title: How culture shapes community: bible belief, theological unity, and a sense of belonging in religious congregations.
abstract: Feeling that you belong in a group is an important and powerful need. The ability to foster a sense of belonging can also determine whether groups survive. Organizational features of groups cultivate feelings of belonging, yet prior research fails to investigate the idea that belief systems also play a major role. Using multilevel data, this study finds that church members' traditional beliefs, group-level belief unity, and their interaction associate positively with members' sense of belonging. In fact, belief unity can be thought of as a “sacred canopy” under which the relationship between traditional beliefs and feelings of belonging thrives.
authors.affiliation: Baylor University.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stroope
mesh_terms: D019058:Community Networks / Q000266:history; D003466:Cultural Characteristics / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D007398:Interpersonal Relations / Q000266:history; D011593:Psychology, Social / Q000193:education / Q000266:history; D012067:Religion / Q000266:history; D012919:Social Behavior / Q000266:history; D012931:Social Environment; D028725:Theology / Q000193:education / Q000266:history