R f E a A i S t O h N

It seems that whether I read about the statistical relative of the size of 1st Century cities and with what ease the cities are converted (Stark, The Rise of Christianity), or if I am reading about the history of Biblical Interpretation, I find myself wanting to apply things in rational terms.

Today in Chapel a Female Pastor came and spoke on evangelism. She claimed she was speaking on prayer, but she was talking about how Prayer is necessary for Evangelism and Revival.
I found myself taking notes like:
- What is Revival? -What's the difference between Revival and Reform? -When was the first Revival historically? Biblically?
- What's the sociological significance of the campmeeting?

This one Got me excited.

After reading Stark, my whole view of Evangelism/Conversion experience has changed. Historically and Sociologically you observe that people come to new Religions, when they have close ties with people in that Religion. Also when the norms and values of the Religion are not a far drop from the culture the converted individuals experienced before. This is why the Early Christian movement is so Jewish in nature. There are thousands upon thousands of Diaspora Jews spread throughout the Roman Empire, who no longer hold to Jewish Law strictly because they are enveloped in hellenized culture. They don't have to change much because they already meet together, are monotheistic in nature, and struggling with living the Torah in these hellenized cities.

So I begin thinking of the campmeetings of the early 1800's and how this time was filled with families traveling and especially on the east and west coasts, there are disassociated "cultural christians" coming, newly to the country, and they have no ties.  There are huge tents with lots of people coming to them from all around, especially out in the frontier land, near the big rivers.  If you take your family, and finally you feel a sense of belonging, not to mention what the guy is saying sounds alright, but mainly you have a social network now.

My thought process jumps to why God asks early on, that we take care of the widow, orphan, and the alien.  Obviously economically these people in the time, can't take care of themselves and are alone. But I think the fact that they are ALONE is much more important here than any lack of resources. We need each other. Social networks.  Table. A place to belong.

I almost feel like a heretic because I define the word Religion's purpose as "finding meaning and belonging."