The Centers for Spiritual Living (CSL) is a religious organization established in 1949 by Ernest Holmes. It focuses on enhancing philosophical thoughts that incorporate science and religion. CSL has seen growth from its origins as the United Church of Religious Science and now has over 400 churches in North America. The religion's teachings are based on the science of spirit and mind. CSL acknowledges God and believes in concepts like incarnation and the universal mind. It views humanity as sacred and promotes peaceful coexistence among societies. Interviews with members provide insights into the religion's doctrines and practices.

1. Alsaadi 9
Salim Alsaadi
Peter Lowentrout
R/ST 100
May 10, 2017
Center for Spiritual Living
The Centers for Spiritual Living (CSL) is a religious
organization established in 1949 by Ernest Holmes. The religion
primarily focuses on enhancing philosophical thoughts that
incorporate science and religion together. The organization has
since evolved from the United Centers for Spiritual Living
(UCSL), which was initially recognized as the United Church of
Religious Science (UCRS) to the current name after UCSL and
UCRS were merged. Holmes together with the Fenwicke, his
brother, came to establish the organization as a result of their
learning experience in Boston. The brothers were convinced that
a person's mind has the power or capability to cause a healing
effect or fulfil an individual's life. Therefore, together with
other scholars who shared the same ideology, Holmes
established an institution aimed at promoting their idea.
In 1927, Holmes set an educational centre in Los Angeles
(Institute of Religious Science and Philosophy) where he taught
his principles. The establishment of the institution soon led to
the adoption of his principles by the graduates from the IRSP
leading to the religion's official recognition in 1949. In the
early 1950s, the organization split into two distinctive religions
namely, Religious Science International (RSI) and the United
Church of Religion (UCR). However, in 2011, the two
organizations re-emerged and formed the Centers for Spiritual
Living. Therefore, the incorporation of the two religions has
resulted in its membership growth to over 400 churches in the
Northern America.
Kenn Gordon, a doctorate holder in divinity, was elected in

2. 2011 as the first spiritual leader of the organization. However,
before his appointment, Gordon had served as a member of the
CSL board of directors. Apart from his leadership role at the
CSL, Gordon is also engaged in various activities that promote
the religion such as educating people to understand the science
of the spirit and mind. He also contributes as a writer on
Patheos, one of the leading websites where religious matters are
discussed. Moreover, he is a regular contributor to Science and
Mind Magazine and the author of Mind and Manifestation, a
book used by the members of the CSL as a spiritual tool.
Currently, the organization has seen tremendous growth due to
the population of its members, which has led to the
establishment of 286 CSL centres across the United States,
United Kingdom, Canada, and other 27 states around the globe
(“Find a Center”). Moreover, the expansion has also led to the
inclusion of 400 communities around the world, which
translates to millions of followers. Essentially, the teachings of
the CSL centres are universal and aimed at enhancing new
philosophical thoughts on science and religion through different
spiritual tools. Therefore, the teachings of the religion are
primarily based on the science of spirit and mind, which is also
known as religious science.
The religious science provides an in-depth elaboration on
matters regarding life such as life is sacred and all humans are
made in the image of God. Therefore, the teachings and
doctrines of the CSL acknowledge and utilize the ancient
spiritual knowledge. Moreover, the organization welcomes any
individual from the various religions such as a Christian,
Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Jewish with an objective of
promoting peaceful coexistence among communities. As
witnessed in the growth of the religion since the emergence in
2011, I am anticipating a major growth with an expectation of
more members of its congregations. The current expansion of
238 centres can be utilized to support the projected growth.
The Teachings and the Doctrines of the Religion
The religion's beliefs are derived from Holmes teachings as

