Order Instructions
Turabian Citation
To support your work, use your course and text readings and also use the South University Online Library. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in Turabian format.
Start reviewing and responding to the postings of your classmates as early in the week as possible. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ initial postings. Participate in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with a rationale, challenging an aspect of the discussion, or indicating a relationship between two or more lines of reasoning in the discussion. Cite sources in your responses to other classmates. Complete your participation for this assignment by the end of the week.
Tasks:
In around 150–200 words, post your response to the Discussion Area:
Is church optional? A growing number of American Christians think so. According to a survey conducted by the Barna Group in 2017, 10% of Americans—roughly 3.2 million—identify as Christian but have not attended church in six months or more. That number has grown from 7% in 2004 (Barna Group 2017). Some think this reflects a healthy rejection of irrelevant religious practices. Others wonder about the spiritual welfare of believers without connections to community.
What do you think? Can you be a “Christian without going to church,” as blogger and activist Kelly Bean puts it? Or is this lack of commitment to community a consequence of consumerism and individualism invading Christianity?
(Some students may find it tempting to respond anecdotally. Do a little research (not merely googling); see if you can find a professional source that addresses this issue).
Participation:
Read all of your classmates’ posts and respond to at least two who chose different metrics than yours. All responses should be respectful but critical in scholarly thinking. Responses should be between 100 and 150 words. Begin each response by naming the individual to whose post you are responding, along with one sentence that summarizes his or her point. This way, a person reading your post will understand to whom you are responding.
Reference:
Barna Group. “Meet Those Who ‘Love Jesus but Not the Church.'” Accessed April 11, 2017. https://www.barna.com/research/meet-love-jesus-not-church/.