Date: Wed, 15 Feb 1995 15:59:17 -0800 (PST)
From: Scott London <london@rain.org>
Subject: SHARING THE JOURNEY by Robert Wuthnow


Book review:
~~~~~~~~~~~~

SHARING THE JOURNEY:
Support Groups and America's New Quest for Comunity
By Robert Wuthnow
The Free Press, 1994, 463 pages


This book examines the burgeoning small-group movement that has been
effecting what Wuthnow sees as a "quiet revolution" in American
society.  While involvement in associations has always been a
distinct feature of American life, the number of people joining small
groups has grown dramatically in recent years.  Today forty percent of
all Americans -- some 75 million adults -- belong to a small group
"that meets regularly and provides caring and support for its members."  
These groups range from twelve-step programs such as
Alcoholics Anonymous and Bible study groups to book clubs and singles
gatherings.  

Wuthnow's guiding thesis is that the current interest in small groups "is
a response both to the intense yearning for the sacred that characterizes
the American people and to the breakdown of communities, neighborhoods,
families, and other sources of personal support."  As a result, small
groups are having a significant impact on our society by changing our
understanding of community and redefining spirituality.  In view of the
stereotype of Americans as "lonely, self-interested individualists
suffering from isolation, disrupted families, a lack of friends, and
difficulty in establishing intimate relationships," Wuthnow notes
that the small-group movement offers a rather different image of our
society.  The large number of people who are involved in small groups, the
depth of their involvement, the extent of their caring for each other, and
even the degree to which they reach out to others in the wider community
all suggest that the social fabric has not unraveled nearly to the extent
that many critics have suggested, he says. 

Nevertheless, small groups tend to ultimately reinforce, rather than
challenge, the individualism and fragmentation of contemporary
society, he suggests.  Today's groups give members a sense of
belonging without any of the obligations of old-fashioned communities. 
As such, they foster a watered-down notion of community that is
convenient and virtually free of commitment of any kind.  The secret
of the small-group movement's success, he explains, is that it
provides a sense of caring and community but without asking too much
of its members in return.

Although small groups have been founded and nurtured by a wide variety
of organizations, ranging from hospitals and businesses to civic
organizations, foundations, and community centers, Wuthnow observes
that the vast majority of them owe their existence to the church. 
Today more than half of all small groups in the United States are
devoted to religion and spirituality.

One of the distinct features of the small-group movement is the sense
of mutuality and support that comes from sharing personal experiences. 
Story-telling tends to be the predominant form of small-group
discourse, Wuthnow notes, for stories provide a way for people to turn
private experiences into collective events.

Although small groups provide friendships, forums for discussing
values, and links with the wider community for millions of Americans,
the movement is nevertheless "a distinct product of our times,"
according to Wuthnow.  "We want community, but nothing very binding. 
We want spirituality, but we prefer the sacred to serve us instead of
requiring our service."  To date, he concludes "we have probably
gotten more from the small-group movement than we have been encouraged
to give in return."


                                   Scott London * london@rain.org