Faith in Tulsa

By Gary Peluso-Verdend, Ph.D., President Emeritus, Phillips Theological Seminary

Religion in Tulsa plays a visible, vibrant role in public life and offers a remarkable variety of options and opportunities for their members and for the Tulsa community.

Faith communities serve the spiritual needs of their members. Many engage in one or more community outreach ministries such as: public school partnerships, parochial schools, food pantries, aid for the unsheltered and summer camps.

The most numerically prominent and culturally influential communities identify as evangelical, charismatic or Pentecostal Christian. There are many megachurches (with 2,000 or more persons worshipping each week). There are allied educational institutions known globally.

In addition, the religious ecology includes:

• Roman Catholic congregations and charities, which are increasingly populated with Latinx members, and which minister to immigrants and refugees.

• Antiochian and Greek Orthodox churches

• Mainline/ecumenical Protestant congregations (e.g., United Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Disciples, ELCA Lutheran), a few large and many small in membership

• Dozens of African-American congregations — Baptists, charismatics and Pentecostals. Generally, these congregations embrace evangelical theologies but differ markedly from conservative white churches in matters of social justice. Their role in addressing racism, reparations, mass incarceration, health care access, economic development and fair policing is central.

• Protestant Spanish-speaking congregations and ministries

• Native American religious communities include both Christian congregations and those centered on traditional ceremonies.

Buddhist and Hindu communities call Tulsa home. One of the world’s largest UnitarianUniversalist congregations is here. The Jewish population is small but powerfully represented through Reform and Conservative congregations, as well as a Hasidic community. In addition, Jewish philanthropists, who have contributed to huge civic enterprises in Tulsa, enact Judaism’s commitments to social justice and tikkun olam — healing the world.

The growing Muslim community is comprised of persons speaking dozens of languages. A mosque, a first-rate school, an interfaith dialogue institute and several social service organizations extend the reach of compassion, mercy, justice and love far beyond their community.

There are several progressive Protestant congregations, an independent AnglicanCatholic congregation, and Jewish and Unitarian congregations that teach and practice social justice, the value of science, honest social histories, multicultural inclusion, hospitality for immigrants, and advocate for full inclusion of LGBTQ persons in religion and society.

Tulsa’s faith communities have warm interreligious relationships with ongoing dialogue groups, celebrations and in collective action such as refugee resettlement.