Page |152 these portrayals are rooted in the mind, purpose, or intention.” Our different aspects of human connections, network sidestepped this question from and each is grounded in a social context. the beginning, focusing instead on Social connection can be intimate, related matters such as the consequences relational, or collective. For the member of believing in such a mind, and of of the Vineyard Church, connection with seeing into that mind, for the one doing God is an intimate two-way relationship, the divining. while in Jonathan Edwards’s sermon in . . ar Those are questions amenable to the Great Awakening, the connection is ‘Ban er F : . empirical investigation, and it is at that relational and involves the coherence (or ; . ges . ; juncture that we can see benefit from our lack of it) of the individual with God’s . . halt a : discussions. As Berntson says, “beliefs approval. And the Christian theological . : ; . color the way we perceive the world, view of connection as a higher order can ; . ; . ; . they direct and shape our actions, and be conceived in terms of one’s belonging we 99 . wa: ; define our personalities.” Studying and within a whole that God’s constancy . debating about how they do so has been makes larger than oneself. ot , s gratifying and immensely enjoyable. While religion certainly speaks to We have engaged in no theological individual connection to others and to debate, but have focused on questions the divine, religious practices can also about human beings, their beliefs, their serve an evolutionary and social function behaviors, and how those things affect by strengthening the human capacity for and are affected by multiple levels of attending to the personhood of those human connection. who are sick and diminished. The H . nearer . ; Ow we conceptualize our objectivity of medical science all too : ‘ : . ; relationships to persons and things often leads to an objectification of the . a ds ad ; . outside our selves has implications