ethnicity

• Christianity is a predominately a white religion

  African forms of Christian spirituality have increased

  Pentecostal churches are predominately African-Caribbeans and British Africans

  Sikhs and Hindus are of Indian heritage

  Muslims are mainly of Pakistani heritage
• ethnic minorities tend to be more religious than white Britons

  black Christians 3 times more likely to attend church - English church census 2005
• O'Beirne 2004:

  1. Asians ranked religion and family as equal markers of identity
  2. Africans rank religion third most important factor in their identity
  3. white Christians rarely ranked religion as part of their identity
• cultural transition theory:

  most ethnic minorities in the UK originate from societies with higher levels of religiosity

  religion helped the first wave of immigrants deal with the stress of moving to a new country

  religious institutions provide a sense of community

  immigration is still a relatively new concept so its not surprising ethnic minorities are more still more religious

  third and fourth generation immigrants display lower levels of religiosity
• cultural defence theory:

  religion helps ethnic minorities preserve a sense of unique cultural identity in the face of an unwelcoming mainstream culture

  can also provide emotional support in the midst of racism and intolerance

  Black people were unwelcome in the mainstream Christian churches so developed their own forms of Pentecostal churches
• Weberianism:

  link between poverty religion and ethnicity

  denominations and sects appeal to the deprived because they help people cope
• Neo-Marxists:

  religion has some degree of autonomy from the economic base and religious institutes act act agents of revolutionary change for the oppressed

  ethnic minorities tend to suffer from higher levels of exploitation especially when they are used as scapegoats for societies problems.

  but this is probably more relevant to america than britain