Big Enough to Impact, Small Enough to Care: One Mega-Church's Struggle to Create Community
Authors: Blair Thompson and Dave Lowitzki
Key Words: Religion, Community, Place, Church, Megachurch, Small Groups
Abstract:
This is a study addressing the mega church phenomenon in American churches and those churches' search for community. A sample of church members were asked to discuss their church involvement, small group involvement, and their involvement with their neighborhood. The data that was collected reveals the community, or lack thereof among the respondents. The patterns found resulted in two categories attesting to the problem of isolation and the need for institutional belonging. Respondents revealed how their small group participation contributed to their understanding of personal belief in church involvement, specifically as it relates to lack of relationships, community and outreach, personal gain, church size, church programming, and the perception of perfection. Data reveals small groups' inability to replace the more traditional forms of community.
Religious Right: More Right than Religious
Religious Right: More Right than Religious
Author: Dave Lowitzki
Key Words: Religious Right, Conservatism, Religion, Politics
Info: Presented at the Western Social Science Association Annual Conference - April 19 - 22, 2006; Phoenix, Arizona
Abstract:
Recent years have seen a dramatic rise in the influence of conservative religious leaders on the American political system. These conservative religious leaders, predominantly Christian evangelicals, make up what is commonly known as the Religious Right. The groups use religious rhetoric in order to push a conservative political agenda, mobilizing conservative church members around the nation. This paper examines the structure and values of the religious right, and attempts to evaluate whether the foundations of the religious right’s values are more politically conservative than religious. The research concludes that the religious right’s values are politically conservative rather than religious, and uses religion as a tool to further a conservative political agenda.
