United in Worship: A Case Study of Belonging in The Christian Community

Christian churches have historically adopted different models of belonging: some are united by creed, some by language, and some by charismatic leaders. There is also often a difference between the declared model of belonging and actual practice. In this paper I would like to briefly trace a development of belonging in Christian history and point to a renewed attention to one particular model of belonging that emerged in several places in the 20th and 21st century -- belonging based on common worship. I then describe how this model of belonging works in practice in the Christian Community, Movement for Religious Renewal.