Showing papers on "Religious organization published in 1983"

The Economics of Symbols, Clan Names, and Religion

Abstract: Standard theories of exchange depict trade as an impersonal exchange between anonymous partners. Jevons’s (1871) “Law of Indifference,” in particular, emphasizes the impersonality of transactions: it is a matter of indifference to the buyer or the seller with whom they do business provided that they obtain the same (homogeneous) commodity at the same price. For a world of contract certainty, this is an acceptable theory. In a world of contract uncertainty, however, it is no longer a matter of indifference with whom one trades.

Patterns of Religious Disaffiliation: A Study of Lifelong Mormons, Mormon Converts, and Former Mormons

Abstract: Disaffiliation from fast-growing religious organizations has received comparatively little research attention. Yet, all groups do experience some loss of membership either through members leaving to join other religions or through their termination of formal religious involvement altogether. We examine patterns of religious disaffiliation from the Mormon Church by focusing on religious attitudes and behavior of former Mormons and by comparing them with currently affiliated Mormons (both lifelong members and converts) and with members of other major religious groups. The most typical pattern of disaffiliation for Mormons is to "drop out" of religious participation altogether. Disaffiliates of all types (including those who switch to another religious faith) exhibit lower levels of religiosity than do both lifelong Mormons and Mormon converts.

Maintaining the Faith during College: A Study of Campus Religious Group Participation

Abstract: A four year longitudinal study of religious stability and change in a sample of college students (primarily University of Utah) supported previous research indicating that students generally become less religiously orthodox during college. The scales used were developed by Faulkner and DeJong and Thurstone and Chave. Campus religious group participation was found to be an important variable related to stability and change. Students who joined campus religious organizations were religiously more homogeneous and more orthodox upon entering college than those who did not join campus religious organizations. The college experience was related to a further accentuation of the initial difference in orthodoxy. Religious group participants tended to increase while the nonparticipants tended to decrease. The data also indicate college friendships are linked to campus religious organizations, suggesting the importance of peer as well as organizational support for religious maintenance.

The green revolution and cultural change in a Punjab village 1965-1978.

Abstract: This paper describes the main outlines of the green revolution in 1 Indian village between 1965 and 1978. The green revolution began in Punjab in 1965. Based on research and development at the Punjab Agricultural University cultivation of new high yielding varieties of food grain was introduced. The changes in the general cultural systems in the village found in 1978 are described. The "concrete" systems include the ecology the division of labor and the economy. Ideological systems detailed are the concepts and usages of kinship of the Sikh religion and of political parties. The village ecology was never totally self sufficient. However in 1965 it was closer to being self contained than in 1978. Agricultural production and marketing occurred within the village itself but in 1978 it was carried out by interdependent factors not necessarily from the same village. The bulk of agricultural labor is provided by the poorer and less educated villagers. The green revolution has resulted in outmigration of wealthier and better educated people from the villages due to accumulation of capital. New cooperative institutions have reorganized agricultural credit capital and produce. These provide increased economic security and allow the farmers to assume developmental risk. The coops protect the farmers interest in credit marketing and product prices. The farmers are aware of legal developments. There is a limit to the land a farmer can possess. They divide the land among their sons whenever possible. The Sikh religion predominates in the village. The introduction of modern farming technology has been accompanied by an intensification of traditional religious concepts. Sikh religious organizations have played a role in the linguistic division of the state in politics and in the government. Judging from all these changes it is evident that there has been positive gain in both ecological and economic terms despite inflation accompanied by equity and political stability. Success is attributed to positive attitudes of the farmers and the states organizational abilities.

Factors Accounting for Variations Over Time in Voluntary Support for Colleges and Universities.

Abstract: Today, institutions of higher education continue to be dependent on voluntary support. In 1979-80, total voluntary support to higher education institutions was $3.8 billion, with 55.8 percent earmarked for current operations and the remainder for capital purposes. Most of this support came from foundations (24.2 percent), alumni (23.7 percent), nonalumni private parties (22.2 percent), and business corporations (18.2 percent); religious organizations (4.1 percent) and all other sources (7.6 percent) accounted for the remainder.1 Approximately 20 percent of independent and 4 percent of public institution income was classified as coming from private gifts and grants.2 The current financial climate throughout higher education, marked by a relative decline in financial resources available to institutions, has highlighted the importance of voluntary support. In

Foundation Myths of the Two Denominations of Vīraśaivism: Viraktas and Gurusthalins

Abstract: Vīraśaivism is usually presented as a unified, sectarian, reformation movement founded in the twelfth century by Basava But within Virasaivism there are actually two, separate denominations—viraktas and gurusthalins For the former, the beliefs and practices reflected in the Basava legend serve as norms for their sectarian-type religious organization In contrast, gurusthalins derive norms for their basically ecclesiastical organization from the timeless myths of five great gurus Hence the two accounts of origins serve as legitimizing and normative etiologies for competitive denominations divided by fundamentally different visions of how Virasaivism should be organized and what ideals it should propagate

Parish Autonomy: Measuring Denominational Differences

Abstract: This study examines the utility of a multidimensional scale of formal authority in assessing the relationship of denominational structure and local church activities. The scale is compared with two typologies of formal polity which are often used in studying religious organizations, and is found to have greater predictive power and more potential to discriminate between denominations than either of the typologies. The analysis includes a discussion of how congregational/denominational power relationships might affect local church participation in different sectors of the local interorganizational network.

