Abstract

Class contributes to shaping and distinguishing people’s religious denominations and their social situation. This paper seeks to determine the link between class and religion pertaining to church attendance in Soweto. The data used for this study was a combination of quantitative data obtained from a survey conducted in 2006: Classifying Soweto Survey (CSS) and follow up in-depth interviews and participant observation. The findings of this study reveal that various classes use the church for different reasons and that the size of the congregation, education levels, the leadership hierarchy, church contributions, tithing and the language in which sermons are conducted, are some of the key features through which class is expressed in the church. It was also found that there is a clear muteness surrounding class inside the church.