2005
Anita Dunn Ogden
Loving God, Loving Country: Reflections on Faith and Citizenship
This thesis studies the shape of civil religion in a corporate size, suburban congregation located in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Beginning with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the thesis looks back into the history of the nation whose story becomes the lens through which the story of the congregation is interpreted, then continues forward, exploring the implications of this unchartered course in our nation’s history for drawing the congregation into deeper spiritual grounding and increasing congregational vitality. Through this study, the power of civil religion in shaping the faith of the congregation is illuminated and a framework for adult formation is designed around the findings. Information is gathered from a parish survey, worship bulletins, church records, conversations, and the author’s experience in the life of the congregation. Insights from writers in the fields of church history, sociology, communications, adult faith development, and theology inform this study.