Conflict in the Black Church
The black church has often failed to manage conflict because it believes conflict is wrong.
Robert T. Newbold, Jr.
April 1, 1980
Recently, we spent an evening in East Orange, New Jersey, with advisory board member Stanley Long and a dozen black lay persons he had assembled. Dialogue flowed freely and intensely as both men and women expressed opinions about the causes and cures for conflict in the black church.
It quickly became apparent that while certain specific problems are somewhat unique to a local black congregation, the basic elements of conflict disregard denomination, polity, size, and color. The sources of conflict and the means for resolving conflict are universal.
We agreed with Stan's observation that the following article speaks well to the issues raised at our meeting.
The church is the most historic, influential, and strongest institution in the black community. It has not, however, fulfilled its potential for economic, social, and spiritual leadership. I believe a principal cause of the shortfall is its failure to manage internal conflict creatively.
Why has the black church failed to manage conflict? First, it believes that conflict is wrong. A situation involving conflict is adjudged to be a sinful situation. The individual who generates it is often viewed as an agent of the devil.
But conflict is not immoral; it is amoral. It can come out of a sin; but it need not be sinful. Unfortunately, we attach negative results to conflict without realizing that it can lead to positive results.
Another reason the black church has not managed conflict is expressed by Douglas W. Johnson in his book, Managing Change in the Church:
"Church leaders often feel guilty when conflict is generated or becomes a major part of the decision-making process."
This guilt arises from the belief that conflict is abnormal. On the contrary, it is a natural result of human ...
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