8.13: Comparative Analysis and Emerging Trends

When situating these four traditions in conversation, key sociological patterns emerge.

The U.S. operates as what some sociologists refer to as a competitive religious marketplace. However, this marketplace is not a level playing field; it is structured by race. The historical dominance of White, mainline Protestantism set the normative standard against which other groups were measured (Emerson and Smith 2000). BIPOC religious groups often face the “triple penalty” of being non-white, non-Christian (in some cases), and immigrant.

While some engage in that competitive marketplace, others are now less interested. Sometimes referred to as the “Rise of the Nones,” all racial and ethnic groups are seeing a rise in the religiously unaffiliated, or “nones.” However, the rates and meanings differ. While 29% of all U.S. adults are “nones,” the figure is 30% for Asians, 27% for Latinos, 21% for Blacks, and 20% for Indigenous Americans (Pew Research Center 2021). For some, disaffiliation represents a rejection of organized religion’s perceived hypocrisy on social justice issues; for others, it is part of a broader assimilation into a secular American mainstream.

Finally, a counter-trend to the “Sunday morning segregation” is the growth of multiracial and immigrant churches. These congregations, often but not exclusively evangelical, consciously work to build bridges across racial lines. However, sociological research shows that true integration is difficult to achieve, and these churches often develop a culture that minimizes racial conflict and promotes a colorblind ideology, which can itself silence discussions of systemic racism (Edwards 2008).