Religious leaders as policy advocates: the youngstown steel mill closing

Abstract: Religious organizations have always played a major role in the formulations of public policy. In the case of plant closings and mass unemployment, religious organizations have always assumed a leadership role in comforting and caring for workers and families under distress from job loss. Recently, religious organizations have broken from this traditional role to become advocates and actors in the politics of plant closings, economic development, and worker ownership. In this article, the efforts of religious organizations spawned by the closing of Youngstown Sheet and Tube are examined.

A follow-up study on epidemic infections of Group A streptococci in a small community.

Abstract: The throat carrier rates of Group A streptococci and the antibody titers to 3 antigens of Group A streptococci, i.e., antistreptolysin O (ASO), antideoxyribonuclease B (ADN-B) and antistreptococcal polysaccharide (ASP) were followed up from October, 1980 through November, 1981 for the children living in a religious organization in Kyoto, where epidemic infections of Group A streptococci had occurred from August to October, 1980. The recovery rate of Group A streptococci from the throat increased throughout the present study period, and the high carrier rate of Group A streptococci was maintained especially for first 8 months after the epidemic infection. Type 4 was present throughout the entire 13-month period. Although the ASO and ADN-B titers, both of which had initially risen, decreased during the present study period, the ASP levels peaked after about 4-8 months and decreased after 13 months. None of the children showed evidence of rheumatic fever with continuous observation.

A Research Director's Perspective of the Issue of the Neglect of Churches in Voluntary Action Research

Abstract: The central thesis of Dr. Smith's paper is affirmed by this respondent, "Contemporary empirical research and theory on voluntary associations as organizations generally ignore religion and religious institutions." However, it is the conclusion of this respondent that Dr. Smith's corollary thesis needs to be expanded to include that research in most areas of sociology pays little or no, attention to) the theory and empirical results of voluntary action research. Due to, the modest documentation of Dr. Smith's literature search, I made a broader and equally unscientific study of a dozen professional journals to which I have subscribed for at least the last decade. My review included: American Journal of Sociology, American Sociological Review, Social Forces, Sociological Quarterly, The Annals, Daedalus, American Behavioral Scientist, Urban Affairs Quarterly, Urban Life, as well as my favorites, Review of Religious Research, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, and Sociological Analysis. Out of more than 15,000 entries in my cross-reference card file, less than 500 directly associate with the religious concerns of voluntary action research (several thousand indirectly relate to general religious concerns). Of this small number, less than 40 are found under the topic "voluntary associations" that reference a journal other than RRR, JSSR or Sociological Analysis. From my perspective as a research director, the best empirical research and theoretical work related to religious organizations in keeping with the traditions of voluntary action research and theory have occurred in these three journals. This is said not to belittle the concerns of Dr. Smith but to underscore the fact (at least as I perceive it) that the primary channels for the dissemination of new sociological insight carry little substantive information regarding the subject of religious organization within the subfield of voluntary associations. Too often when articles do appear they focus on aberrant cults rather than the more typical expressions of organized religion. I must confess that my initial response when I first read the statement that is before this panel was, "So what? Churches are ignored in many other intellectual pursuits too." Then I became very serious about the issue, not because it is inherently critical but because it is representative of three larger issues: (1) the theoretical integrity of our work as religious

A Paradenominational Organization Perspective on Dialogue between Voluntary Action and Religious Research Communities

Abstract: Smith's (1981) thesis that churches and church participation have been ignored in voluntary action research is further supported. The point is made further that parareligious or paradenominational organizations have been ignored by both voluntary action researchers and the religious research community. Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL), a large fraternal benefit society, is described as one example of a paradenominational organization. Research staff in this organization have been involved in research issues related to both of these disciplines because AAL contains elements of both a religious organization and a national voluntary organization. Unfortunately, very few studies have sought to incorporate voluntary action and religious behavior perspectives. Fewer have been concerned with fraternal organizations as the topic of analysis. With so little research done that combines the religious and voluntary behavior perspectives, AAL researchers have had to extrapolate heavily from studies that are only tangentially comparable to AAL's situation. Examples are given. A final suggestion is offered that the fraternal benefit society may serve as an ideal subject for collaboration by these two research communities.