1. THE AMBIGUOUS LENSES OF INTEGRATED AND
SEGREGATED SPACES IN RELIGION
Race, Religion, Space in Pentecostalism and other Multicultural Denominations
Oliver A. Washington Jr.

2. PRESENTATION QUESTION OF THE DAY
Would you be able to interact, worship, and socialize in an ambiguous integrated,
segregated, spiritual-religious space simultaneously? Y/N, unsure, or indifferent. This
also could be applied to other socio-cultural institutions.

3. THE SOCIO-HISTORICAL
AMBIGUOUSNESS OF
AMERICAN PENTECOSTALISM
1905-2000
• Charles Parham Bible School promoting
the theology of Pentecostalism: Charles
Parham, pioneer of Pentecostalism
• William J. Seymour- African-American
student at Charles Parham Bible School,
relegated to sit in the hallway to learn
according to the social mores in Houston,
Tx., in 1905
• Historical ambiguity equals segregation
within the Pentecostal sphere of religion
• Student becomes the interracial pioneer
of institutional Pentecostalism in 1906, The
Azusa Street Revival in Los Angles, Ca.,
attracts an avid multicultural audience

4. THE SOCIO-HISTORICAL
AMBIGUOUSNESS OF
AMERICAN PENTECOSTALISM
1905-2000, CONT’D
• Parham arrives in LA in 1906 & is dismayed by what he witnesses.
Why?
• Displeased by the mixing of races during services, ecstatic praying &
frenzied dancing: another incident showcasing the ambiguity of an
integrated & segregated spaces in the origins of Pentecostalism.
• Parham derided these services as “Southern darky camp meetings,”
eventually leading to a Pentecostal split along racial lines.
• COGIC-the Black Pentecostal denomination
• Assemblies of God- the White Pentecostal denomination
• Seymour and the Azusa Mission is hailed as a symbol of racial
reconciliation, however, societal racial fighting results in
denominational infighting along racial lines: whites aren’t allowed to
operate in leadership roles in the Azusa Mission and their daughter
churches
• Could this be called the ambiguous racial compromise?
• Robert Harrison, African-American Assemblies of God elder & civil rights
advocate, inconsistent credentialing, Memphis Miracle between the
Assemblies of God & COGIC

5. THE SOCIO-CULTURAL DICHOTOMY OF
PENTECOSTALISM
Pentecostalism
Racial relations, cross-
cultural traditions & the
influence of social mores
COGIC: predominantly
African-American
leadership, parishioners,
community outreach, & a
debatable-mediocre civil
rights record
Assemblies of God :
Mission Work in S.
Africa, abysmal civil
rights record,
predominantly
White leadership

6. INTEGRATING THE SEGREGATED SPACES OF
TABERNACLE ASSEMBLY OF GOD
• Why does segregation continue to influence church attendance in a multicultural
society?
• Why should denominations and local churches seek to bridge the cross-cultural chasm
fostering denominational & racial segregation?
• https://partners.nytimes.com/library/national/race/060400sack-church.html#
:Integration saves the Tabernacle from financial hardships, however, the church
endures and navigates racial tensions, colorism, congregational segregation, & cross-
cultural & intra-racial differences
• http://racerelations.about.com/od/diversitymatters/a/RacialSegregationinChurch.htm :
The importance of modeling a racially and multicultural inclusive congregation helping
to change the urban-suburban landscape; diverse ethnic and cultural leadership,
urban-rural outreach, embracing worship & music differences, understanding religious
segregation.
• http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/07/27/the-most-and-least-racially-
diverse-u-s-religious-groups/: Statistics showcasing the least diverse & most diverse
congregations
• http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/08/04/segregated.sundays/index.html?_s=
PM:LIVING#cnnSTCOther1: The socio-cultural difficulties and realities of the
ambiguousness of church segregation, integration within the sphere of religion.
• http://www.christianchronicle.org/article/sundays-not-segregated-at-florissant :
Florissant Church of Christ a model of racial reconciliation and integration.

7. WHAT’S NEXT???
• Beginning to understand the ambiguous lenses, social mores, and
cross-cultural traditions fostering the segregated and integrated spaces
of religious institutions.
• Model racial reconciliation
• What are your recommendations??
• Listen and watch Hezekiah Walker video modeling & promoting
interracial, cross-cultural, interdenominational inclusiveness.