Sharing the Journey Support Groups and the Quest for a New Community

by Wuthnow, Robert

• ISBN13: 9780684826233
• ISBN10: 0684826232
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1996-07-01
• Publisher: Free Press

Summary

A look at how support groups have affected American society argues that, although support groups provide a warmth and security that holds society together, they can lead to an unhealthy self-absorption and a trivialized sense of what is sacred.

Author Biography

Robert John Wuthnow is a sociologist who is widely known for his work in the sociology of religion.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction: The Small-Group Movement	p. 1
The Quest for Community: Social and Cultural Contexts of the Small-Group Movement	p. 31
Exploring the Options: Varieties of Small Groups and Their Constituencies	p. 59
A Good Place to Begin: Institutional Underpinnings, Networks, and Resources	p. 89
Making It Work: Group Structure, Activities, and Member Satisfaction	p. 125
Getting and Giving Support: The Role of Small Groups in Nurturing Individual Needs	p. 163
Balancing Self and Others: Compatibility, Conflict, and Compromise Between Individualism and Group Commitments	p. 189
The Spiritual Dimension: Personal Faith in Small Groups	p. 219
What Matters? Group Processes and Individual Spirituality	p. 257
The Power of Stories: Narrative and Spiritual Growth	p. 289
Serving the Community: Group Membership and Public Commitment	p. 317
Envoi: The Shared Journey, Spirituality, and the Social Role of American Religion	p. 341
Appendix A. Methodology	p. 367
Appendix B. The Small Groups Survey	p. 393
Notes	p. 423
Selected Bibliography	p. 445
Index	p. 451
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