3. illustrated in the book, The Science of Mind, which was
published in 1927. Therefore, Holmes teachings have been
incorporated into the religion's statement, “What we believe.”
Essentially, Holmes teachings acknowledge and borrow some
beliefs from other religions such as Christianity. For instance,
Christians believe in the Supreme God, which is similar to
CSL's belief. Therefore, CLS teachings recognize God as a
Living Spirit Almighty. Moreover, the religion believes in the
cause of God's self-existence and absolute and indestructible
nature. The manifestation of God is through His creations,
which include the human beings. However, the manifests are not
absorbed by the creation.
Incarnation is another belief recognized by the members of
CSL. The religion has a strong faith in the incarnation of human
spirit, which makes people to be incarnated in one spirit.
Therefore, the members' belief in incarnation translates to their
faith in immortality, eternality, and the continuation of an
individual's soul after death (Center for Spiritual Living –
Seattle).
The members of the religion also have a belief that heaven is
within them, which enables them to experience it to a level
where they become conscious of heaven. Human life is also
highly regarded as a precious gift from God. Therefore, the
primary objective of an individual's life is to be emancipated
(set free from all social, legal, and political oppressions) to
ensure that all humans live a free life.
CSL acknowledgement of God as the Supreme Being as per the
teachings makes God a unifying factor of all life. Moreover, the
religion's beliefs separate God into two characters, namely, the
innermost God and highest God with the innermost God as the
guide of human actions due to His indwelling presence (“Our
Beliefs”). On the other part, truth is one of the crucial doctrines
that determines an individual's well-being. Therefore, the
religion has faith in the direct revelation of truth through the
spiritual and intuitive nature of an individual, which makes
everyone to have the capability, to tell the truth through the

4. guidance of the innermost God.
The state of a person's mind is also primarily linked to the
beliefs of the religion. Therefore, the organization has a belief
that the communication between God and a human being is
through a universal mind, which consists of the law of God and
the human surroundings (thoughts and the reactions on such
thoughts). A universal mind has various capabilities that are
beneficial to humans such as the ability to heal the sick.
Moreover, a universal mind would enable an individual to
believe in the eternal kindness, the goodness of God through
His provision of life to all humans. Therefore, all matters
regarding a person's mind translate to the belief in his or her
spirit, soul, and destiny with the understanding that people’s
lives reflect the life of God.
Through the religion's beliefs, it is evident that the organization
is quite dogmatic since they are inclined to their beliefs, which
are clearly stated in the faith's spiritual tools. The beliefs
translate to the organization's core values (healing, love,
togetherness, spiritual growth, abundance, diversity, and service
to others). Essentially, the beliefs are guided by the spiritual
tools, which are highly regarded as sacred since the tools
contain the guidelines to be followed by the members of CSL.
The spiritual tools acknowledged and utilized by the religion
are meditation, prayer, spiritual practices, and pide oracion.
Spiritual tools are simply the spiritual living programs
established by the organization to help its members enhance
their spiritual understanding. Therefore, an individual who is
interested in such program needs to register on the website of
the organization's particular centre by clicking the "Online Net
Community" tab and fill the form. The centre would then
organize the meeting where the registered members would meet
up and discuss various issues touching spiritual life.
Pide Oracion, which has a meaning for “ask for a prayer,” is an
online platform where the members of CSL can place a prayer
request at any given time (“Pide Oración”). Therefore, to utilize
this method, a member only needs to log into the organization's

5. official website (Not the centres' web page) and request for a
prayer by typing their various prayer requests (“Pide Oración”).
The purpose of the organization's creation of the platform is the
provision of a healing power through prayers to the members at
any given time and place since the service is operational 24/7.
The Organization's View on Humanity and Society
As indicated in the religion's teachings and doctrines
established by Holmes, it is evident on how it has high regards
for humanity. The lessons regarding human life are similar to
the beliefs of Christianity. Therefore, human life is sacred and
all humans are made in the image of God (“Our Beliefs”).
Moreover, it is against the religion's doctrines for an individual
to cause harm to other people. On the other hand, the
organization's view on society is majorly concerned with the
promotion of peaceful coexistence among the residents of
different communities. Since a community consists of
individuals of various religions such as Christians, Buddhists,
Hindus, Muslims, and the Jewish, therefore, it is critical for
people of a given society to accept and learn to stay peacefully
with others. However, the religion acknowledges that some
individuals in the society are prone to cause harm to others
because of lack of knowledge or convictions on the teachings of
humanity. Therefore, for such people to learn to coexist with
others, they need to have a comprehension on the doctrines of
CSL.
Teachings from One of the CSL Sermons
I once attended one of the programs of the Centers for Spiritual
Living based in Sand Point Way, Seattle. The formal meeting
took place on 30th April 2017 and was spearheaded by Brent
Cunnings (“How to Star a Spiritual Living Circle”). The
meeting was recorded and can also be accessed on the YouTube
(“How to Star a Spiritual Living Circle”). The theme of the talk
was about humility and the spiritual practice of an individual's
willingness. Cunnings majorly dwelt on three questions such as
follows: a person’s willingness to involve God in his or her
relationship, the willingness of not being a victim of

