ITEMS OF INTEREST April 16, 2007 Issue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

with contributions from David Crumm, Simone Baribeau

The Rising Power of self-expression is becoming a central part of faith. Congregations across the country are changing from places where people go only for religious inspiration and instruction to places where people seek concrete ways to express their creativity, insights, and talents.

Some scholars call the transformation the end of a 500-year cycle of reformation, a continuation of the individualistic steak in Christianity touched off by religious reformer Martin Luther. Others say what's unfolding is part of the trend toward what is called crowdsourcing—allowing ordinary people to shape the future of congregations.

Whatever it is called, the trend is powerful. As the American passion for religious self-expression rises, the centuries-old power of religious leaders is fading, and many traditional labels are falling away.

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