Survey: Every People, Tribe and Nation
What is it like for Christians from minority ethnic communities in Irish and Northern Irish churches?
(From the October - December 2021 issue of VOX)
Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely exclude me from His people.’ ... For this is what the Lord says, “...and foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to minister to Him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be His servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56: 3, 6, 7
Over 200 people who responded to our survey were from minority ethnic communities in Ireland or Northern Ireland. Of these 2.5% were Irish Travellers, 39.5% were Black or Black Irish, 32.5% Any Other White Background (including American and European), 11% Asian or Asian Irish, 3.5% Latin or Hispanic, 0.5% Arabic and 10.5% Mixed.
God’s intention for His people is to be united, loving one another, worshipping and serving together. One of our survey respondents commented, “My church is my family where I feel comfortable and free to share my views and thoughts anytime. We’re one family and one in Christ.”
This positive experience was reflected in many comments and stories throughout our survey and in the finding that 77.7% of ethnic minorities have never experience racism and 64.5% have never experience discrimination within the church. Many described church as safe, loving and open and gave examples of positive ways in which they have been valued and included.
Many of the church members are wonderful and very gracious. My rector is so people focused and very loving and compassionate.
Racism is not an issue in our church and no one is discriminated against because of race so it’s easy to discuss about it because it’s not there in our church.
Our leadership is multicultural and multi-ethnic.
I appreciate that I have been listened to, even when new in my church. I have been happily surprised by how often leaders ask my opinion on issues - especially related to Covid regulations and what the church can do but also in other areas.
I have seen the church I attend totally open up to brothers and sisters from all corners of the world, be it South Africans, Nigerians, east European or Asian as well as English, Northern Irish and American.
The church I go to is predominantly white but everyone I’ve met has treated me with respect. I have experienced racism in Ireland but never from the church.
I consider myself very fortunate for never having experienced racism within my church, nor in any church I visited in Ireland.
I feel safe and happy to be in the midst of people that see themselves as one through Christ Jesus. I am able to pray in this environment and relax. My mental well being is very positive in church.
“Culturally diverse Churches should be displayed as a role model to society regarding how to tackle racism.”
My experience is very positive in regards to churches I have attended or visited. Culturally diverse Churches should be displayed as a role model to society regarding how to tackle racism.
Delighted to be part of a multi-ethnic congregation. The different ethnicities have so enriched our fellowship. When the church began to grow with many from African cultures, the leadership set up a meeting to discover what we were doing badly or inadequately so that peoples from different backgrounds would be welcomed and affirmed in our community.
After the major publicity the BLM movement experienced in 2020, the leaders in my church (some of whom are white Irish, others have African background) made sure to address and condemn racism during following sermons. Myself and another Black friend of mine in the church were given the opportunity to speak about our experiences with racism. While I have been blessed to attend a church where the issue of racism is cared about and dealt with in an open, honest and God-honouring way, I sadly recognise that not every person of colour attending churches in Ireland has had this experience.
Racism and Discrimination in Churches
While the positive examples are encouraging, the survey responses demonstrated that even within the church, Christians from minority ethnic backgrounds experience racism, discrimination and treatment that is hurtful and disrespectful.
We asked, “Have you experienced any of the following within the church?
Racism: Any action, practice, policy, law, speech, or incident which has the effect (whether intentional or not) of undermining anyone’s enjoyment of their human rights, based on their actual or perceived ethnic or national origin or background, including any action, practices, policies or speech, which exclude, disadvantage, harass, bully, humiliate or degrade a person or group of people.
Discrimination: the unjust or prejudicial treatment of people especially on the grounds of race, age, sex or disability.
Micro-aggressions: the every day slights, indignities, put downs and comments that make people feel uncomfortable. These could be described as a “death by a thousand cuts” - while any individual incident seems trivial or too minor to fuss over, taken together these can crush, drain and overwhelm people. They reinforce difference and a sense of isolation or exclusion.
“The incidents would be so slight but recurring that it would seem as though I was being dramatic [if I spoke up about them].”
“Jokes”: attempts at humour that disparage, stereotype or humiliate somebody because of their ethnicity, colour, nationality or culture can appear harmless or trivial but erode respect and value for an individual and cause pain. Avoiding these types of jokes is not about being politically correct but rather about being Christ-like. Note: see Proverbs 26:18-19.
People say, “Where are you from?” and you would say a town and then they would say, “No, where are you really from?” When jokes are said and it is ok in terms of humour but actually offensive.
