Sacred Stories Spiritual Tribes Finding Religion In Everyday Life

Book Description

In a world where spirituality often feels confined to houses of worship, Nancy Tatom Ammerman reveals the sacred threads woven throughout our most ordinary moments. Through intimate conversations with ninety-five diverse Americans, this illuminating exploration uncovers how the spiritual emerges in unexpected places: around kitchen tables, in workplace conversations, during shopping trips, and in medical waiting rooms.

Drawing from a rich tapestry of voices that includes conservative and liberal Protestants, African American Christians, Catholics, Jews, Mormons, Wiccans, and those who identify as spiritually neutral, Ammerman presents a nuanced portrait of contemporary American spirituality. Her research goes beyond traditional interviews, incorporating photo exercises and oral diaries that capture the authentic ways people experience and express their spiritual lives.

Rather than focusing solely on formal religious practices, this work examines how individuals from vastly different backgrounds define spirituality for themselves, where they discover meaningful spiritual experiences, and how traditional religious institutions fit into their personal spiritual journeys. The result is a compelling investigation into the spaces where the everyday and the sacred intersect.

For readers seeking to understand the diverse landscape of American spirituality or hoping to recognize the spiritual dimensions within their own daily routines, this book offers valuable insights into how ordinary people navigate questions of meaning, purpose, and transcendence in contemporary life.