HOW CULTURE SHAPES COMMUNITY: Bible Belief, Theological Unity, and a Sense of Belonging in Religious Congregations

Feeling that you belong in a group is an important and powerful need. The ability to foster a sense of belonging can also determine whether groups survive. Organizational features of groups cultivate feelings of belonging, yet prior research fails to investigate the idea that belief systems also play a major role. Using multilevel data (U. S. Congregational Life Survey, http://www.uscongregations.org), this study finds that church members' traditional beliefs, group-level belief unity, and their interaction associate positively with members' sense of belonging. In fact, belief unity can be thought of as a "sacred canopy" under which the relationship between traditional beliefs and feelings of belonging thrives.