Commitment and Religious Community: A Comparison of a Charismatic and a Mainline Congregation

A and a Presbyterian congregation in the same geographic area and whose members show similar socioeconomic and demographic characteristics were compared in order to analyze religious commitment. Commitment is conceptualized in terms of meaning and belonging, and various measures are suggested for operationalizing the concepts. It is found that the charismatic congregation has stronger commitment and that it does so because it is more effective at providing meaning and belonging to its members through stronger closure, strictness, consensus on authority, and cohesion. In addressing the relative importance of meaning versus belonging, it is found that both are highly salient but that belonging is perhaps more central than is usually suggested in the literature. The findings have relevance for the current debate over the reasons for the growth of churches: It is suggested that social structure, or community, is as important as doctrinal stance in explaining their growth. Recent demographic studies of church membership and growth in the United States have conclusively indicated relative declines in the mainline/liberal churches and surprising growth and vitality in the conservative bodies. Kelley's (1972) thesis has demonstrated this most forcefully, while providing plausible explanations for the phenomenon. His explanations are based mainly on the perception of the churches as effective providers of meaning in a time of social change, unrest, and anomie which have watered down the ability of the more mainline and liberal denominations to provide meaning in life.