Church

For many people the community aspects of religion are crucial. In fact, I know plenty of Christians for whom the community aspect is the main and most important part of Christianity. By community aspect I mean by going to church an individual is part of the community and has friends/support networks/etc and so on.

For most of my life this community or body aspect of church was foreign to me, despite attending weekly.

Growing up, I didn’t make friends at church, I didn’t really talk to others. I would go and listen to the sermon or sleep or think about games/books. I would sometimes take part in religious discussions there, even on occasion being a very active participant, but that was all.

When I returned to church (not Christianity, I never left Christianity) in the middle of graduate school, I began to appreciate three more components. The first of these was worship, was singing and praising as the body of Christ. The second was being inspired, as I came to very much appreciate pastors who could inspire me for the coming week to work to improve my life for the better. The final, and relatively illformed for me compared to the first two, was service. I didn’t lead or play a significant role in service to the community, but I did occasionally play a bit role and I found that that was also important and valuable component of church. I also found a camaraderie in service.

But I still struggled with the community aspect. Part of this is just a fundamental difficulty with socializing that I also find with physics conferences and the like, and my behavior at receptions is often similar. But at church I would take part or leave. Sometimes I tried to force myself to become part of the community by staying but I would just stand in a corner awkwardly. Sometimes I would have in mind to go greet someone, but that would be over quickly and then what? So the community aspect of church was foreign to me.

The last couple of years I began to understand, to internalize, it a bit more. For the first time, that became the most significant component (at times) to me of church and not worship or inspiration or it being a set aside time to rest. This was because I had children, and involved them in the children’s programs. They loved being involved with the other kids and I followed them.

So now, for the first time and as we can no longer worship together in person, I find myself wanting the community part of church.

The Economist (the virus is accelerating dechurching in america) posited that people would find other sources for what they got from religion after going away. I have also heard concerns about this from pastors who I know and admire.

It is true that the habit has been broken. But inspiration and praise are available remotely and online, and all forms of community, not just religious community, are missing at this time. People need community (especially those with families) and will return to them or renew them when they are able to.

So no, I don't think that the there is going to be a significant increase in dechurching, beyond that which has been going on the last two decades and at least partially originates in the alliance between evangelical christianity and the Right in the United States.