When we first had to write an exploratory essay that is relevant in Appalachia, I chose to explore the effects of Christianity. Being raised catholic, and familiar with Christian
values, I wanted to see how big a role Christianity plays in the region of Appalachia.
Before exploring the topic of how
Christianity is present in Appalachia, I didn’t know what to expect. After
interviewing Father Mark, I was able to understand how Christianity is relevant
in Appalachia and some of the struggles that occur.
The main struggle that
Christianity faces is attendance and depth throughout the region. Appalachian
churches are much smaller than other churches in surrounding areas. The aspect
of funding is limited due to the lack of younger people and the majority of the
participation is coming from senior citizens. Most of these elderly are living
on pensions and retirement plans, which disables their opportunity to donate a
lot. However, because of smaller churches, there is a stronger sense of
community in these churches. People seem to look out and care for each other
more because there is an emphasis on the church being an extension of the
family in the Appalachian region. An example of this would be the Christian
Appalachian Project. This non-profit organization was created to serve and help
people all throughout the Appalachian region. After exploring Christianity in
Appalachia, I now am able to understand how Christianity is relevant and how it
affects the Appalachian culture.
Joe, I really like what you had to say in this blog. What you said makes sense once I read about it, but I had never thought about what having a church in a small college town would be like. It's great that they have a strong sense of community, but sad that they have barely any funding. I always see older people coming from and going to church, never younger. Another thing I was unaware of is that they have a Christian Appalachian Project. It's interesting how much you can go not knowing about Athens for four years. Job well done.
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