Luther Seminary Digital Commons @ Luther Seminary Doctor of Philosophy Theses Student Theses 2016 A Theological Playground: Christian Summer Camp in Theological Perspective Jacob Sorenson Luther Seminary Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.luthersem.edu/phd_theses Part of the Christianity Commons, and the Practical Theology Commons Recommended Citation Sorenson, Jacob, "A Theological Playground: Christian Summer Camp in Theological Perspective" (2016). Doctor of Philosophy Theses. Paper 4. This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Theses at Digital Commons @ Luther Seminary. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctor of Philosophy Theses by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Luther Seminary. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A THEOLOGICAL PLAYGROUND: CHRISTIAN SUMMER CAMP IN THEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE by JACOB SORENSON A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Luther Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of The Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA 2016 © 2016 by Jacob Sorenson All rights reserved LUTHER SEMINARY ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA PH.D. THESIS Title of Thesis: A Theological Playground: Christian Summer Camp in Theological Perspective Author: Jacob Sorenson Thesis committee: Thesis Adviser Date ABSTRACT A Theological Playground: Christian Summer Camp in Theological Perspective by Jacob Sorenson Christian camping ministry is a vibrant and well-established form of ministry in the church, but it has received shockingly little scholarly attention. Supporters and detractors alike rely on anecdotal evidence to support their claims. Many in the academic community have dismissed camp as theologically shallow or mere fun and games, while others have praised it as a form of ministry proven to facilitate life-changing experiences. Much of the confusion comes from conflating very different models of camping ministry, though most is the result of a simple dearth of scholarly research. This project takes a close look at the rich history of Christian camping ministry in America and its treatment in the scholarly literature. This examination reveals some of the sources of the stereotypes and guides the project toward a deep empirical approach that goes beyond anecdotes. Voices from philosophy, psychology, interpersonal neurobiology, and theology guide the discussion and focus attention on the human subjects who are united in community at camp. Participants come to the camp environment from different contextual realities, and their bodily wisdom (habitus) must be taken into account as they make meaning from their encounters at camp. Through the project, the reality of God’s ongoing activity in the world is taken seriously and explored, specifically through person-to-person interaction and the praxis of ministry. This project includes the most extensive study to date of Christian camping ministry, and it focuses specifically on Mainline Protestant camping with strong ties to ii congregational ministries. The camp experience does not function on its own but rather as part of a complex web of meaning making in the life of each individual participant. The ambitious empirical approach takes a broad look at Christian camping ministry with a survey of more than three hundred camps. These data are used to consider the pedagogical and theological priorities of camping ministry alongside those of other educational ministries in the church, specifically confirmation ministry. Four site visits at camps in different denominations add depth to the rich quantitative data and help provide a working model to understand the camp experience. The camp participants themselves are given the opportunity to characterize their experiences. The project defines Christian camp as a set apart space that facilitates relational encounter between the self, the other, and God. Camps are considered places of ministry and deep theological reflection. They are characterized as theological playgrounds, where participants are free to explore their beliefs in the safety of a nurturing Christian community and are awakened to a hyperawareness of God’s activity in the world. The experience itself does not function in a single way but rather differently for each unique individual. There is strong evidence, however, that the encounters common at camp often precipitate measurable and lasting change in the lives of participants. The greatest overall impact is in facilitating ongoing connection to Christian community, including congregational ministries. A model for understanding transformation through the camp experience is proposed, along with pragmatic steps for future research and for improving camping ministries. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are many people without whom this project would not be possible. I want to offer special thanks to my thesis advisor, Andrew Root, for his consistent support throughout my degree program, keen insights that helped us both consider camping ministry more deeply, and for teaching me the importance of getting things done. Thank you to my readers, Alvin Luedke and Roland Martinson, for making me a better researcher and helping to keep my project grounded in the life and ministry of the church. Many other faculty members at Luther Seminary have supported me along the way. I want to especially thank Terri Elton, who believed in the value of this project from the beginning and accompanied me at every stage of the journey. I was privileged to participate with a tremendous group of scholars on the Confirmation Project, and their support helped make this project what it is. Thank you to Richard Osmer, Kenda Dean, Lisa Kimball, Reginald Blount, and Gordon Mikoski who, along with Dr. Elton, believed that camping ministry deserved a place in scholarly discussions and gave me the opportunity to demonstrate it. Thank you to my fellow research assistants who worked with me on the project. Most especially, thank you to Katherine Douglass for guiding our team and focusing our efforts. I want to thank my camping colleagues who have supported me in my ministry and in this project. There are many campers, summer staff members, and directors who walked with me in the mud and the sun. I cannot name them all, but they are in my heart, iv and their voices speak through this project. I want to especially acknowledge Bryan and Aric, the Sugar Creek Bible Camp counselors who mentored me in my childhood camping experiences and started me on this path. I also owe special thanks to Joel Abenth and Dick Iverson, two of the church’s most faithful ministers, who hired me as a summer staff member, instilled in me the values of camping ministry, and have continued supporting me throughout my work on this project. They are among the many camping ministers whose words could express better than mine the value of this ministry, if only their schedules allowed them to sit still long enough. Of all my camping ministry colleagues, friends, and mentors, no one deserves greater thanks for the success of this endeavor than Paul Hill. He helped me to discern the path of scholarship while I was still working at camp, and he has been a steadfast supporter when others were dismissive. He has provided valuable advice and feedback, and he has opened doors to new opportunities and relational connections. Thank you, Paul, for your partnership in ministry. Finally, I want to thank my family. They have been incredibly supportive through this long process, and they are the ones who have kept me grounded. Thank you to my parents for always being there and supporting me. Thank you to my two amazing boys, Elijah and Nathanael, who have constantly reminded me of the importance of play and have kept me smiling through this journey. I remember the value of the playground because of you. The greatest thanks of all goes to my wife Anna. She always took time to read my work, offer valuable feedback, and sharpen my ideas. She kept working and supporting our family while I played at camps across the country. She is a wonderful minister, a great scholar, and an amazing partner. Thank you. v TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................. x LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................. xi 1. AN INVITATION TO PLAY ....................................................................................... 1 The Tower and the Island ..................................................................................... 1 Orientation: The Playground ................................................................................ 2 What is Camp? .............................................................................................. 3 Relationship as a Theological Starting Point ................................................ 9 Camp Rules: A Note on Interdisciplinarity ........................................................ 10 A Rough Schedule for our Journey .................................................................... 13 2. HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN SUMMER CAMP ........................................................ 17 Setting the Stage: 19th Century Antecedents to the Summer Camp Movement . 19 The