Biblical times were saturated with prophets and saints, devotees lining the streets to praise the messiah but now, people go to church in jeans. What I have gathered from this past week in class is that religion is not dying, it’s changing. How this change is impacting communities is what I hope to learn more about. The world has never been more interconnected before. All around the globe individuals have access to geographically new religions, ideas, and philosophies, giving way to new religious movements that integrate different religious traditions. Maybe people think religion is fading because Sunday mass is increasingly harder to recognize. As was reflected in our class population religious affiliation has decreased, and spirituality has become more individualistic. Religion seems to be a structure of worship, and spirituality seems to be an accumulation of experiences used to create one’s unique individual belief system. While sharing our stories, I was most intrigued to hear about family dynamics in regards to religion, how a student was attracted to their parents’ belief system or ventured far away. Personally I think school played a larger role in helping me solidify my beliefs, but most students referenced their parents religious experience to explain their own experiences and current conclusion. In the end the bible is a book of stories, but the people who practice a related religion are independent and free willed individuals who go beyond the words inscribed in an old book.