“A former church would make jokes about the US presidents in a public way. I was offended that this was done in church from the pulpit. There are some bad stereotypes of Americans that can be unfairly assumed.”
Raising Concerns about Racism
83% of people would feel comfortable talking to their church leadership about racism. While this is encouraging there is still a significant percentage (17%) that would not feel comfortable. The comments clarified that even those who are able to talk to leadership about these things, often feel nothing will change.
I am doubtful that my voice will be heard.
No one has really listened or really changed after many a conversation.
I have spoken with someone in leadership when my (Black) son walked out of church. But apart from an apology nothing was done to examine and address racism.
Even though I have been part for the church for a number of years I still feel as an outsider, and wouldn’t be comfortable to raise [the issue of] racism.
I left the church I was attending before due to racism and I couldn’t speak up then but thankfully it has never happened to me in my present church.
Experiences of Black and Minority Ethnic Christians in Irish and Northern Irish churches
“But God has put the body together, giving greater honour to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.” 1 Corinthians 12: 24 - 26
One important priority of our research was to listen - here are some of the experiences people shared.
“It breaks my heart that most whites I meet both in everyday life and church assume every black person is on asylum or depending on the state.”
“It breaks my heart that most whites I meet both in everyday life and church assume every black person is on asylum or depending on the state. Most are hardworking, educated, responsible and just love the peace and the safety Ireland provides. I have had white church members not willing to send their young kids to the children’s Sunday School class because a black lady is on duty for that Sunday.”
“Being asked if I had gotten used to domestic appliances when I had come from a well-off position in my home country. Being patronised many times when expressing how things could be done differently in church. Being repeatedly told, ‘This is Northern Ireland and this is how we do things here in Northern Ireland.’”
40-60% of the youth group were black youngsters at the time of George Floyd’s murder. The church decided to hold a session to discuss racism and to help the youth group members to see and understand the issues. None of the parents of any of the black youngsters were consulted or invited. Given that these parents have to live in Ireland as committed believers and apply their Christian faith to the challenges of racism, one would think that it would be natural for them to be called upon to “teach” in that circumstance. In addition to that there was at least one who had lived in the US for approximately 15 years and would have been as well-versed as anyone to share on matters of racial dynamics and institutional racism. This is an example of the experience, gifts, authority of foreigners (blacks in this case) being ignored and overlooked. It is all the more glaring as it is in a context in which their wellbeing is primarily affected not to mention their children’s.
Churches seem to be divided ethnically. Everyone is in their own corner and only a few mix with others. Being the only black person in a white church or vice versa isn’t really inviting especially if no effort is made to be multicultural. This is what I have seen in Irish, African and Brazilian churches.
In leadership meetings when I am the only voice from a different cultural background I have been told, “You’re here now and that is how we do things here”, which had the undertone of, “if you don’t like to go back to where you came from”. On a separate occasion when I have challenged the thinking on a particular issue in the life of the church, my opinion was dismissed by another leader with the words, “Well, we’re all in agreement” about the local viewpoint.
A church leader said I couldn’t serve in church, as the people in our community would probably prefer someone who was born in Ireland. Like this leader most people in our Church are not aware of their prejudices. They are lovely to all people but sometimes may say such things like these.
People usually ask me where I am from and often ask the same questions all the time, e.g.: Do I like Ireland? Is it always hot in my country? While they don’t mean to do any harm, and they are only making an effort to make conversation, it can be annoying when people ask you the same questions. You realise they weren’t listening [to the answers] and that makes you feel like an outsider. Many people are not aware that what they say makes you feel uncomfortable. For me as a person who came to Ireland as an adult, I don’t mind. For my children who were born and raised here, and know nothing about Africa, I can only assume what any reference to them as outsiders makes them feel. People need to be aware that well-meaning actions may sometimes hurt the feelings of another person. Your efforts to welcome someone can sometimes do the opposite and make them feel outsiders.
I never felt as if I fit in. I never really noticed until, new members seemed to integrate themselves so quickly into the church… because they were of the same background there was a sense of familiarity that made it easier for them… after years of knowing these people, I don’t have that type of relationship as the new members do…
We did a Zoom (during the height of Covid) the week after George Floyd died and invited all our Teens to talk about their experiences of racism here in Ireland. When asked, by a show of hands, who thought racism existed in Ireland most of the white Irish teens said, “No” and all the teens of other ethnicities said, “Yes.” This shows how much white privilege is real. Even in Ireland and even in the Church!
I work with youth [in church] and I overhead a conversation between some of the kids explaining how segregation was good and that “mixing” of races was always bad, that one should keep to their own “kind.”
