Immigrant Religious Communities in Houston

April 17, 1999

Source: The Houston Chronicle

On April 17, 1999, The Houston Chronicle published an article on research being conducted by Helen Rose Ebaugh, a University of Houston sociologist, on immigrant religious communities in Houston under the formal name of The Religion, Ethnicity, New Immigrants Research. Ebaugh identified 793 immigrant congregations in Houston and developed in-depth case studies on 13 of the congregations. Ebaugh stated that, "aside from being a spirituality center, the church, the mosque, the temple or gurdwara becomes a home away from home. The place of worship becomes a place where the new immigrant can reinforce his or her ethnic identity. It becomes a social service network and a place where culture and religion is passed on to the next generation." For most of the congregations, serving the first born on American soil is the biggest challenge because the congregations become the major source for learning traditions, customs, and languages. Ebaugh, along with Janet S. Chafetz, chairman of the University of Houston's sociology department and an expert on gender studies, are publishing a book on the role of women in immigrant religious congregations as compared to religious life at home. Overall, women play a greater role in the United States congregations, with almost all of the congregational boards having women members. In addition, the organizational structures of these communities tend to adopt American structures that differ from the ones at home.