Meaning creation in religious and spiritual cultures: A biographical cross-case analysis of Catholicism and the New Age

This dissertation uses a biographical cross-case analysis to analyze how communication plays a role in how two particular individuals construct their religion/spirituality. It is my contention that different types of religions and spiritualities become their own individual cultures, and through communication, these cultures help individuals create their sense of reality. The purpose is three-fold. First, I argue that since religion/spirituality is central to human existence, an examination of the relationship between religious messages and the people of the cultures that create them is warranted. Second, studying how people interpret and/or create messages from their religious/spiritual cultures could help scholars understand the phenomenon of how communication plays a role in people coming to the decision to leave their religion or to stay. Finally, the last purpose is to study communication using a biographical-cross case analysis (with a feminist theme). This method allows researchers to study the notion of process in communication. The individuals whom I used for this study are two sisters who grew up as strong Catholics. One was a nun for five years and remained a Catholic most of her life, but now she practices New Age spirituality. The other sister has always, and still does, practice Catholicism faithfully. Because these two women grew up in the same family, I examine how communication with others has had an impact on the development of their religion/spirituality. From examining the life histories of these two individuals, I find that while communication helps us create and interpret our reality, how a message is communicated, or the content and form of the reality, is a major factor in whether a message appeals to an individual. This demonstrates why communication is so vital to any human society; it helps create perceptions of reality. Finally, I conclude that, perhaps the religions of the world are not as different as they first appear; the difference lies in communication