Ritual Practices in Congregational Identity Formation

by Timothy D. Son

Overview

Ritual Practices in Congregational Identity Formation investigates the educational roles of ritual practices in the process of congregational identity formation. Son identifies and analyzes various kinds of Christian rituals with respect to how rituals influence the formational processes of a congregation’s identity. Based on Victor Turner’s ritual theory, this book also investigates the pedagogical and transformative efficacies of ritual practices within the dynamics of congregational education.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780739183113
Publisher:	Lexington Books
Publication date:	05/08/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	284
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Timothy D. Son is assistant professor of Christian education and youth ministry at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He is the author of Educational Ministry for Congregational Identity Development and Asian Americans and Christian Ministry.

Table of Contents

Part I: Discovering the Educational Efficacies of Ritual

1. Rituals for Congregational Formation
2. Ritual to Build, or to Deconstruct? Critical Reflection on Victor Turner’s Ritual Theory
3. Ritual Practice as a Process of Knowing

Part II: Educating Congregations for Identity Formation

1. Exploring the Anatomy of Congregational Identity: Learning Various Constitutive Elements of Congregational Identity
2. Painting a Congregation’s Self-portrait: Integrating Worldviews, Church Images and Core Values into a Congregation’s Self-images
3. Wrestling with a Cultural Goliath: The Challenges and Opportunities of Postmodern Society in Constructing Congregational Identity

Part III: Where Ritual Theory Meets Ministry Practice

1. Looking into a Portrait Artist’s Palette: Analyzing a Case Study of Ritual of Installation and Its Implications to Congregational Identity Construction
2. Practical Implications of Ritual Practice for Congregational Ministry

Appendix A—Survey Questionnaires
Appendix B—Worldview Test

Editorial Reviews

Dr. Timothy Son has written an insightful book on the nature of religious rituals and practices for today’s expanding global society. While his focus is on Christian congregations, his understanding of ritual principles based on faithful practices can be applied to many other religious organizations. Son invites the reader to take a deeper plunge into one's own traditional identity, and in doing so to also discover contrasting ritual practices often neglected within our global neighborhood.

Carnegie Samuel Calian

Son passionately writes how ritual practice forms, reforms, and transforms individual spiritual identity as well as congregational collective identity—not only in primitive society, but also in postmodern society. He presents fresh, new ideas with thorough knowledge for local congregational leaders, seminary professors and students, doctoral students, and workshop leaders.

Nam Soon Song

Academically rigorous, theologically sound, and spiritually rich, this book offers an insightful proposal for understanding intrinsic dialectics of ritual practices in forming and transforming congregational identity. Son invites and encourages us to have genuine conversations with our past, present, and future, and to discover a new sense of identity.

Hyun-Sook Kim