The pattern of religious institution in the northwest urban fringe of Omaha, Nebraska, 1968

Most writers attempt, at the outset, to define the subject of their discourse. To be certain of capturing the essence of an idea or concept, they will turn to renowned scholars and practitioners in the field and derive a composite of a wide array of views and approaches to the problem. Such an attempt In the field of religion reveals so many definitions and such variance between them, that it is soon apparent no simple definition will suffice. Is it intellectual acceptance of an idea, ideal, or code of ethics which binds men together philosophically, or is it formal membership in an organized group having proscribed dogma and ritual? 1 Is religion personal, or collective, or both? Definition, or even delimitation, of such a complex subject clearly demands the laying of groundwork to describe first the personal, emotional nature of religion, and second, its effect on society