Equal Opportunity Beliefs beyond Black and White American Christianity

Datos Bibliográficos

ID3684343
AutoresJ Z Park (0000-0002-0943-4679, Baylor University, autor de correspondencia), Joyce C Chang (0000-0002-1691-4814, Baylor University), James Clark Davidson (0000-0003-3504-820X, California State University, Northridge)
Año2020
Volumen11
Número7
Páginas348
Fecha de publicación2020-07-10
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaReligions (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 2077-1444 • E-ISSN: 2077-1444
EditorialMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/rel11070348
OpenAlexW3041540764
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas8
Referencias citadas40

Scholars in critical race and the sociology of religion have independently drawn attention to the ways in which cultural ideologies drive beliefs about inequalities between groups. Critical race work on "abstract liberalism" highlights non-racially inflected language that tacitly reinforces White socioeconomic outcomes resulting from an allegedly fair social system. Sociologists of religion have noted that White Evangelical Christian theology promotes an individualist mindset that places blame for racial inequalities on the perceived failings of Blacks. Using data from the National Asian American Survey 2016, we return to this question and ask whether beliefs about the importance of equal opportunity reveal similarities or differences between religious Asian American and Latino Christians and Black and White Christians. The results confirm that White Christians are generally the least supportive of American society providing equal opportunity for all. At the other end, Black Christians were the most supportive. However, with the inclusion of Asian American Christian groups, we note that second generation Asian American and Latino Evangelicals hew closer to the White Christian mean, while most other Asian and Latino Christian groups adhere more closely to the Black Christian mean. This study provides further support for the recent claims of religion's complex relationship with other stratifying identities. It suggests that cultural assimilation among second generation non-Black Evangelical Christians heads more toward the colorblind racist attitudes of many White Christians, whereas potential for new coalitions of Latino and Black Christians could emerge, given their shared perceptions of the persistent inequality in their communities

Blame · Christianity · Ideology · Individualism · Political science · Politics · Racism · Sociology · White supremacy · Gender Studies · Psychology · Racial and Ethnic Identity Research · Religion and Society Interactions · Religious studies · Social and Cultural Dynamics · Social Psychology