Change and Conflict in Congregations: Examining the Effects of Change on Conflict in Religious Congregations

Abstract

Religious congregations occupy a unique social space in contemporary American society. Although participation rates have declined since the 1950s, congregations continue to attract more members and resources than any other voluntary form of association. Congregations have also not been immune from the dramatic social and cultural changes in the broader society. These external changes propel many congregations to undertake structural and cultural adaptations in an effort to survive in a changing environment.This dissertation explores the relationship between change and conflict in congregations by studying a population of congregations in a dynamic environment, the American Southwest. Using conflict as the dependent variable in a binary logistic regression model, the research considers the effect on conflict of a variety of changes that occurred in these congregations over a five-year period. Controlling for classic organizational variables such as size and age, the results indicate that changing a congregation's decision-making structure and/or adding or deleting a worship service significantly correlate with conflict. Also, congregational leaders are at greater risk of leaving during or following a conflict.The findings support the assertions of conflict theory that power is a critical variable as well as neoinstitutional arguments that structure has a symbolic as well as a functional purpose in organizations. They also point to the importance of ritual in congregational worship and to the possibility that conflict is more likely when a disruption of ritual occurs. Finally, the findings suggest that leaders have a critical role in congregational change and conflict, although the reciprocal nature of that role (in both initiating change and being held responsible for it) cannot be fully uncovered. More research is needed on the nature of the relationship between worship changes and conflict in congregations, as well as on the role and function of leaders.