Alone/together : the production of religious culture in a church for the unchurched

ions of ―postmodernism,‖ ―truth and authority,‖ and ―God‘s love‖ discussed above are presented as an available experience for those in the audience. To be sure, the weekly worship rituals at River Chapel are intended to convey meanings discursively through the logical presentation of a subject, its compliment and conclusion. But as embodied practices they also constitute and carry affective states and dispositions through time. Creating ―postmodern worship‖ at River Chapel means employing the elements of popular culture to create environments where skeptical unchurched visitors may experience feeling connected with god. Much of this discussion of River Chapel‘s engagement with postmodernism goes on in formalized classes and among staff members in offices throughout the week. To hold the more philosophical and strategic ―how to remain relevant in the postmodern world‖ conversation in the regularly occurring weekly worship forums or even in the midweek ministries and groups would violate many people‘s ―expectations of what a church is supposed to be like,‖ according to staff members. Indecently this is said without a hint of irony. Unless someone attending the church seeks out this conversation by taking a class or attending a lecture, a visitor may never even