6. circumstances, and the desire to always tell the truth no matter
the circumstances instead of living in a fantasy world. Cunnings
further gave an example scenario where he was once forced to
tell the truth during a counselling session or face dire
consequences. The elaborations were quite emotional to the
audience, which could be realized by the type of attention given
to the speaker.
From the experience, Cunnings connects the situations he
passed through to what young people are currently undergoing.
Moreover, it is evident that the speaker acknowledged God as
the sole provider for all humans. An example he provided where
his father left them with no financial supports this claim. He
further quotes that at some given point auctioneers came to
auction their belongings to repay their debts. However, all
worked out well, and the situation came to pass. From the
analysis of the people in attendance, it could be ruled that
people from the meeting were of mixed financial background.
After the meeting, I got to have a chance with the speaker for a
brief interview to understand the religion since it was my first
visitation to attend any of the organization's services. I had
earlier set up a meeting with the speaker and provided him with
prior insights and reasons for the interview. The interview with
Cunnings is summarized as follows.
Me: Hi, Mr. Cunnings, I bet your schedule is quite fixed but
kindly allow me to ask about a few questions to enhance my
understanding of the religion.
Mr. Cunnings: It is okay, no problem, I was prepared for this
meeting so take your time.
Me: How long have you headed this spiritual group and how do
you find your audience?
Mr. Cunnings: I have been the spiritual leader of this gathering
for more than four years now. Moreover, the members of the
group are quite cooperative. However, first timers have a little
difficulty in understanding some concepts such as the topic on
the universal mind.
Me: Briefly explain to me the history of the group; its

7. formation, progress, and growth or decline pattern.
Mr. Cunnings: The group was established in 2012 and has ever
since been operational with a steady growth of members. The
aim of creating the group is to help new members have a better
understanding of the religion's teachings and for spiritual
growth.
Me: Would you briefly provide me with a brief background
information on your members’ social class, education, and
ethnicity.
Mr. Cunnings: Well, this is an interesting question. First and
foremost, I would like to bring to your attention that CSL does
not accept an individual interested in joining the religion in
regards to social class, education, or ethnicity. However, for a
person to join this group, he or she must be 16 years and above
due to the organization's policy. Basically, there are different
groups within the religion, which are differentiated by age.
Therefore, for a better comprehension of the faith's doctrines, it
is a requirement for members to be slotted in suitable groups.
The various programs include spiritual at work, modern
mysticism, and youth programs.
Me: Would you be in a position to provide me with information
such as background information about the religion and the
annual report that might help me complete my project
successfully.
Mr. Cunnings: Sure, just provide me with your email address.
However, I would recommend that you visit the organization's
webpage for more information.
Center for Spiritual Living's teachings is quite essential in
understanding humanity and its incorporation with science. The
religion mainly focuses on enhancing philosophical thoughts
that incorporate science and religion together. Through Holmes
doctrines, the religion has seen major growth, which has
translated to millions of its members. An interview with Mr.
Cunnings provided confirmation to my research, which provided
a bearing for a better understanding of the religion.

8. Works Cited
Center for Spiritual Living - Seattle. “Apr 30 2017 Power Talk -
Brent Cunnings.” YouTube,
commentary by Brent Cunnings, 30 Apr. 2017,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O38RKoTvAvY.
“Find a Center.” Center for Spiritual Living. (n. d.),
www.csl.thankyou4caring.org/lc-
organizations/location-finder. Accessed 01 May. 2017.
“How to Star a Spiritual Living Cycle.” Center for Spiritual
Living. (n. d.),
www.csl.org/images/spiritual-living-
circles/How_to_Start_a_Spiritual_Living_Circle.pdf. Accessed
01 May. 2017.
“Our Beliefs.” Center for Spiritual Living. (n. d.),
cslkc.org/our-beliefs/. Accessed 01 May.
2017.
“Pide Oración.” World Ministry of Prayer. (n. d.),
www.worldministryofprayer.org/index.php/pide-oracion.
Accessed 01 May. 2017.

