Religious pluralism expands

WASHINGTON, May 24 (UPI) -- American religious pluralism is expanding and incorporating all the world's faiths in the same way the beliefs of previous immigrants were incorporated, results of a major research project show.

"A complex and contentious process of mutual accommodation is taking place," Jose Casanova and Aristide Zolberg of New York's New School University argue.

"Like Catholicism and Judaism before ... Islam, Hinduism and Buddhist are being 'Americanized," the professors state in their analytical summary of an undertaking called Religion and Immigrant Incorporation in New York.

"In the process, (these faiths) are transforming American religion," according to the two scholars who are leading this project, which is funded by the Philadelphia-based Pew Charitable Trusts.

But simultaneously, they serve as catalysts "for the transformation of the old religions in their civilizational homes, in the same way that American Catholicism and Judaism had an impact upon the transformation of world Catholicism and Judaism."

One example for this is a study by Rutgers University professor Zain Abdullah of the chiefly Muslim West African immigrant community in New York, a tale that began in the late 1970s with initially difficult relations between this newcomers and African-Americans.

Zain Abdullah quotes Raymond Williams, one of the founding fathers of Cultural studies, who wrote that immigrants are "more religious than they were before they left home."

Abdullah's study shows how by "interacting with their African American co-religionists, establishing Islamic institutions, and participating in the annual Cheikh Amadou Bamba Day parade, West African immigrants create Muslim 'spaces' that facilitate their incorporation into the Harlem community."

Large numbers of the approximately 167,000 West African immigrants in the United States -- many of them French-speaking -- have settled along 116th Street in Harlem, often labeled "Little Africa" or "Africa Town."

Particularly strong among them are the devotees of the Murid Sufi order of Islamic mystics whose deep religious commitment has produced a work ethic about which author Scott Malcolmson once quipped, "it can make Protestants look like pikers (tramps)."

The religious interaction with African-American Muslims marked the incorporation of these immigrants into the local community, Abdullah relates.

However, prejudices had to be overcome. "Many West African immigrants were also led to believe that American Blacks were criminals and could not be trusted.

"When they encountered some poor black residents and witnessed their violent behavior and drug addicted habits, the racist stereotypes they had internalized prior to their migration were confirmed upon their arrival."

But then, the researcher continues, Masjid Malcolm Shabazz, an African-American Muslim congregation, "assisted them during their initial adjustment."

Abdullah tells the story of how then tensions arose. Friday sermons at the mosque usually addressed the state of American race relations, while African Sunni (orthodox) Muslims wanted to hear a sermon that would address their spiritual development.

"They were also at odds with the Black preacher style ..., which sparked frequent responses from the congregation."

On top of all that, one preacher once told the immigrants to return to Africa.

But then, according to Abdullah, political circumstances helped solidify the relationship between Sunni immigrants and the African Americans of Masjid Malcolm Shabazz.

The pivotal event came when policemen killed Amadou Diallo, a Guinean falsely suspected of drug crimes. The Rev. Al Sharpton became involved and immediately started a media blitz.

"The collaboration that started with this event helped to foster a number of new alliances between African Americans and African Sunni Muslims," writes Abdullah. "The two groups are now planning to form a Harlem Shura (Islamic consultation board) to address pressing community issues."

The immigrants have since established their own congregations, two of which hold Friday services in English, French and one of several African languages.

And while relations with black Americans have evidently improved, the two cultures still appear distinct. "As markers of culture and identity, Murids (Sufi Muslims) own and operate most of the restaurants, variety store, tailor and fashion boutiques, and an Islamic book and supply shop on 116h Street," writes Abdullah.

He recounts a dialogue with an African-American named Jeremiah who told him, "They are not like us, they are different, I guess it's culture difference." Amusingly, Jeremiah described the shop he worked in as "black-owned," meaning that its proprietor was West Indian rather than African.

Abdullah goes on to show how the Murid order is making a sustained effort to make Sufism appealing to the Black-American upper class.

But in the end the Rutgers researcher introduces a caveat: "We cannot be certain whether or not the Islamic practices of West African Muslim communities will be transferred to their children -- especially when West African Muslims are marrying Americans."

What could prevent them from doing this? For example, the presumed need for husband and wife to work. It will "more than likely undermine their efforts to spend the necessary time passing on Islamic traditions to their children."

In other words, secular pressures are threatening to water down faith, which is what Christians and Jews have long known as one defining aspect of the Americanization of religion.