Influence of Worship Practices on Ethnography - Essay Example

Ethnography Submitted by: Submitted Table of Contents Introduction This ethnography is being written to fulfill a requirement for an Introduction to Anthropology class. The topic of the Greek Orthodox church was selected for several reasons. First, the author, as a faithful attendant at St. Mary’s Antiochian Orthodox Chruch, a Greek Orthodox church, had intimate knowledge of the group being studied. Also, as a member, the author had ample access to the inner workings of the church, including the ways in which various subgroups mingled and interacted with other groups. This paper will demonstrate the various ways in which the members of this church maintain a close-knit, family relationship by examining worship practices, family relationships and subgroup relationships within the greater whole. Methodology The data for this analysis was collected over a period of weeks in which the author kept a journal of his observations while attending church. While the author was a participant in these proceedings, effort was made to step back and view the proceedings from the perspective of the outsider without sacrificing the insights available to the insider. Journal entries were made on a weekly basis beginning September 4, 2006 and ending October 23, 2006. Influence of Worship Practices There are approximately 250 listed members of this particular church, 230 of which attend on a regular basis. The members of the church range in ages from the very young to the very old, with a majority of the members falling within the middle age category. The congregation is also comprised of a wide variety of ethnicities, primarily Russian, Lebanese and Greek. The worship service itself functions as a reminder of a call to family togetherness. One of the first actions parishioners observe as they walk into the church is to light a candle in the Narthex in memory of a deceased relative or loved one – the author typically lights one in memory of a deceased uncle. They then kiss the icon and cross themselves on the chest three times before taking their places to ensure they are in proper frame of mind to receive the instruction to follow. The sermon, usually covering a topic that is loving and nonjudgmental, typically lasts approximately one hour. Following the sermon, the congregation files out, kissing the priest and the cross he holds as they pass. From here, most members of the congregation file into a large dining room in which they partake of foods brought in from individual members. Toward the end of the period of study, a young girl was baptized in a child-size plastic swimming pool that had obviously been purchased at Wal-mart. Although this was a formal ceremony, held outside of normal church hours, just about the entire congregation was present to witness the event. The showing up of almost all of the members demonstrated the degree to which the church family was connected. Family Relationships Family relationships can be seen to be strengthened in an atmosphere of mutual worship. This is evident in the idea that families attend church together. The author, for example, attends church services with his mother, father, three brothers and two sisters. However, the bonds of family reach even deeper within the communal atmosphere of the greater church. An example of this was witnessed near the end of the study period in which a call for volunteers was sent out to help with the making of cookies. A simple look from the author’s mother, despite his age, was enough to compel him to volunteer his own services for the afternoon. Although the work was not difficult, approximately four hours were spent at the church placing cookies in the ovens and then taking them out again in assembly-line style. Despite this imposition on his time, no resentment was felt and the process was conducted in the company of another 12 members of the congregation, again illustrating the closeness of this group. Subgroup Relationships After just about every worship service, the church hosts a dinner for those who were in attendance, at which many people help in the preparation, serving and cleaning up. The author’s mother often helps with the cooking while the author and his brothers take turns serving and washing dishes. This dining hall experience helps cement the close relationships that develop among the church members as well as the close relationships held between members of the individual families. In addition to the family group, each family is usually grouped with at least one other family in many of the church’s activities. For example, the author’s family always sits with another family, the Khristianskiis, during worship services and in the dining hall. Although this family does not compare, strictly speaking, to the age ranges reflected in the author’s family, the two families remain closely connected through the relationship that has developed between the mothers. In addition, the younger two children of the author’s family are comparable in age to the only two children of the other family, providing some commonalities outside of the church. Subgroups separated into age groupings tend to gather to share gossip of various degrees, discussing everything from the weather and sports to conversations about individuals or mutual friends. Because of the ability to gather before church and especially after church during the dinner, as well as the understanding of disrespect to the church, there is very little gossip occurring during the worship service. For example, during one occasion in the dining room, many members of the church were discussing an upcoming wedding at which it was determined that many of those present planned to attend. Conclusion Through careful observation and participation, it can be seen that the Greek Orthodox Church has several features that encourage close family and group relationships that foster group participation and togetherness. It is this aspect of the church that helps create a unique culture group as the members of the church learn to rely on each other and be there for one another. These individuals share not only a religion together, but also the major events of their lives and, through the ability and encouragement to share information freely among each other, even the minor events of their lives are shared, making this an extended family related not by blood, but by affection and common ideologies. By raising children in this atmosphere from the time they are very young, these associations are learned and appreciated, especially since the overriding theme is love and nonjudgmental acceptance. Because of this, the family of the Greek Orthodox Church can be seen to be more family-oriented than the average church family and, in many cases, even closer than many individual families. Read More