Virtual Faith: Why Black Churchgoers Are Staying Home on Sunday

By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware | Word In BlackOverview: Experts say a variety of reasons, ranging from fear of COVID infection to the convenience of watching a streaming service, accounts for the decline in the number of people returning to in-person church attendance.(WIB) – In March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced houses of worship nationwide to shut down, both the ministry and congregants adapted to a new, supposedly temporary reality. Like schools and offices, church services would be conducted remotely, streamed over the internet into homes on pandemic lockdown. When asked, around 9 in 10 parishioners insisted they would return to in-person worship, as soon as the pandemic ended. They missed the handshakes and hugs of in-person fellowship, the resonant sound of the choir, the feel and smell of hymnals.& LEARN MORE: Creating a Spiritual Home in Digital PewsMore than three years after the official end of the pandemic, however, about a third of regular churchgoers haven’t returned to the pews — and only about 2 in 5 Americans regularly participate in church services at all.A survey shows the situation is a bit more acute when it comes to the Black church, according to Pew Research Center.& “While 13%...