Do Suburbs Make for More Religion?
July 17, 2007 by francesca | permalink
I am starting to wonder whether the increase in religion in the United States has anything to do with the fact that so many Americans live in the suburbs. Does the resulting lack of contact and sense of community drive people to jump into their cars and head to regular Sunday meetings with other humans? It's just a thought. Living in London, I have grown to appreciate the community feel of former London villages, which now serve as high streets populated with retail and amenities. I can't imagine ever living in an isolated suburb. The beauty of the city neighborhood is that you can reach out and connect whenever you want to. One is not forced to use a cup of sugar as a pretext to make contact. Although religious services may not strike some of us as community-feeling, they are definitely community-oriented. What is a church, temple or mosque, but a communal place for people to feel part of something meaningful.
