Thank you for the question, “Why are there so many (culturally accepted) racially segregated church congregations in America’s Bible Belt?”
In the 21st century, the concept and practice of racially segregated churches in the Bible Belt is not generally true today. One can say that there were segregated churches 75 years ago but with the Civil Rights and the changing demographics that may not be true in the urban churches and can be in small rural churches where the predominate racial group is one of nationality or another.
Having served in Asian churches in the Northeast, the West Coast, and in the Bible belt, I would have to admit the predominate racial group was English speaking Chinese in the English congregation. As pastor, I welcomed Hispanic, African-American, and even Caucasians to our local church. Yes, there were even some predominate Mandarin speaking Asians that attended the English service. God has not called me to serve in a non-Asian church, so I can’t speak how racially predominate the attendees may be in an “African-American” or “Caucasian” church.
If one lives in a predominately African-American neighborhood, the predominate attendees will be African-American. If one lives in the suburb, the church may be of a particular racial group as Caucasians, Asians, or Hispanics. Thus it may not be intentionally segregation, but it may be perceived as racially segregated due to a few a minority members in the church.
If a church holds to a particular church practice or theological position, that church may attract certain attendees to subscribe to that church practice. If a church is Pentecostal in its practice, it will attract certain members from the community to participate in that church while others would refrain from attending that church. Is it racial segregation or is it church practice or theology that attracts or separate others from attending that church?
Churches may be perceived as racially segregated in the Southern states due to the historical segregation between slave owners and slaves. That lingering perception in my opinion is no longer prevalent with integration of the races in the neighbors and on the jobs. Pastors who are graduating from seminaries have contact with racially diverse professors and classes. Being born in the 1940’s, I experienced some form of discrimination, but my children and grandchildren are well adjusted within their community. The vast majority of Christians know that there are no Jews or Gentiles, rich or poor, slave or free in Christ Jesus. Will there be some churches who are prejudice against another racial group? Certainly but their discrimination violates the command to love our neighbor as ourselves. They may even use the “church” as a justification for their prejudice.
SUMMARY: The Bible Belt churches of today do not advocate segregation but integration of all nationality from all walks of life. I am not aware of any pastor or church that advocates prejudice against another people group or class of people.
For more perspectives: