Dilemmas of Language in Immigrant Congregations: The Tie That Binds or the Tower of Babel?

Language usage poses a series of dilemmas for immigrant religious congregations. In both ethnic and multi-ethnic congregations, the use of native languages in services and activities provides ethnic solidarity and multi-cultural sensitivity while, simultaneously, creating tensions among language gro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of religious research
Authors: Ebaugh, Helen Rose (Author) ; Chafetz, Janet Saltzman (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Springer 2000
In: Review of religious research
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Parallel Edition:Non-electronic
Description
Summary:Language usage poses a series of dilemmas for immigrant religious congregations. In both ethnic and multi-ethnic congregations, the use of native languages in services and activities provides ethnic solidarity and multi-cultural sensitivity while, simultaneously, creating tensions among language groups and between generations of immigrants. The data in this paper come from ethnographic case studies of thirteen immigrant congregations in Houston, Texas, and eight focus groups with religious leaders, two aspects of the broader RENIR (Religion, Ethnicity, New Immigrant Research) project. In addition to outlining four dilemmas that accompany language usage, we discuss some of the reasons for and consequences of specific choices made in these congregations.
ISSN:2211-4866
Contains:Enthalten in: Review of religious research
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.2307/3512314