Christianity and National Parks: Seeing God in Nature-Based Experiences

Jackson, Sarah

ABSTRACT: To unveil the multilayered experiences which Christians undergo when engaging in nature-based experiences, this research utilized a multidimensional approach to address and further comprehend the characteristics of these moments. Specifically, this research aimed to understand how Christians experience God within nature-based experiences and further how tenets within the structure and expressions associated with their religious belief system address the overarching phenomena and associated lenses. Through the content of the primary phenomena, the lenses which were of focus include investigations concerning the extrinsic composition of these experiences (i.e., presence or absence of individuals, natural contexts and involved surroundings, and engaged religious expressions (i.e., prayer, worship, and using biblical- or religious-based resources)) and how this brought forth intrinsic outcomes as a result (i.e., descriptions regarding experiencing God and influence in solidifying or transforming the environmental mindset of Christians). As a result, this research was completed in a cumulative manner which involves three ventures which act as independent studies while collectively contributing to an overall, enhanced understanding of the complexity of the experienced phenomena primarily in situ (i.e., in nature as defined by NPS units) and ex situ as well (i.e., potential completion of pro-environmental behaviors). Further, this research involved three distinct research questions to inform the progression of this compound endeavor and they include: 1) “How, if at all, do Christians experience God in national parks during communal or group-based ventures?”, 2) “How, if at all, do Christians experience God in national parks during moments of solitude?”, and 3) “How do Christians experiencing God in national parks describe their environmental mindset?”....