As I have journeyed through my study of Christian values in U.S. culture, I have found that I can make almost no comprehensive or generalizing statements about what is or is not the case in relating the two. From the standpoint of sociology, the time and resources needed to survey a broad enough population to find the pulse of religious communities as a whole is staggering. As such, the subject matter of my final project must be what is closest to me.
“Turning Corners” is a title that evokes a sense of expectancy and a journey rather than a destination. This is what my work has been. In “My Corner” you will find the portion of my project that demonstrates where I am on my personal journey in this major as a scholar. In “Community Corners,” you will find a connected set of recorded events and resources that demonstrate my work to relate the subject matter of my major to the journeys of different communities.
“My Corner” contains an academic paper addressing how theology can inform Christian economic ethics in modern society, this being one particular intersection of religious values and social behavior that has become important to me. Through my own interpretations and research, I outline what I think should be the most significant guiding principles for Christians as they choose how to engage in economic decisions, particularly those relating to consumption. The paper, "Jubilant Living" stands alone as a theological ethical reflection and also relates to the community aspect of my project.
The second aspect of my project is called "Community Corners," and it consists of my work at St. Olaf and in Minneapolis to facilitate conversations about values in religious communities. To that end, I have developed a set of supplemental Christian education materials that focus on particular topics relevant to life in U.S. culture where religion can offer guidance, though the topics themselves may not be inherently "religious" (i.e. sports and competition). These resources are primarily geared towards teenaged aged youth. I have also created a workshop appropriate for adults and college students. As I now live in Minneapolis and work at a Lutheran church there, I have had the opportunity and challenge to put my studies into practice with the youth group, under the guidance of one of the pastors. My work with the youth culminated in a congregational event held at the church, involving a discussion of some of the central questions I have been exploring and how they pertain to this church in particular.
In each corner, I have also included work done during the two semesters of my Senior Project that fall into each category, as well as a message board which I have set up hoping that this web page might be a forum for discussion about the questions I ahve been exploring and a place where everyone can share meaningful experiences in their own journeys and continue to exchange ideas about important subjects for people of faith in U.S. society.
Throughout my work I have been compelled by the value of the practical applications of academic study and the need for Christians to constantly re-examine and re-evaluate their position in the world. As you can see, my final project sets academic exercise in direct conversation with the concrete experiences and reflections of religious communities. I believe that we must always start where we are and use the resources around us as we begin our journeys toward discovery and find the energy to push ourselves past our expectations and around the next corner.