Against All Odds: The Struggle for Racial Integration in Religious Organizations

6. Together and Separate

Together and Separate Thus far we have focused on churches. However, in this chapter we examine the barriers to racial integration within a university student religious organization, Christ in Action. This case expands our understanding of the dynamics of interracial religious organizations in three key ways. Unlike churches, student religious organizations have, by definition , temporary memberships. Moreover, members of these religious organizations typically also are members of churches; the student religious organizations serve as spiritual and social supplements to their church. Furthermore, college is a time and place where people are open to exploring different identities and experimenting with new situations. Given these conditions, we might expect members’ investments in or commitments to these kinds of religious organizations to be weaker than that of church members, and the organizations may not be central to members’ sense of belonging. Further, members may be more tolerant of conflict or unmet preferences. The Christ in Action group we studied is on the campus of South Urban University. South Urban University is an elite private university located in the sprawling city of Houston. Drawing upon its diverse location and its highly selective admissions process, South Urban’s undergraduate student body is 34 percent non-white. A primary focus of South Urban is providing an excellent undergraduate education; the university ranks among the top schools in the country. In accordance with its concentration on academics, South Urban University has no social fraternities. However, there are approximately 230 student organizations on campus with an eclectic variety of interests and purposes. These include drama, academics, sports, juggling, social activism, and religion, among many others. One of these organizations is Christ in Action. Christ in Action is an international Christian student organization based in the United States. Founded in the 1950s, it has since expanded 6 104 to nearly 1,110 college campuses in the United States and worldwide. The organization is also interdenominational. However, based upon its own statement of faith and mission, the organization is clearly located within the evangelical Christian tradition. The original intent of the founders was to “win the campus today and change the world tomorrow.” Today, this primarily includes “[turning] lost [college] students into Christ-centered laborers,” “lost” students being those who do not have a “relationship with God through Jesus Christ.” Christ in Action purposes “to see students embrace the purpose, love and forgiveness that God offers them in a relationship with Jesus Christ.” The group bases its mission on the Bible, which it believes is the inerrant, “infallible Written Word” of God that is “uniquely . . . inspired by the Holy Spirit.” Most local Christ in Action chapters are directed by college-educated paid staff members. Staff is responsible for coordinating and leading weekly Bible studies as well as other events, such as evangelism and social activities. They also train student members of the organization in evangelical Christian theology, practice, evangelism, and leadership using a standard training program developed by the organization. Students are gradually promoted to leadership within their local organizations as they move through the training program. By their junior and senior years students are given leadership responsibilities, which include leading small Bible study groups of freshmen and sophomores. Students also participate in the coordination of the organization. In addition to leading the weekly Bible studies, they help plan and organize weekly Bible studies and social and evangelistic events, and they participate in the training of fellow students in Christian theology and practice. This traditional structure has attracted primarily white students. In response to the increasing ethnic and racial diversity of college campuses over the past fifteen years, Christ in Action has developed three ethnicityspeci fic campus organizations. The intent of these organizations is to reach ethnic and racial minorities with the “gospel.” However, although the statements of faith and mission of these groups are the same as that of Christ in Action, their structure and organization are developed to accommodate the cultural preferences and needs of ethnic and racial minorities . In this chapter, we examine the role of both interracial and race-speci fic groups within the Christ in Action organization on South Urban University ’s campus. We talked with thirty undergraduate students of various races and ethnicities who are members of these groups. This study Together and Separate | 105 demonstrates the importance and effectiveness of racially homogeneous groups within racially diverse religious organizations. Moreover, it provides a unique perspective on racial diversity within religious...