What is it about?
Church conflict is rampant. This article looks at how conflict over sexuality issues affected one Episcopal church, and explores some of the reasons for schism in this parish.
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Why is it important?
Conflict is a major source of difficulty facing religious bodies today. It may also be a generator of change. It is important to understand the dynamics of conflict in religious organizations and their intersections with major social issues.
Perspectives
I see ethnography as a way to get an "up-close snapshot" of a situation, that can bring greater understanding. In the case of church conflict, especially conflict over sexuality issues, it is helpful to look at the case of a particular faith community to learn more about how churches fight internally.
Dr Joyce Ann Mercer
Yale University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Conflicting Identities: An Ethnographic Account of Conflict and Schism in an Episcopal Parish, Ecclesial Practices, November 2016, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/22144471-00302006.
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