The Elusive Dream: The Power of Race in Interracial Churches
"The Elusive Dreamcontinues an important line of research on multi-racial religious congregations in the U.S., skillfully revealing the insidious persistence of skewed power relations operating among people with even the best of intentions about race relations. Edwards's analysis is a testament to the continued difficulty American whites and blacks have in living equally together in communities, even communities of faith. A sobering and important book." --Christian Smith, author ofSoul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers"Korie Edwards shows in this riveting book the long arm of whiteness. Race matters in the U.S., she argues, so it likely matters in interracial congregations. Through spell-binding accounts of the people of an interracial congregation and through her study of churches around the country, her evidence forces us again and again to see the powerful influence whites have on interracial churches. Even in such congregations -- these beacons of hope for healthy integration -- whites most often get their way (and people of color can reinforce this process). We may wish it were not so, but it is a reality that must be faced.The Elusive Dreamis a watershed book, social analysis at its best." --Michael O. Emerson, co-author ofDivided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America"Rich and insightful...The Elusive Dreamis a persuasive analysis of interracial congregations that raises important questions concerning the future success of interracial churches."--Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion