Marginalization and Legitimization Within the Catalyst Fight Church Community
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Marginalization and Legitimization within the Catalyst Fight Church Community by Patrick Allan Thomas A Thesis In Anthropology Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF ARTS Approved Dr. Lauren Griffith Chair of Committee Dr. Jeffrey Williams Dr. Tanya Calamoneri Mark Sheridan Dean of Graduate School May 2018 Copyright 2018, Patrick Thomas Texas Tech University, Patrick Thomas, May 2018 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank Dr. Lauren Griffith, without her help and guidance I would not have been able to produce this work. I would also like to thank the remaining members of my committee, both Dr. Calamoneri and Dr. Williams for helping me during the punctuated time frame. Furthermore, I would like to thank the entire SASW department for allowing to be a part of this program to continue my education. I would also like to thank Aaron Brodersen for helping me with the editing process. Finally, I would like to thank my beautiful fiancé Madison Sommers, for giving me the support, love, and affection that pushed me to continue through difficult aspects of the project. ii Texas Tech University, Patrick Thomas, May 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.....................................................................................ii ABSTRACT...........................................................................................................iv I. INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................1 Justification of work...................................................................................10 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................................................................17 III. MARGINALIZING THE CATALYST.......................................................30 Christian Marginalization...........................................................................30 Martial Arts Marginalization......................................................................42 The Interesting Influence of Participant #2................................................46 IV. LEGITIMIZING THE CATALYST ..........................................................57 Participation as a means of Legitimization................................................64 Efficacy as a means of Legitimization.......................................................72 V. MODERN MUSCULAR CHRISTIANITY..................................................78 Mind and Body Harmony...........................................................................85 A Shift in Preaching...................................................................................92 Justifications for Violence and the Story of Jacob.....................................96 VI. CONCLUSION............................................................................................103 Limitations...............................................................................................112 Implications..............................................................................................114 GLOSSARY OF PARTICIPANTS .................................................................120 BIBLIOGRAPHY..............................................................................................126 APPENDIX I ......................................................................................................130 iii Texas Tech University, Patrick Thomas, May 2018 ABSTRACT The “fight church” is a relatively new phenomenon in which a Christian church, usually Evangelical or new Protestant institution, is combined with a Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) gym. This is a modern construction of previous Muscular Christianity movements, which uses spectacle as a way to convert potential new members. Similarly, fight churches, like the Catalyst of Springfield, Missouri, use the spectacle of martial arts and combat sports performance as the conversion feature. However, with the combination of two seemingly incompatible behaviors within the Catalyst space, aspects of the surrounding community have marginalized the group, which in turn has its own dictated path of hierarchy and marginalization. Within this space, the community perceives that they are segmented from the larger regional Christian groups by their inclusion of MMA, and similarly, the regional MMA community not associated with the Catalyst does not understand how connecting martial arts training and Christian observance would be beneficial to either aspect. Despite the Catalyst community perceiving marginalization, they also marginalize within their own community. However, ways for legitimization exists within the institution, allowing for those who appear to be in violation of group identity markers to participate in full capacity. Overall, this work is an ethnographic study of a fight church community viewing aspects of marginalization and the navigation of marginalization through legitimization. This is done through the use of habitus as both topic and tool, as iv Texas Tech University, Patrick Thomas, May 2018 dictated by Loïc Wacquant. This allows for both enculturation with the group and the garnering of rapport with the host community. v Texas Tech University, Patrick Thomas, May 2018 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The non-denominational Christian church known as the Catalyst is housed within the city of Springfield, Missouri and rests within a field of marginalized influence. Springfield lies within the traditionally conservative region of Southern Missouri and the participants in the facility mirror this conservative sentiment. Roughly, two hundred thousand people inhabit the city with a significant employer for the city being some form of government work, especially with the looming coal power facility visible whenever fog or smoke does not obfuscate the view. Multiple universities reside within city limits including Drury, Missouri State University, and Springfield Bible College. Over 50 churches exist in Springfield, with the Assembly of Christ advertising over fifteen thousand individuals participating weekly. This sentiment of manual, or blue-collar labor being the primary type of work for the city came from interaction with respondents of the Catalyst facility. Anecdotally, there are many tourist type attractions near Springfield. This includes the Fantastic Caverns, Branson, Silver Dollar City, and the large Bass Pro Shop facility – which includes the Wonder of Nature, a museum or zoo like experience held within the store. The Catalyst has multiple facilities and programs housed within the large rectangular building. This is apparent on the large sign before entering the parking lot which advertises the Catalyst church, as well as the Hybrid Martial Arts facility, which is the sports facility attached to the church. The church is an unassuming, two-story 1 Texas Tech University, Patrick Thomas, May 2018 building with the only symbolic identifiers towards Christianity being the steeple present on the roof, and the two crosses present, one on top of the sign before entering the parking lot and the other large cross resting gently on the side of the church building. However, the large brick exterior does not reiterate the typical design characterized by a church facility, as very few religious identifiers exist in the design for the exterior of the building. This is reinforced with the corrugated steel roof for both sides of the facility. An atom design with two electrons, known as “the Catalyst” is the symbol for the institution, as opposed to the traditional cross or Crucifix design typically associated with Christian practice and worship. The community associated with the Catalyst has accepted combining aspects of their religious observance, to include aspects of martial arts training as their chosen church is directly connected to a martial arts facility, which includes the recent combat sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Furthermore, some participants and instructors interact with both portions of facility in a mutually beneficial capacity. The Catalyst and Hybrid Martial Arts community have created a space where an elective affinity group who believes they are marginalized by larger local Christian groups, as well as being segmented from the local MMA community meet and participate at a degree which is acceptable to the individual. In addition, the facility illuminates how these new fight church constructions use the foundations of previous Muscular Christianity movements by treating the martial arts portion of the facility in what is described as a conversion tool within a vertically integrated system. 2 Texas Tech University, Patrick Thomas, May 2018 During my time at the Catalyst, construction work was being done on the building. There is no carpet or tiling present on the main floor of the church, revealing the concrete foundation with previously dried glue still clinging to visitor’s shoes. Much of the indoor décor is wooden paneling, especially on the main stage, where the Catalyst symbol is prominently burned into this paneling. With the facility being renovated, drywall is present in different spaces throughout the building – indicating further that the facility is in a position of flux and growth. The second floor consists of large rooms that can be used for activities or schooling. These rooms are carpeted, with seemingly older carpet – suggesting that this material may have been used for the bottom floor as well. This is confirmed when seeing the same gray