Religious rituals maintain identity and build lasting community support networks

Evidence

Cadge and Davidman (2006), examining religious identities of Thai Buddhists and American Jews, found that while religious identity for both groups was greatly influenced by conditions of birth, choosing to engage in rituals either historically associated with their religious identity or as a matter of religious practice were methods of maintaining their religious identity. In addition, Japanese participants in the Gion religious festival in Kyoto gain a stronger sense of community and build long-lasting social support networks (Roemer, 2007). So, a religious collective identity enables members to access the benefits of increased social support and community resources through ritual and practice associated with their religious identity. — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 892

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Movements grounded in preexisting churches mobilize better than those without social infrastructure — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 503; Church attendance boosts youth employment through networking, not religious belief. — Robert D. Putnam, Bowling Alone The Collapse and Revival…, 1113; Everyday ritual etiquette encodes group orientation more than ritual content does. — Nina Eliasoph, Avoiding politics: how Americans…, 835 (+4 more)