Racialicious and Hermes’ Journeys featured a clip of stand-up comedian Gary Owens comparing black and white churches, joking about how long and loud black services are compared to white services. Two things are happening in the clip. First, Owens is commenting on two different styles of worship. This is really interesting sociologically because it shows that how one worships is a cultural phenomenon that varies. We’ve seen this powerfully illustrated by children recently in the viral videos Baby Preacher and Baby Worshipper.
Second, though, Owens is racializing these different forms of worship. In consultation with Gwen, she reminded me that what he’s really talking about is “the difference between more mainline churches vs. the charismatic evangelical ones.” At the latter churches yelling out and hours-long services are common, no matter the racial makeup of the congregation.
So, the clip is a good example of both a sociological principle (socialization) and a sociological mistake (racialization):
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 22
Mike — April 18, 2011
Just out of curiosity (as a non-sociologist who enjoys the blog) - what is the correct, technical way to discuss cultural phenomena that are closely associated with or originated in a racial group?
roy trickey — April 18, 2011
Usta sneak in to that church up on the corner of my grandmothers block Winchester Illinois ?1950? Doors open hot sunday evening Music! Comin Out! and I Never Saw those people at the sodafountain with my Daddy or on the street at the hardware store NoWhere! -and the Singing! And the CrazeeDancing! And Speekin inTounges! ?? know what I mean? White Town! (outtatown somewhere before sundown). EVENING/NIGHT That Town Was WHITE (U guys are M'ifukkkerz!). musta looked funny 8-yr old whitekid sneakedout when the on-the-floor speakin-in-tongues Got Goin! :). Prolly Laffed their AssesOff! LOL! Geezus Winchester Illinois!
azizi — April 18, 2011
I didn't attend evangelical churches, but was raised in an Eastern middle class Baptist church. My grandfather was the head deacon of that church and my mother was the church clerk-both very prestigous positions. On Sunday, I often attended morning church service and an evening church service. There was some but not that much "amening" going on in that Baptist church when minister preached & when deacons prayed. Sometimes a few people "got happy" (felt the Holy Spirt), and showed it through their actions. But nobody in my church spoke in tongues, and our Sunday morning service always lasted from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm.
The first time I visited a Church Of God In Christ (COGIC) or another type of evangelical church I realized that it was a whole different culture. In some ways it seemed to me like I was experiencing what my reading suggested the worship was like in 19th African American shout houses during slavery. I mean that in a good way. But that service didn't fit the personality that I was born with and had been socialized to be.
With regard to stand-up comedian Gary Owens comparing black and white churches, I recognize that "what he’s really talking about is the difference between more mainline churches vs. the charismatic evangelical ones. At the latter churches yelling out and hours-long services are common, no matter the racial makeup of the congregation." [though I wouldn't necessarily refer to the ministers' preaching as "yelling".
That said, I believe that Owen's skit was funny-in large part because of how he did it (his mannerisms). I'm sure that much of what he said out loud was what he and others experiencing those churches may have thought, and not verbalized to others.
Also, I believe that African Americans, including me, and some non-African Americans have thought some of the same things about religious services that aren't just evangelical services- that sometimes some people who "get happy" in church are acting, and that to some extent, in some churches though not all, the service is like a talent show. The comedian didn't mention it, but I will-in the United States anyway some Black churches (and I'm sure some churches that are integrated and are White, and attended by persons of other races) Sunday service IS like a fashion show. However, this is changing in some churches which have relaxed their dress code and don't frown upon people coming to Sunday services in casual clothes.
Finally, I believe that the comedian in that video got such a good response from his majority Black audience because he tapped into something they agreed with.
Thomas — April 19, 2011
The post claims that "what he’s really talking about is 'the difference between more mainline churches vs. the charismatic evangelical ones.'"
I don't think this is correct. There are many evangelical churches that are not charismatic and would never describe themselves as such. These non-charismatic evangelical churches would not describe themselves as mainline either. Evangelical means something different than charismatic although it is possible to be both at the same time. There are many of these non-charismatic, non-mainline evangelical churches are almost exclusively white and worship in the manner effectively pilloried as the "white church" in the joke.
There are also predominantly black churches that would not describe themselves as charismatic (this carries doctrinal and theological commitments, not just a worship style) but which worship in the manner pilloried as the "black church" in the joke.
I don't think that the comic is making as big of a sociological mistake as the post implies (although I am not a professional sociologist, just an interested amateur and a great admirer of this blog).
While it would be a mistake to map racial difference onto denominational difference as a perfect one-to-one relationship, we cannot ignore that churches are still one of the most segregated institutions in America or that this segregation produces effects of its own. Back during the civil rights era people would commonly say that the most segregated hour in America was Sunday morning. Things have certainly improved some since then, but I take a more sympathetic view of the comic in question. I think this is a joke that correctly notes the segregation that still exists.
Rebecca — May 24, 2011
I agree with Thomas--particularly the bit about Charismatic theology.
Not all "White" churches are boring, quiet, and short.
Not all "Black" churches are exciting, loud, and lengthy.
But comparing the differences between those churches that *are* that way?
Really, really funny, and really, really true.