Luann Cooley

Discipling Sisters: How Women Learn the Culture of a Conservative Christian Church Luann Cooley

The study of religious social movements is of particular concern as the fundamentalist worldview has increasingly insinuated itself into all areas of society and its institutions, and has influenced individual and collective expectations for women. This qualitative study examines how women learn the culture of a highly authoritarian, patriarchal church. It describes the process by which women are integrated into the church and how their identities are affected through membership. A desire to have a relationship with God opened each woman to initial contact by a church member who facilitated the acceptance of the Bible as an authority, commitment to the church, and exclusive participation in church activities. The women changed in response to what they learned about being a disciple of the church and a woman in the church. Desire and authority defined the boundaries of their learning. Deliberate participation in core activities anchored each in the group identity. Identities were constructed through social interaction, in response to social isolation and from others moderating access to power; however, the practice of the theology of submission created identity conflict.