Christian Organization: Function, Norms, Values, and Symbols - Essay Example

The Church has a hierarchy for its leaders, where the Holy Trinity is on top, followed by the Pope, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests, respectively. The Pope is the head of the church, and he makes decisions regarding faith and morals. The cardinals provide advice to the Pope and elect a new Pope upon the latter’s death. An archbishop is in charge of the main diocese, which is composed of several parishes. A bishop teaches church doctrine and is also a priest. A priest conducts many of the sacraments, such as the Eucharist, baptism, and marriage.

            The social patterns within the group are the formation of related religious groups and the conduct of socio-civic activities that inculcate religious norms and beliefs. Christianity has several sub-organizations, such as Couples for Christ and Youth for Christ. These organizations uphold religious values and practices by conducting and participating in community-centered activities. They have intertwined purposes of spreading the Word of God and enhancing the solidarity of their members. In addition, they serve important socio-civic activities, which can have social, political, and economic purposes, such as feeding children in low-income areas and lobbying for laws that promote Christian values. Conflicts exist at times, due to differences in interpreting the Bible and other personal differences.

            Language and nonverbal communication are important ways of interacting and sending messages to one another in a Christian group. Language is used to symbolically build the Church. It is the primary channel for conveying the Word of God and spreading the Christian faith to non-believers. Nonverbal communication refers to actions and gestures that are meant to reinforce Christian beliefs and norms. Sometimes, language can conflict with nonverbal communication, which can confuse other members. It is important for our group to be honest with one another and to express each other’s ideas, rather than hiding them.

Symbols are important to the Christian faith because they stand for something that people believe. Some of the symbols of Christianity are the fish and the cross. The fish stands for Jesus Christ, who is the fisherman of humanity. The cross signifies Christianity because Jesus died on the cross to save people from their sins.

Christians follow norms that are based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Love is God, and God asks everyone to love and respect everyone, even their enemies. The values of Christianity are based on the Ten Commandments and the Bible’s teachings. It includes worshiping only God, respecting all people, being honest and humble, and forgiving others, among others. Christianity approves of protecting life and spreading God’s word.

I am a member of Christianity. As a member, I follow God’s teachings and commandments. I pray and attend masses. I respect the sacraments and will facilitate them for my own children. My social role is a follower. I follow the Church and its teachings and teach Christian values to my children and to those who are interested in it.

The best sociological perspective that applies to my group is symbolic interaction. This theory asserts that social behaviors are products of our social roles, groups, and institutions (Schaefer, 2011). Christianity, like other religions, provides the norms, sanctions, and values that seek to shape how its members think and interact with one another and non-members. Sociologists can learn more about their social behaviors, by understanding how their faith affects their viewpoints and actions in life.