9. Explanation of Study
The field study requires you to study a religious congregation,
social religious phenomenon, or religiously based service
organization. The method of investigation is participant
observation and should include interviews with selected
members and clergy of the group you are studying. Although
you may wish to consult wesites or journal articles and books
written about the group or social religious phenomenon you
have chosen to study, this is primarily a field study and not a
library research paper.
Your immediate task is to identify a particular religious group
or phenomenon to study. You are not to study, for example,
"Methodism" or "The History of Irish Catholics in America."
Instead, you are to study a specific congregation (e.g., Seal
Beach Church of Religious Science), social religious
phenomenon (e.g., street preachers in Long Beach), or
religiously-based service organization (Long Beach Rescue
Mission).
During the semester, you should attend meetings of the group.
You should take notes during the meetings, or afterwards if that
is more appropriate. And you should try to do at least two
interviews as part of this project.
The methodological guide for the field study is Miller and
Selzer’s Research and Field Work in Religious Studies. The
book is optional, but highly recommended.
The Social Scientific Perspective
The primary focus of your research must be upon what the

10. people you are studying think and feel about religion, and how
religion functions in their lives and in society more generally --
not upon the truth or falsity of their religious beliefs. Debate
over questions of religious truth must be left to philosophers
and theologians -- this field project is a study which must bring
into play the methods and insights of the phenomenology of
religion and the social psychology and sociology of religion
which are presented in class and in your readings.
A social scientific approach to religion "brackets" the truth
claims of religion and inquires into what people believe and
why they believe it, as well as how these beliefs function in the
daily lives of people and in the practice of their religion.
Whether these beliefs have any final correspondence to
"ultimate reality" is a question that lies beyond the province of
an academic course on religion. What scholars acknowledge,
instead, is that even the "craziest" beliefs express and mediate
some human need.
In your field study, you are asked to take a phenomenological
approach to the study of religious beliefs and behavior. The
essence of the phenomenological perspective is to seek to
understand the subjective experience of those you are studying,
to understand how they make sense of the world. To do this, you
must lay aside your own biases about the world and instead step
inside the lived experience of those whom you are observing.
This does not mean that you should convert to their perspective
(or "go native"). It does mean that you should have a respectful
attitude, seeking to understand how and why their religious
commitments make sense to them.
One thing will soon become apparent to you as you do this field
study: not all Mormons, Presbyterians or Jews believe the same
thing. Congregations within the same denomination may have
very different interpretations of the religious life, and within a
single congregation there may also be great diversity of

11. opinion.
Selecting a Group to Study
It is best to not study a religious group you are formally
associated with unless for reasons of personal religious
principle you may not visit other religious groups. Often, an
"outsider" will notice things that an "insider" will miss because
they seem so ordinary and routine. These ordinary beliefs and
rituals may be among some of the most interesting
characteristics of the group, and if you miss them because of
your prior association with the group, you will be working in
this project with a decided handicap. Too, this course intends to
introduce you to a wide range of religious groups and
phenomena -- for this reason, too, I prefer you choose a
religious group other than your own to study.
There are dozens of religious groups on campus and in the
immediate CSULB neighborhood. A listing of local groups who
have volunteered to be subjects of field projects will be passed
out in class. If none of these groups suit you, consult the
Yellow Pages or the "Religion Page" of the Saturday Long
Beach Press-Telegram. I will be happy to organize an optional
field trip to a group if you'd like. In the past groups from the
class have gone to the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness, for instance.
"Entering" a Group
When you have selected a group, you must attend a worship
service or other meeting. Call in advance of attending to
double-check meeting times and get some initial information
about the group. You will probably not need permission to
attend a religious service. Dress appropriately and arrive ten to
fifteen minutes before the service. This will give you the chance
to walk around the building, pick up some free literature (if it is

