| A project in four New Member classes centered on the issue of evil, but exploring the method of using experiential devices for identity formation. Each New Member class used at least one experiential tool for learning, but some classes used more. These experiential devices included drawing, games, and videos. The goal was to increase self-identification of the New Members with the Anglican Tradition. Discussion of the Anglican Tradition was incorporated into the evening's programs as secondary material.; There was a significant amount of data obtained regarding the demographics of St. John's, Union City as well as interviews of participants in the New Member classes. The data was extensively analyzed and used to support the thesis of the paper, but was interesting in its own right. Also, included in the project was a broad cultural analysis of an urban church as it reinvents itself from being at the point of almost extinction. This was helpful to the project as it established a broader context for the project.; This project also included speculation and exploration of the use of liturgy as a device for identity formation. Examples of innovative liturgical practices such as healing services and Labyrinths were discussed and included in the analysis of the thesis. Historical examples such as signing of the cross and kneeling were explored as examples of embodied learning. Moreover, the project contained an examination of the Theology of Embodiment as it could be used in a formation process. Situations in which experiential worship had been used to increase the growth of a church were used as points of reference for embodied learning. This thesis is especially useful in liturgical churches like the Episcopal Church because it uses as a resource the Catechumenal Process.; Finally, the thesis is a significant resource for anyone interested in an innovative Christian ministry in Union City, New Jersey. Because a history and the demographic context of St. John's is provided in the thesis, it can function as a starting place for further research into churches in urban settings, especially in Anglo-Hispanic cultures. |
