Dr. Patricia Wittberg, SC, is a member of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati and professor of sociology at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis. She is the author of numerous books and articles on the sociology of religion and on religious communities. Dr. Wittberg holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

Building Strong Church Communities: A Sociological Perspective

Catholic Parishes, Commitment & Belonging, Culture Frame, Interviews, Networks & Relationships, Participant Observation, Process Frame

At their deepest level, human beings are social creatures, in the image, Christians would say, of the Trinity itself.  But the individualistic bent of modern American society has led writers to focus more on the spiritual needs and growth of individuals than on the needs and growth of the religious groups to which these individuals…