12. available), and perhaps talk to a few of the people who are
gathering (an usher is always a good bet). Many churches,
temples, synagogues and mosques make a special effort to greet
newcomers and you may be asked to wear a ribbon or pin to
identify you as a visitor.
After meeting the group at least once, and having decided this is
the group you wish to study, you should make an appointment to
talk to one of the clergy or staff. This is more easily done than
you might imagine. Simply call the office and say something
like this:
"Hello, I'm a student at CSULB and this semester I am taking a
religious studies course in which one of my assignments is to
visit a religious group and find out as much as possible about it.
I visited your church/temple/synagogue/mosque last week and
found it very interesting. Would it be possible to set up an
appointment to talk with someone on your staff about your
group? If possible, I'd like to talk to the
priest/rabbi/minister/mullah/swami, although I realize she/he
may be very busy."
If time is short for the staff person you would like to talk to,
mention that you won't need more than half an hour. In response
to an inquiry like this, you will almost always be granted an
interview. Try to complete the interview as soon as possible
after your first visit.
Arrive at the interview with a list of questions that you would
like to ask. Questions should be geared to the particular group
you visit, but here are a few suggestions for more general
questions:
1. How long have you been the spiritual leader of this religious
group?

13. 2. Would you give me a brief history of your group? When was
it founded? What pattern of growth or decline has it followed?
What are some of the important events that have occurred
within the recent life of this congregation?
3. How would you describe your congregation? What is its
special character? What makes it distinctive from other groups
in the area?
4. How would you describe your members? Background,
ethnicity, social class, education, employment, commitment to
the religious group? Anything else?
5. How are policy decisions made within your religious
community? What is the means of implementation? What role
do you personally play in the decision-making process?
6. Please describe the various programs and groups that meet
regularly at your church/synagogue/temple/mosque.
7. Do you have any information (especially printed information)
that would be helpful for my project: a history of the
congregation, annual report, orientational brochures?
8. Is your group growing or declining in numbers? Are there any
interesting new directions being taken in the life of the
community?
9. Could you tell me something about yourself? Where did you
receive your religious training? How did you decide to become
a religious leader? What other congregations have you served?
At the beginning of the interview, briefly tell the person you are
interviewing about this class and your assignment. At the end of
the interview, ask if it would be all right for you to attend an
additional meeting, and ask which would be best for you to

14. attend. If you feel you need an additional interview, you might
also ask if he or she can suggest someone in the congregation
who would be willing to be interviewed by you. (Get the phone
number before you leave, if you can.)
It is easiest for you if you record your interview(s), but you
need to ask permission first and should not insist if there is any
hesitancy on the part of the person you want to interview. Ask,
too, if the interviewee would prefer to be anonymous if quoted
directly in your project write-up.
Structure of the Paper and Research
As you learn more about the group you have chosen, you may
want to focus rather more sharply on a few specific areas or
issues. For example:
Why is everyone in the group over 50 years of age?
What is speaking in tongues?
Why are these teen-agers willing to give up "worldly pleasures"
(dancing, alcohol, movies) in order to be members of this
group?
Why do members of this community spend so much time
ministering to the poor and homeless?
Still, it is important to not focus your research too quickly.
Attention should be given to at least some of the following
questions in your investigation:
1. What is the history of the group? When was it founded?
When did membership peak? What is the current membership?
What have been the most significant shaping moments in the
history of the congregation?

15. 2. What is the social setting of the congregation? What is the
neighborhood like? Do people commute to meetings, or is the
membership of the group drawn from the local area?
3. What does the meeting place look like? What is the
architectural style? How old is the building? How well
maintained is it? How does it make you feel when you walk into
the sanctuary?
4. How does the congregation worship? Formally or informally?
Is there singing, meditation, recitations, a sermon?
5. What are the teachings and beliefs of the group? What is
formally taught by the clergy? Does this differ from what the
people actually believe? How would you describe the "world-
view" of the members? What are their moral commitments?
6. What is the religious experience of the people like? What do
people seem to feel when they worship? Is personal prayer or
meditation stressed, or group worship? Is the group this-worldly
or other-worldly?
7. What is the group's social structure and finances? How are
decisions made? Does the congregation participate in decision-
making? How? How is the group funded? How is money
solicited?
8. What is the make-up of the group: age, gender, ethnicity,
social class, typical employment? Do members seem to know
each other? Is this a close-knit community?
9. What is the "social mission" of the group? What is the
congregation attempting to do for its community? City? World?
Is there some driving moral commitment central to the group?

