Pacific Journal of Theological Research
A CASE FOR MONO-ETHNIC CHURCHES1 Ian Hussey Director of Postgraduate Studies, Malyon Theological College INTRODUCTION In an increasingly globalised world, many Western churches have either become ethnically diverse or find themselves geographically located in ethnically diverse communities. Further, many Christians in Australia find themselves in ethnically diverse frontlines.2 Because of this growth in ethnic diversity, many churches are more ethnically diverse than they were a generation ago. Coinciding with this “natural” change has been a growing push for churches to be deliberately ethnically diverse, or what some would call “multicultural.” Definitions vary significantly in this area. For the purpose of this paper, “multi-ethnic” refers to churches where no more than 80% of the congregation comes from the same ethnic group. 3 The term “multicultural” is reserved for churches that have embraced the ethnic and cultural diversity of their congregations and manifest that diversity in their operations. Hence it is possible for a church to be ethnically diverse but not multicultural if it continues to operate in a mono-cultural manner. In contrast to the multi-ethnic or multicultural church is the mono-ethnic church. Using DeYoung’s definition this means that the congregation is made up of over 80% of people who belong to the same ethnic group and that the church operates from a mono-cultural paradigm. Most churches in Australia are mono-cultural Anglo churches. Any ethnic diversity in these churches is often explained by the presence of skilled migrants. These migrants deliberately choose to come to Australia and often want their children to grow up in an English-speaking church. Although some skilled migrants to Australia prefer churches aligned to their ethnic backgrounds, many are quite happy to embrace the mono-cultural Anglo approach. However, at various times in its history, Australia has welcomed refugees to its shores as well. These migrants generally do not wish to leave their homeland but are forced to do so by some geopolitical or socioeconomic scenario. Although they are generally very thankful to be in Australia, their commitment to embracing the Australian culture is often tempered by the grief of having to leave their homeland. Frequently these refugees have little or no English and struggle to feel at home in English-speaking churches. Understandably, these people wish to maintain their language and culture and they often do this by joining with, or forming, non-Anglo mono-ethnic churches, even if they attend an Anglo church as well. These churches not only provide worship services in their mother tongue but are a crucial social context which is
My thanks to Rev. Emil Rahimov and Rev. Dr Greg Peckman who have been my conversation partners on the question of mono ethnic churches and so have contributed many ideas to this paper. 2 “Your frontline is the place where you spend much of your time, where you meet people who don’t know Jesus.” London Institute of Contemporary Christianity, Life on the Frontline Leader's Guide (London: London Institute of Contemporary Christianity), 8. Frontlines are places like workplaces, social groups, schools and unsaved family members. 3 Curtiss Paul DeYoung, United by Faith: The Multiracial Congregation as an Answer to the Problem of Race (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003), 2. 1
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