Pilgrims in the Port: Migrant Christian communities in Rotterdam

Abstract

This quest has been to search for more adequate ways and terms to describe the identity and multifaceted nature of migrant Christian communities. The thesis is concerned with the collective rather than individual religious lives of migrants. My approach has been guided by the methodology of Michael Foley and Dean Hoge in the US and of Sjoukje Wartena in the Netherlands. Foley and Hogeexamined the religious institutions of new immigrants in Washington D.C. in how they contributed to civic life. They introduced the ‘interactive model’ of immigration associated with the studies of Alejandro Portes where he examined the interaction between the immigrant groups and their opportunity structure.The variations between migrant worship communities are explained through their circumstances of migration and reception, their organizational culture and their religious tradition. Foley and Hoge’s research into the social capital of worshipping communities revealed significant differences. Sjoukje Wartena drew upon the approach of Foley and Hoge when she researched MCCs in the Netherlands. Using the lenses of foundations, organisation, form and objectives, her approach offered a more promising pathway by which to observe similarities and differences between MCCs as it divided the field of study. My research on the identity of Christian communities also involved a revision of Foley and Hoge’s approach. The construction of identity is viewed through the lenses of context, development, leadership, statements and service. Their identity is affected by the interactive context of migration, their development, the role of leaders, the titles they adopt and their activities/relationships. Identity construction in MCCs involves the interaction of ‘self-group identity’, ‘identification’ and ‘categorization.’ I discovered Kerry Ann Rockquemore’s study of biracial identity in the United States offered a model by which I could evaluate MCCs in Rotterdam. Her study of people whom others referred to as ‘coloured’ or ‘black’ led to the creation of new categories. Adapting Rockquemore’s theory on bi-racial identity, I employ the categories of ‘particular’, ‘merging’ and ‘multiform’ identities. The choice and use of language seems to set the direction within identity construction. Drawing on the works of Castells, Schreiter and Levitt, I developed the terms of authorization, accommodation and agitation to describe their tactics of how they interact. These tactics influenced whether and how long they would increase, survive or diversify. Migrant congregations are dynamic changing communities for which a congregational studies approach is needed to complement the interests of religious, sociological and trans-national studies. In leadership where a significant change of style takes place, the use of Weberian categories provided a way to identify contrasting styles of traditional, rational or charismatic. A change of style or pastoral leader contributes to a change in identity.MCCs are heavily influenced by their pastoral leaders and it is not unusual for them to be under the influence of their founding leader for a long time. Even as some MCCs draw upon low-income members, they are not disadvantaged (following Foley and Hoge) in producing social capital. They demonstrate numerous examples of bonding, bridging and linking social capital.