Pines over pews : the spiritual experience of campers who do not attend church in The United Church of Canada

Abstract

“Pines over Pews: The Spiritual Experience of Campers Who Do Not Attend Church in The United Church of Canada” is a research project by Alicia Dawn Cox, submitted March 26, 2015, in partial fulfillment of the Masters of Divinity degree at the Atlantic School of Theology in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This qualitative, phenomenological study seeks to explore the spiritual experience of United Church of Canada campers who do not attend church. Five people with three or more years of camping experience were interviewed from across Canada. Through a review of literature, theological exploration, and data provided by the participants, this essay will explore relevant themes of the spiritual experiences of these campers. Implications and limitations of these findings will be explored as to how they might impact The United Church of Canada and its’ camps.