Black churches have lagged in moving online during the pandemic – reaching across generational lines could help
From online campaigns for justice to popular TikTok challenges, Black young adults are at the forefront of social media trends. But when it comes to the Black Church, the same cannot be said – it has lagged behind in the rush to go digital.
There is a reason for that. But as a scholar of online religious practices, I believe that ascribing the problem to a generational divide and declining church engagement among young people is overly simplistic.
Such a view, I argue, fails to understand the complex dynamic between Black young adults and the Black Church.
The digital gap
The pandemic is one case in point. Early in March, before state and federal guidelines were handed down, Black churches were split over whether to remain open or close their doors to congregants during the pandemic.
So...