Religion and the Persistence of Identity

Because general theories of secularization assume the disappearance of the church, its disappearance is also assumed as a factor in the creation and maintenance of people's identities. Even though the church persists, however, the role it plays in people's identities may nevertheless change with secularization. This paper explores how. It suggests that: 1) persons are differentially involved in both primary and secondary groups; 2) these involvements influence the meaning the church can have; and 3) thus influence the kind of religious identity available. A research project is proposed, and some tentative empirical support for these ideas is offered.