16. 10. What do you predict for the group in the future? Is the
congregation growing? Aging? Attracting new members? What
is the special character of the congregation in contrast to other
congregations like and unlike it in the same area?
Whatever focus you develop in your paper, it is important to
place that emphasis within the larger context of the three
universal characteristics of any religious community: teaching,
practice and social structure.
Participant Observation
Being a "participant observer" in no way means that you must
convert to the group's religion in order to understand it
(although some religious groups will certainly claim that you
can not really understand them unless you are one of them).
Rather, participant observation is a way of collecting
information by 1) attending meetings at which one takes careful
notes, 2) interviewing "informants" who have special insight
into the life of the community, and 3) consulting the writings of
group members.
Participant observation takes time and it seldom yields any
statistical data. It relies instead on insightful descriptions of
meetings, events and persons, and uses sociological categories
and ideal types to help generalize about what is observed. The
strength of qualitative research (as opposed to quantitative
research based on questionnaires and highly structured
interviewing) is the richly textured data it yields.
Field Notes
Field notes are essential for the participant observer. Jotted
notes may be taken on napkins, church bulletins, on in a field
notebook purchased for the purpose. Notes may be written
during a meeting you are observing, in a rest room during a

17. break from the meeting, riding a bus home from a meeting or
interview, or at your computer.
Field notes are often written in several stages:
Jotted notes. It may be inappropriate to take detailed notes
during a worship service. Therefore, you might have to rely on
your memory, perhaps aided by an informal note or two jotted
during the meeting. These quick notes remind you of things you
think you might otherwise forget when writing up your full field
notes.
Full Field Notes. Within 24 hours of an observation or
interview, full field notes should be written. Full field notes
include detailed descriptions of:
1. the sequence of events at the meeting,
2. what was said and who said it,
3. a description of the environment,
4. the attitudes of the people involved,
5. and everything else pertinent to your investigation.
You can expect to spend as much or more time writing up your
notes
as that which you will spend observing or interviewing.
Analytical Hunches. You should put into your field notes any
analytical hunches you have about what is going on in the group
or social setting you are observing. This might include such
things as the function of beliefs or rituals for members, the
sociological type of the group (denomination, sect or cult?), an

18. application of conversion theory (or theories of cult formation)
to an understanding of your group. Develop a way to code
analytical speculations in your text for easy reference later --
use brackets, use different colors of ink, underline, or indent.
Personal Reactions. Field notes should also include your
personal feelings about your experience of observing or
interviewing. It is important not to ignore feelings of attraction
to the group, or disgust, or embarrassing moments. Rather than
pretending that these feelings do not exist, they should be
placed in your field notes as a way of gaining perspective on
them. Again, develop a code for distinguishing observations of
an emotional nature from your running description of the group.
Interviewing
In qualitative research, interviews are conversational, and do
not elicit the structured fixed choice responses of quantitative
questionnaires. Your interview should have a structure, of
course, but keep your eyes open for unexpected, interesting data
on the group. Be willing to deviate from your prepared
questions, if it seems advantageous. Record the interview if you
can, but remember to ask permission first. Ask if your
interviewee minds being quoted by name in your field study: "Is
it okay for me to cite you by name, or would you prefer to be
anonymous? Either way is fine with me."
Your methodological text (the Miller bok) has useful guidelines
for the interviewing process, but several further points should
be kept in mind:
1. Do not try to impress the interviewee with how intelligent
you are, how sophisticated your vocabulary is, or what great
insight you have into his or her group. Avoid using jargon
learned in this class. Be "naive," open and teachable, seeking to
understand how the world appears to those you are studying and

19. how they make religious sense of it. Do not let your views of
reality intrude into the field setting or you will distort that
setting, making your study results unreliable.
2. Ask direct and easily understood questions. Start with
specific questions to which you are sure the interviewee will
have an answer, and then move to more penetrating and complex
questions toward the end of the interview.
3. Do not be argumentative or judgmental in the interview. You
are there to learn how the person you are interviewing
understands the world. If their answers seem ridiculous and
crazy to you, do not argue with them about the adequacy of
their views; instead, seek to understand how they came to hold
these views and what their teachings and ritual practices mean
to them.
4. Ask follow-up questions to the interviewee's responses. There
are traditional verbal formulas for this. You might ask, "Do you
mean [and repeat in your own words what you believe the
interviewee has said]," or "I heard you saying..." Follow-up
questions and responses elicit further information and
clarification of information already obtained.
5. Relax. Do not be in a hurry to rush on to the next question. A
short silence, especially if coupled with genuine interest on
your part, can be creative. The rhetorical uses of silence are
seldom appreciated in our culture.
Having completed the interview, your work is half done. You
will now need to transcribe the interview or, if you did not tape
it, write up full field notes within 24 hours. Each interview
should be accompanied by a "face sheet" (see Lofland, p. 57)
which includes 1) the interviewee's name, 2) the date of the
interview, 3) the place of the interview, 4) sex, 5) approximate
age, 6) ethnicity, and anything else of particular relevance for

