Showing papers in "Sociology of Religion in 1970"

Bridge Burners: Commitment and Participation in a Religious Movement

Abstract: Commitment is described in terms of four manifestations observed in the Pentecostal Movement and in other secular movements. The experiential source of commitment is suggested and two components identified: (1) a subjective experience in which the self-image is altered and some degree of cognitive restructuring occurs, and (2) an overt act which sets the performer apart from the larger society in some significant way. Measure for each of these components as they occur in the Pentecostal Movement are described and data on the correlation of each with participation in the social organization of the movement is presented. An operational definition of commitment is suggested for use in further studies.

A Criticism of Two Recent Attempts to Scale Glock and Stark's Dimensions of Religiosity: A Research Note

Abstract: By now most students of the sociology of religion are familiar with the contributions of Charles Glock and Rodney Stark to the literature on religiosity Briefly, Glock (1962) indicated the need for a multidimensional approach to religiosity and proposed five dimensions designed to be comprehensive and broadly applicable According to this scheme, individuals can be characterized in terms of religious (1) beliefs, (2) practices, (3) experiences, (4) knowledge, and (5) consequences, that is, the effects of the prior four in persons' day-to-day lives These dimensions have been elaborated (sub-dimensions) and used to assess and compare the religiosity of samples of members of various U S denominations and sects (Glock and Stark, 1965; Stark and Glock, 1968)

The Commitment Dimension

Abstract: With the end of hostility between sociology and organized religion came a new, perhaps equally serious, obstacle to a thorough analysis of the institution of religion. As they left their polemics behind, sociologists tended to limit their study to the quantifiable aspects of religion rather than the "meaning" of it, to description rather than to understanding and explanation. We must move on from the analytic levels of religious identification and participation to that of commitment, for it is here that the religious factor becomes most relevant to social behavior; and in so doing, we must structure our research to cope with this difficult dimension.

Assessing the Impact of Religion: A Critical Review

Abstract: structure. The methodological prerequisites for making such an assessment, including the criteria for valid causal inference, are described. Attempts by American social scientists to determine the impact of religion are evaluated in terms of the criteria. Most research fails to meet the minimal criteria for valid inference, much less the canons of causal inference.

The Relationship of Religious Practices and Beliefs to Schism

Abstract: The recent schism of the Serbian Orthodox Church in America provided a test situation for determining the causes of schism from field data. There were no differences in religious beliefs and practice between the two groups. However, differences between the feuding factions are evident in recency of migration, educational achievement, mobility in the U.S., and political party affiliation. Therefore, this schism appears to be a reflection of antagonisms of non-religious origin although expressed in religious division.

Hawks and Doves: An Analysis of a Catholic Attitude toward Nuclear War

Abstract: This article compares two groups of Catholic males: (1) Hawks--those favoring the use of nuclear weapons, and (2) Doves--those finding use of such weapons morally unjustifiable.Employing factor analysis and related techniques, the groups were compared on a battery of 42 variables. An eight-factor profile was developed for each group. The goal was to focus maximum attention on the differences between Hawks and Doves.It is suggested that three of the dimensions were of primary importance in determining selection of the Dove position: (1) satisfaction with reality; (2) strong parental religious influence--especially maternal; and (3) a positive and active religious commitment and identification. On the other hand, becoming a Hawk was attributed to: (1) sociocultural dissatisfaction; (2) socioreligious rejection; and (3) adherence to an ideological substitute for religion--political conservatism.

Secularization as Loss of Social Control: Toward a New Theory

Abstract: The multiplicity of theories of secularization can be grouped into three general theoretical orientations: those which point to loss of bases of religion, those which note alterations in religious expression, and those which stress loss of religious social control. Most of these attempts are either vague, incomplete, or untested. The theory developed attempts to explain secularization in terms of social control in a way that is empirically testable. The theory establishes typologies of social control and religion. Religious groups are classified on a continuum from traditional to non-traditional based on the belief, practices, and denominationalism of individuals. Social control is classified as public or private, depending on which areas of life are influenced. It is then hypothesized that a traditional religious orientation is positively related to religious influence in the private sector, while a non-traditional religious orientation is related to influence in the public sector.

Description and Theory: A Plea for Cooperation

Abstract: Sociological research consists at the present time predominantly in the investigation of the quantitative dimensions traceable in the field. This is a necessary and fruitful undertaking, but it should not be allowed to become an end in itself. Rather than as a point of arrival, it should be considered as a point of departure. Even the information to which it leads will only teach us what it can teach us, if we see it in the light of a comprehensive cultural interpretation.