Gerardo Marti and Gladys Ganiel
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- May 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199959884
- eISBN:
- 9780199375004
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199959884.003.0002
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The book characterizes the congregations of the Emerging Church Movement (ECM) as pluralist congregations, seeing them as rare examples of religious institutions that—rather than failing to recognize ...
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The book characterizes the congregations of the Emerging Church Movement (ECM) as pluralist congregations, seeing them as rare examples of religious institutions that—rather than failing to recognize or trying to suppress diversity—instead try to facilitate it. Pluralist congregations are social spaces that permit and even foster direct interaction between people with religiously contradictory perspectives and value systems. Pluralist congregations are distinct in promoting individualism while at the same time providing a basis for community around shared experiences and relationships. Pluralist congregations exemplify what sociologist Ulrich Beck has called “cooperative egoism,” striving to form the basis for a religious orientation that straddles the tension between individualism and collective identity. In short, even within the loosest of emerging churches, the ECM is a congregational faith, one that relies on relationships, regular gatherings, and involvement.Less
The book characterizes the congregations of the Emerging Church Movement (ECM) as pluralist congregations, seeing them as rare examples of religious institutions that—rather than failing to recognize or trying to suppress diversity—instead try to facilitate it. Pluralist congregations are social spaces that permit and even foster direct interaction between people with religiously contradictory perspectives and value systems. Pluralist congregations are distinct in promoting individualism while at the same time providing a basis for community around shared experiences and relationships. Pluralist congregations exemplify what sociologist Ulrich Beck has called “cooperative egoism,” striving to form the basis for a religious orientation that straddles the tension between individualism and collective identity. In short, even within the loosest of emerging churches, the ECM is a congregational faith, one that relies on relationships, regular gatherings, and involvement.
Gladys Ganiel
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- April 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780198745785
- eISBN:
- 9780191808203
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198745785.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Religious Studies, Religion and Society
This chapter presents the findings from a case study of St Patrick’s United Church, a multiethnic, ecumenical (Methodist–Presbyterian) congregation under the care of the Methodist Church in Waterford ...
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This chapter presents the findings from a case study of St Patrick’s United Church, a multiethnic, ecumenical (Methodist–Presbyterian) congregation under the care of the Methodist Church in Waterford City. It provides a history of the congregation, including growth fed by immigration. It explains how it can be considered an example of extra-institutional religion, focusing on its ambivalent relationship with the Irish Catholic Church, and apparent in how people spoke of being Christian in a post-Catholic Ireland, being Christian in a pluralist congregation, and rejecting the classical ecumenical project. It also analyses how St Patrick’s negotiates diversity, creating a multicultural haven that can serve as a model for other groups, although challenges remain around cultural differences and building cross-cultural relationships. It argues that St Patrick’s negotiates diversity more effectively than traditional congregations and denominations, and may be better placed to contribute to socio-political transformations than traditional religious institutions.Less
This chapter presents the findings from a case study of St Patrick’s United Church, a multiethnic, ecumenical (Methodist–Presbyterian) congregation under the care of the Methodist Church in Waterford City. It provides a history of the congregation, including growth fed by immigration. It explains how it can be considered an example of extra-institutional religion, focusing on its ambivalent relationship with the Irish Catholic Church, and apparent in how people spoke of being Christian in a post-Catholic Ireland, being Christian in a pluralist congregation, and rejecting the classical ecumenical project. It also analyses how St Patrick’s negotiates diversity, creating a multicultural haven that can serve as a model for other groups, although challenges remain around cultural differences and building cross-cultural relationships. It argues that St Patrick’s negotiates diversity more effectively than traditional congregations and denominations, and may be better placed to contribute to socio-political transformations than traditional religious institutions.
