Crafting Theology: Toward a Theory of Literacy Smiths

摘要: This ethnography focuses on the literacy practices of Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Waco (UUWaco), a liberal faith-based community whose congregation includes members with various religious beliefs. To learn about this community’s practices, I collected discourse-based interviews and participant-observations. My findings suggest that since UUWaco do not endorse one set creed, they create their own theologies while relying what have come to call “multi-religious literacy,” or in-depth understanding multiple religions texts, through which craft new, individualized theologies. Guided by Deborah Brandt’s “literacy sponsors” Alanna Frost’s stewards,” propose new term describe members, smiths.” Literacy smiths are people who seek out variety sponsors then borrow aspects these sponsors’ literacies unique discourse community. provides lens scholars can view in communities, classrooms, workplaces.