by Jake Sorenson, PhD | Nov 5, 2013 | Theology and Culture
Let’s get something straight: “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” is not in the Bible. (All the camp directors give a collective sigh of relief.) We Christians love building nice-looking church buildings “for the glory of God.” We hang beautiful artwork, the communion...
by Jake Sorenson, PhD | Oct 28, 2013 | The Logic of Camp
Like the adults who teach them, few young people live with a conviction that God is calling them. They live compartmentalized lives in which religious activities are separated from other commitments. Even if they consider themselves Christian, they are unlikely to...
by Jake Sorenson, PhD | Oct 22, 2013 | Generalities
This past weekend, I attended my very first academic conference. I was nervous not only because I did not quite know what to expect from a group of “academics” but also because I was scheduled to present a paper. Since the main goal of pursuing my PhD is...
by Jake Sorenson, PhD | Oct 15, 2013 | The Logic of Camp
In diverse studies on emerging adult religiosity, three essential factors consistently rise to the top as important for lasting faith formation: relationships, internalization of faith, and incorporation of faith into daily living. These factors align remarkably with...
by Jake Sorenson, PhD | Oct 14, 2013 | Camp Research, The Logic of Camp
Christian outdoor ministry is an incredibly understudied field. As scholarly attention increases in the fields of youth ministry and emerging adult ministry, camp is conspicuously absent from nearly every study. Evidence for camp’s effectiveness is left largely to...