For my research I have selected to research the Mormon Church community. I chose this community because I have been a part of it since my childhood. I am interested in learning what problems current members of the Mormon Church see within the community. The Mormon Church is different from other church communities because it is one cohesive worldwide group. It is also made up of smaller communities because members are assigned to attend a local congregation based on where they live. Each congregation teaches from the same manuals and follows direction given by the Church presidency. While congregations are very similar to one another because of the coordinated teachings, local leadership influences and creates a separate community within each congregation. For my primary research I collected information about both the worldwide Mormon Church community and the local Atlanta congregation community.
Methods and Materials
My research involving the Atlanta congregation included informal interviews with two members of the congregation. My questions focused on their opinions of current worldwide church issues as well as local congregational issues. I also collected information about the worldwide Mormon Church community from their Facebook page and website. Additionally, I read the transcript and watched a video with statements from worldwide church leaders.
Results and Discussion
In my research I discovered that members of the Atlanta congregation have a unique perspective on issues facing the larger worldwide Mormon community. I think that their perspective sheds light on some of the ways the worldwide church community could be enhanced. One strength of the Atlanta congregation that my interviewees pointed out is that it has a very diverse population. Most Mormon congregations are full of white, middle-class suburban dwellers. These congregations with homogeneous populations tend to have members that harshly judge any people who are different from them. The individuals I interviewed both indicated that the Atlanta congregation’s diversity helps to create a more welcoming, ‘come as you are’ atmosphere. The worldwide Mormon Church community would greatly benefit by adapting a more inclusive atmosphere similar to the one found within the Atlanta congregation.
Conclusions/Recommendations
The purpose of my research was to determine issues within the local and worldwide Mormon Church. After conducting my research I found that there are many local issues, but the worldwide issues seem have a better base upon which I can further investigate and argue. For my final research paper I will continue to interview members of the Atlanta congregation. I would like to collect their thoughts about the difference between their congregational community and the community of other congregations they have attended within the Mormon Church. I may also contact members outside of Atlanta to get their thoughts on the homogeneous tendencies of Mormon congregations. I plan to focus on the question of whether having more diverse congregations would benefit the larger Church Community, as it has benefited the local Atlanta congregation.
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