Rituals as an Indicator of Congregational Culture

Culture Frame, Interviews, Participant Observation, Ritual & Worship, Theology Frame

One important way to examine your religious community’s culture is through its rituals. Rituals say something about who we are and what we hold dear, pointing to deeper meanings. In religious communities, these religious rituals outline how a deity is worshiped. Examine how individuals pray to understand more about the relationship with God. Listen to how God…

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…