Interview Report on Christianity
| Subject: | 🛕 Religion |
| Type: | Expository Essay |
| Pages: | 4 |
| Word count: | 977 |
| Topics: | ✝️ Christianity, Church, Community, 🗣️ Interview, 🕎 Theology |
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Christianity is one of the oldest and largest religions in the world. Christianity as a religion is based on the life and teaching of a Messiah, Jesus Christ, who lived on earth about 2000 years ago (Bradley, 2014). The name Christianity is derived from the Messiah as he is the cornerstone of their faith. The experience that Christians have had has been greatly attached to how and when they became Christians. From the interview there where two categories of Christians, those who willingly decided to join Christianity and those whose prevailing circumstances forced them into Christianity.
However, a great majority of the responded where those who prevailing circumstances forced them into Christianity. In this category where those who were born in a Christian family and as regards, they grew up embracing the religion. Even so, there were those who were born in a Christian family but although they did not know what to be part of it they were forced by their families and relatives into becoming Christians. For some, especially in regions where Christianity was dominant end up becoming Christians because of the influence, Christianity has in the region.
The other category of Christians was those that had undergone some personal enlightenment following some religious experience that makes them accept and became Christians willingly. These are individual with a true calling, and unlike those that are married by a Christian or surrounding circumstances forced to became a Christian, they seemed to have a stronger faith. This is partly because it was their personal opinion to decide and be part of the Christian community and partially because they received some benevolent spiritual intervention in their lives. Such conversion would have been attained at any stage of their lives.
Despite how the respondent had to become Christians, it was evident that they still had something that kept them in Christianity. There are those that after having several training sessions had come to understand and appreciate the teaching of the religion. By the time these individuals attained freedom from the outside circumstances that forced them to Christianity, they faith had already grown, and they mutually started to accept it. However, there were those whose family ties and expectation had made them stick to Christianity even if they wanted to leave. Those that drifted away from the religion were those who got influenced by other people whom they met in life (Budziszewski, 2014).
Ironically, those that were born into Christianity and had received a number of teaching were the ones who had limited faith as compared to those that were “Young in faith” as most put it, that it is those that have recently converted into Christianity. However, there were aspects of the religion that most of them still did not know. Although in the religious congregations that most confessed to attending, they are educated on various things with regards to their faith; it was evident that they still had a lot to learn. While others like most research believe Christianity is irrelevant in this era of advanced technology (Joas, 2014).
However, for some, understanding some issues like who is the Holy spirit or why God is referred to as the father was not important. All that mattered was that they lived a life that was Christ-like, emulating the life that he lived on earth 2000 years ago. Interestingly, there were those who did not know what the Apostles Creed meant. Although Christianity is based on a similar faith, there are different denomination with different fundamental beliefs. Therefore, some terms were common with a given denomination that in the other.
Interviews are among the most effective mode of data collection. Unlike questionnaires, the interview was very effective because it broadened the scope of understanding that matter in question (Phellas, Bloch, & Seale, 2001). The interviews as a tool in data collection are not structured (Bryman & Bell, 2015). Therefore, interviewers are allowed to seek for an explanation on ideas that are not clear. However, it is equally important to narrow down the scope by first doing a study. In the interview was designed for Christians but it did not take into account that there are different dominions and protestant groups within Christianity, for which some terms might mean something different or for which they are not aware. Some people develop doubts and thus seek for other faiths and doctrine (Andrews, Methuen, & Spicer, 2016). Therefore, interview needs to target a specific group to attain a more effective conclusion.
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From the interview, it was also established that the choice of words was also important. It was important not to seem as though one is impersonating one’s personal space. The question had to be restructured in accordance with the person being interviewed. It was also important at times to elaborate on what was required of the interviewee, an aspect that is difficult to attain with other methods of data collection like questionnaires. Interviews are effective tools in data collection, they offer more freedom to words choice and thus offers more comprehensive and detailed data that can be used to analyze better and present justified conclusion (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). However, it is crucial to plan for the interview based on the research objective. Questions are then framed to gather the data required.
- Andrews, F., Methuen, C., & Spicer, A. (2016). Doubting Christianity: The Church and Doubt (Vol. 52). Cambridge University Press.
- Bradley, R. (2014). The past in prehistoric societies. Routledge.
- Bryman, A., & Bell, E. (2015). Business research methods. Oxford University Press.
- Budziszewski, J. (2014). How to stay Christian in college. Tyndale House.
- Joas, H. (2014). Faith as an option: Possible futures for Christianity. Stanford University Press.
- Merriam, S. B., & Tisdell, E. J. (2015). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. John Wiley & Sons.
- Phellas, C. N., Bloch, A., & Seale, C. (2001). Structured methods: interviews, questionnaires and observation. Researching society and culture. London: Sage.
Offered for reference purposes only.