20. your own study. Once completed, the interview becomes part of
your field notes.
Organizing Field Notes
Even in a short field project, it often happens that field notes
become voluminous. In a longer field project which might
include dozens or even hundreds of interviews, it is extremely
important to have a well defined system of organizing
interviews and field notes.
Here is one possible method for organizing your notes:
1. Each time you observe a meeting or do an interview, place
the notes from it in a separate file folder in a project file on
your desktop.
2. Put any literature or printed material you collect that is
related to your project in separate file folders either digitized on
your desktop, or as hardcopies at your desk.
3. Read through your materials, coding them by topic (e.g.,
history of group, teachings, ritual, religious experience, social
scientific categorical explanation of behavior).
4. Include the material in your write-up of your final reports,
letting these topics shape the report.
Field research is an ongoing process, and so is any system for
organizing field data. Whatever system you use or devise, you
need one to do a good job.
Working with Field Notes
Creative insight concerning your field experiences comes in the
process of going over your material or topic files like those

21. described in the previous section. As you regularly read over
the notes that are collecting, you should be asking questions
about the importance, significance and function of beliefs, acts,
rituals and social patterns. In the process of reviewing your
notes, and as you factor the course material into you project,
new insights will emerge, and these insights should be written
down and, if you choose the above method of organization, put
into the appropriate thematic file. These insights may include
new things to look for in future observations; or additional
questions to ask in an interview.
Writing the Report
If you have developed files in the manner described above, the
final report will almost write itself. The each major heading for
the paper will be a topic file. Each file will contain descriptive
notes from interviews and observations, while others will be
more theoretical and analytical.
A term project which takes a rather comprehensive approach to
the study of a congregation might have many of the following
sections, although this is only a sample outline:
1. Identify the group. Give its name, location, denominational
affiliation (if it has one), and more generally introduce the
group. The first paragraphs might also introduce a theme which
will run through the entire paper. This could be done by
beginning with an anecdote, or some other device for catching
the reader's attention.
2. The methodology of your study. Tell me why you decided to
study this group, how you collected your information, number
and type of meetings you observed, number of interviews and
with whom they were conducted. Tell me about any problems
you ran into while doing the study.

22. 3. The history of the group. When was the group founded, and
by whom? Where is it in the Weberian growth cycle? Does the
group have a distinctive character?
4. The teachings of the group. What do members believe? What
do clergy preach and teach? What are the most important social
ethical beliefs of the group? What is the world view of
members?
5. What is the practice of the group? Describe a typical worship
service, sermon, ritual or other sacramental rite, including
meditation. What is the "experience" of the worshippers?
6. What are the social psychological and sociological
characteristics of the group? Describe the members: age,
ethnicity, social class, gender. How are decisions made in this
organization? What are typical programs of the congregation?
7. Social outreach and ministry to the community. How does the
congregation relate to community, city, nation and world? Does
the congregation have specific programs that minister to those
outside the group? Or is outreach intended primarily to convert
others to their point of view?
8. What are the unique characteristics of the congregation?
What are the specific problems facing the group? What hot
issues is it currently facing?
9. Concluding observations. Your personal opinions about the
group, including speculations on the group's future.
Proof your papers before you turn them in to me. All papers
should go through more than one draft. You may use the first
person singular ("I visited the church three times..."), and
should follow one of the recognized style guides (e.g., MLA,
APA, Turabian). The final paper (excluding excessive indented

23. quotations) should be 8-10 pages in length.
The Appendix
Your final paper may have an appendix that can include your
field materials, including notes, tapes of interviews and
literature from the group (do not include books).
If you organize your field notes on your computer, you can print
them out and submit them. You may submit computer disks in
lieu of printouts, or send video via email. The papers
themselves will be available in the department of religious
studies for one full semester after submission.