Received: from frosty.irss.unc.edu (frosty.irss.unc.edu [152.2.32.82])
          by csf.Colorado.EDU (8.8.4/8.8.4/CNS-4.1p-nh) with SMTP
	  id JAA22376 for <socgrad@csf.colorado.edu>; Thu, 9 Oct 1997 09:44:26 -0600 (MDT)
Received: from polldata.irss.unc.edu (polldata.irss.unc.edu [152.2.32.8]) by frosty.irss.unc.edu (8.6.12/8.6.10) with SMTP id LAA11199 for <socgrad@csf.colorado.edu>; Thu, 9 Oct 1997 11:43:11 -0400
Message-Id: <199710091543.LAA11199@frosty.irss.unc.edu>
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 11:36:31 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)
From: dhsikkin@frosty.irss.unc.edu (David Sikkink)
To: socgrad@csf.colorado.edu
Subject: Re: Promises, Promises, Promises
In-Reply-To: <19971008.130508.10654.0.klmckinney@juno.com>; from "dhsikkin" at Thu Oct 09 11:36:31 1997
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET="US-ASCII"

Karen,

Yours is an interesting hypothesis, though I would like to see some data to back
it up.  Another possibility is that Promise Keepers is not a "conservative"
force within "conservative" churches, but increases the influence of the
charismatic movement within "conservative" churches. For example, the Promise
Keepers movement affirms spiritual oneness and denigrates
denominational/institutional divisions.  For many "conservative" denominations
and churches, especially fundamentalist and Pentecostal ones, that could have a
far different effect than you suspect.  

At least, we need to look at several different levels to get a sense of the
overall effect of PK on religion and gender in America. 

David  

PS:  Another smaller concern I have with your thesis is that it discounts
possible conflict within "conservative" churches over the "emerging PK power
elite."  Seems that there must be other institutional dynamics within each
church that lead to various outcomes when the PKers come home to roost (or rule,
as the case may be ;-)).


-- Begin original message --

> From: klmckinney@juno.com
> Date: Wed, 8 Oct 1997 13:05:02 -0400
> Subject: Re: Promises, Promises, Promises
> To: Sociology Graduate Students -- International 
> <socgrad@csf.colorado.edu>
> Reply-To: socgrad@csf.colorado.edu
> 
> It must not be overlooked that while men make their 
> promises in the
> context of a mass rally, most attend with other men from 
> their home
> congregation.   These men form strong social bonds with 
> one another, and
> when leadership positions open up, they look from within 
> their small
> group to fill these vacancies.  
>          This results in already very conservative 
> congregations adopting
> an even more conservative agenda.  Those who are outside 
> the Promise
> Keepers clique have little chance of influencing policy 
> within the
> church.  It also results in fewer women being in 
> leadership positions.   
> 
> 
> Karen L.McKinney
> Ph.D. candidate
> University of Minnesota
> klmckinney@juno.com
> 

-- End original message --


_____________________________
David Sikkink
Dept of Sociology
CB 3210, 155 Hamilton Hall
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
919/962-0514