic problems facing majority black congregations, as well as the intersection of race and socioeconomic class.

The study found that the majority of black communities, which "historically exercised great innovation, resilience, and adaptability," used the same survival skills to maintain fellowship after the pandemic halted face-to-face meetings.

The researchers stated that the majority black congregation has led the way, participating in COVID-19 mitigation initiatives such as being a vaccination site. "Black pastors' commitment to their calling and the resilience of subsequent congregations during the pandemic have been and continue to be."

In addition, it was found that churches dominated by blacks had provided more opportunities for their congregations to pray together than all the churches examined in the study.

"Spring 2023 results show that 41% of black congregations hold combined prayer meetings, roughly four times that of multiracial and majority white congregations. This may highlight the passion for gathering, especially for prayer, which remains a frequent practice and coping mechanism among black adults."

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