1999
Wayne Harold Carlson
Racial Change in Congregations: A Welcoming Response
This thesis is a study of a parish in suburban Chicago where the community and the parish are both undergoing racial change. Examples of dialogue within the parish and interviews of parishioners provide important data on the process of racial change within the congregation as well as experiences outside it. A background study of the phenomenon of racism generally and as experienced in the south suburbs of Chicago is provided. Additional background material summarized the history of African-American religion, Anglican and otherwise, and the history of the parish. Conclusions provide insights as to how a parish might best respond to racial change in its surrounding community.