How often does a congregation with members primarily from a single racial ethnic group seek to call a pastor from a different background?
Not often, it turns out. When we asked about this issue on the November 2000 Presbyterian Panel survey, only 5% of members, 8% of elders, and 16% of pastors indicated that, when they last called a pastor, their congregation made "a special effort to identify candidates whose racial ethnic backgrounds differ from those of most members." Even fewer congregations have installed pastors with a different race ethnicity than the preponderance of the membership: in 2000, only 1.3% of congregations with 90% or more of their members from one racial ethnic group had a pastor or co-pastor with another race-ethnicity.
Despite the rarity of these arrangements, few panelists indicate that they'd "be uncomfortable with a pastor from a different racial ethnic background" than their own (see the figure). Majorities of members (62%), elders (68%), and pastors (85%) disagree with this statement, and many others respond uncertain. Only 15% of members and 14% of elders agree that they'd be uncomfortable with such an arrangement.
Statement 1: White congregations should seek racial/ethnic pastors.
Statement 2: I'd be uncomfortable with a pastor of a different
race/ethnicity.
Statement 3: My congregation has made it a priority to become more racially
and ethnically diverse.
Is it time, then, for congregations to move in this direction? Most lay panelists think not. When asked to agree or disagree with the statement, "predominantly white congregations should make serious efforts to hire pastors who come from other racial-ethnic groups[,]" majorities disagreed (55% and 51%). While a third of each sample responded uncertain, only 12% of members and 15% of elders agreed that it's time to emphasize affirmative action in the pulpit. A few more pastors are themselves interested, as 26% agree with the statement, but even more disagree (43%). A third of pastors are uncertain.
A similar hesitancy emerges when we ask pastors about the racial ethnic composition of their next call. Only 6% of racial-ethnic pastors want a mostly white congregation, and only 1% of white pastors want a mostly racial ethnic congregation. Interestingly, though, 40% of both groups prefer their next call to be in a congregation that's "mixed half and half."
There aren't anywhere near that many multi-racial or multi-ethnic congregations -- no more than 3%, even with a fairly generous definition but maybe we could propel more pastors who want a multicultural congregation toward their personal goal by linking them with the more numerous homogeneous congregations that have "made it a priority to become more racially and ethnically diverse." According to pastors on the Panel survey, that's 29% of congregations.
This would seem to be a win-win situation for all concerned. And who knows? It might hasten the day when the 40% of pastors who want congregations that are "mixed half and half" in membership between whites and racial ethnics actually have an equivalent percentage of matching congregations to choose among. And in the bargain, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) might move a step or two closer to the goal of 20% racial-ethnic membership by 2010.
Email the author: Jack Marcum
Research Services