St. Martin's in the Fields has monthly concerts which move the soul and warm the heart. Some ministers challenge the intellect. Services as the great churches in New York, Dallas, Detroit or Denver reflect upon economic and political issues with little god-talk and a great deal of wisdom. Each congregation, each denomination, each religious tradition is a cultural life-world in itself. One cannot be a good anthropologist, sociologist, political scientist or psychologist without knowing, intimately, the very different pathways to the Holy embodied in diverse religions.
Every service embodies the major social psychological concepts taught in class.
Face rights, social boundaries, hierarchy, status-role, deference and demeanor, opening moves, disengagement routines, boundary Collusions, toy involvements, unique symbolic sets such as body talk, argot, clothing and behavioral routines all help students see the sociology of it all in everyday life. I have attended almost every church in town and have sent students to more as teaching and learning adventures. Too often established churches are racist, sexist or elitist and smugly go on with their support of decidedly anti-humanist behavior as if it were a virtue. Some churches, especially teleminsteries, are little more than con games, defrauding their audiences and collecting millions in unaccountable funds. They are below contempt.