Group Synthesis Essay
Intro (at least 5 pages)
Why Culture was Chosen
Our group chose St Stephen the Witness Catholic Student Center for many reasons. On the surface, it was an easy group to research. From the beginning of the project our group showed interested in learning more about a certain religion. St Stephen's was not only an easily accessible resource in location and inside connections, but also one that was known to be very accepting and understanding. It also tends to deviate from the usual Catholic norms, which presented a unique opportunity of study for those of us who knew very little about Catholicism and for those who had had experience with other Catholic churches. St Stephen had a wide variety of events at different times throughout the week to accommodate our separate schedules. It was an organization that satisfied the needs and interests of the group, but also served a greater purpose.
There were some deeper meanings for us choosing St Stephens. Our research question was based on the idea that we have preconceptions when it comes to Catholicism (or any religion). As Juleen and Trevor Buser state in their article “Qualitative Investigation of Student Reflections on a …show more content…
Learning about a culture this way gives the lessons more integrity and makes them more real for the participants than being taught the lessons out of context (Juleen and Trevor Buser 167). The Busers describe throughout their article how “cultural immersion experiences [are] unique in that they provide a venue for interpersonal learning” (167). There is a special kind of knowledge that comes from participating in and experiencing something new and unexpected. By attending mass or meeting and conversing with people in St Stephens, we were able to not only present an interesting new perspective of practicing the Catholic faith, but also develop on a deeper, personal
Why Culture was Chosen
Our group chose St Stephen the Witness Catholic Student Center for many reasons. On the surface, it was an easy group to research. From the beginning of the project our group showed interested in learning more about a certain religion. St Stephen's was not only an easily accessible resource in location and inside connections, but also one that was known to be very accepting and understanding. It also tends to deviate from the usual Catholic norms, which presented a unique opportunity of study for those of us who knew very little about Catholicism and for those who had had experience with other Catholic churches. St Stephen had a wide variety of events at different times throughout the week to accommodate our separate schedules. It was an organization that satisfied the needs and interests of the group, but also served a greater purpose.
There were some deeper meanings for us choosing St Stephens. Our research question was based on the idea that we have preconceptions when it comes to Catholicism (or any religion). As Juleen and Trevor Buser state in their article “Qualitative Investigation of Student Reflections on a …show more content…
Learning about a culture this way gives the lessons more integrity and makes them more real for the participants than being taught the lessons out of context (Juleen and Trevor Buser 167). The Busers describe throughout their article how “cultural immersion experiences [are] unique in that they provide a venue for interpersonal learning” (167). There is a special kind of knowledge that comes from participating in and experiencing something new and unexpected. By attending mass or meeting and conversing with people in St Stephens, we were able to not only present an interesting new perspective of practicing the Catholic faith, but also develop on a deeper, personal