Pub Date : 2019-07-15DOI: 10.1163/15709256-12341383
L. Francis, A. Village, David Voas
Recent research has drawn attention to two features associated with extraversion in Anglican ministry. Extraverts are under-represented among Anglican clergy. Extravert leaders are associated with church growth. The present reanalysis of data collected within the Church Growth Research Programme from 1,372 stipendiary clergy serving in the Church of England who were aged 70 or under demonstrated that in recent decades there has been a slight tendency for the Church of England to ordain more extraverts, a feature that cannot simply be explained by the reduced numbers of Anglo-Catholics (who are more likely to be introverts) or growth in charismatic influence. This slight growth, however, has been insufficient to address what may be interpreted as covert discrimination against extraverts in selection for ordination. It is argued that a commitment to inclusivity in recruiting clergy might need to take account of psychological type characteristics of those presenting for selection as much as monitoring their ethnic background.
{"title":"The Turn Toward Extraversion: The Changing Psychological Profile of Anglican Clergy","authors":"L. Francis, A. Village, David Voas","doi":"10.1163/15709256-12341383","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341383","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Recent research has drawn attention to two features associated with extraversion in Anglican ministry. Extraverts are under-represented among Anglican clergy. Extravert leaders are associated with church growth. The present reanalysis of data collected within the Church Growth Research Programme from 1,372 stipendiary clergy serving in the Church of England who were aged 70 or under demonstrated that in recent decades there has been a slight tendency for the Church of England to ordain more extraverts, a feature that cannot simply be explained by the reduced numbers of Anglo-Catholics (who are more likely to be introverts) or growth in charismatic influence. This slight growth, however, has been insufficient to address what may be interpreted as covert discrimination against extraverts in selection for ordination. It is argued that a commitment to inclusivity in recruiting clergy might need to take account of psychological type characteristics of those presenting for selection as much as monitoring their ethnic background.","PeriodicalId":42786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Empirical Theology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15709256-12341383","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47761664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-07-15DOI: 10.1163/15709256-12341380
Katharina Kindermann
{"title":"Was im Religionsunterricht so läuft. Wege und Ergebnisse religionspädagogischer Unterrichtsforschung [What is going on in religion class: Strategies and results of research in religious education at school], edited by Schambeck, M. & Riegel, U.","authors":"Katharina Kindermann","doi":"10.1163/15709256-12341380","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341380","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":42786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Empirical Theology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15709256-12341380","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49333348","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-07-15DOI: 10.1163/15709256-12341381
R. Ulrich
{"title":"Empirisch Forschen in der Religionspädagogik. Ein Studienbuch für Studierende und Lehrkräfte, written by Pirner, Manfred L. & Rothgangel, Martin","authors":"R. Ulrich","doi":"10.1163/15709256-12341381","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341381","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":42786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Empirical Theology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15709256-12341381","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46574480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-07-15DOI: 10.1163/15709256-12341378
Christopher F. Silver
{"title":"The psychology of religion: An empirical approach, written by Hood, R. W. Jr., Hill, P. C. & Spilka, B.","authors":"Christopher F. Silver","doi":"10.1163/15709256-12341378","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341378","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":42786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Empirical Theology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15709256-12341378","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41262412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-07-15DOI: 10.1163/15709256-12341387
D. Forster
This article studies the complexity of understandings of forgiveness among a sample of Black and White South Africans within the context of an empirical intercultural Bible reading process. We will first focus on the foundation upon which the study is predicated—namely that the social imagination of forgiveness is deeply contested among South Africans. Next, we will discuss the approach that the study took to gather the necessary data, and analyse the theological views of forgiveness among the participants in the study. Finally, we shall discuss some of the primary findings of the study. These show that social identity plays a significant role in shaping theological hermeneutics. Black and White participants hold diverse, and even conflicting, expressions and expectations for forgiveness. These are characterised as predominantly social and political for the Black participants, and predominantly individual and spiritual for the White participants.
{"title":"A Social Imagination of Forgiveness","authors":"D. Forster","doi":"10.1163/15709256-12341387","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341387","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000This article studies the complexity of understandings of forgiveness among a sample of Black and White South Africans within the context of an empirical intercultural Bible reading process. We will first focus on the foundation upon which the study is predicated—namely that the social imagination of forgiveness is deeply contested among South Africans. Next, we will discuss the approach that the study took to gather the necessary data, and analyse the theological views of forgiveness among the participants in the study. Finally, we shall discuss some of the primary findings of the study. These show that social identity plays a significant role in shaping theological hermeneutics. Black and White participants hold diverse, and even conflicting, expressions and expectations for forgiveness. These are characterised as predominantly social and political for the Black participants, and predominantly individual and spiritual for the White participants.","PeriodicalId":42786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Empirical Theology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15709256-12341387","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43496334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-07-15DOI: 10.1163/15709256-12341379
J. Kregting, P. Scheepers, P. Vermeer, C. Hermans
Like other Western countries, in the Netherlands women continue to demonstrate higher levels of religiosity than men. In this article, we set out to explain this Dutch religious gender gap regarding belief in God, prayer and church attendance. Using high quality survey data (LISS 2015), a comprehensive model is built combining social and psychological differences between Dutch men and women. These gender differences are operationalized where they are most strongly experienced, i.e. within personal relationships. We find that the gender gaps within Dutch relationships regarding belief in God and prayer can be explained by gendered religious socialization and gendered mental health dependency—and for belief in God additionally by the gendered level of agreeableness. For the gender gap regarding church attendance, gendered religious socialization explains the religious gender gap.
{"title":"The Religious Gender Gap within Dutch Relationships: Explaining the Persistent Religious Gender Gap in the Netherlands Using a Multifactorial Approach","authors":"J. Kregting, P. Scheepers, P. Vermeer, C. Hermans","doi":"10.1163/15709256-12341379","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341379","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Like other Western countries, in the Netherlands women continue to demonstrate higher levels of religiosity than men. In this article, we set out to explain this Dutch religious gender gap regarding belief in God, prayer and church attendance. Using high quality survey data (LISS 2015), a comprehensive model is built combining social and psychological differences between Dutch men and women. These gender differences are operationalized where they are most strongly experienced, i.e. within personal relationships. We find that the gender gaps within Dutch relationships regarding belief in God and prayer can be explained by gendered religious socialization and gendered mental health dependency—and for belief in God additionally by the gendered level of agreeableness. For the gender gap regarding church attendance, gendered religious socialization explains the religious gender gap.","PeriodicalId":42786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Empirical Theology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15709256-12341379","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43620111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-07-15DOI: 10.1163/15709256-12341384
A. Village
Liberalism and conservatism have been important stances that have shaped doctrinal, moral and ecclesial beliefs and practices in Christianity. In the Church of England, Anglo-catholics are generally more liberal, and evangelicals more conservative, than those from broad-church congregations. This paper tests the idea that psychological preference may also partly explain liberalism or conservatism in the Church of England. Data from 1,389 clergy, collected as part of the 2013 Church Growth Research Programme, were used to categorise individuals by church tradition (Anglo-catholic, broad church or evangelical), whether or not they had an Epimethean psychological temperament, and whether or not they preferred thinking over feeling in their psychological judging process. Epimetheans and those who preferred thinking were more likely to rate themselves as conservative rather than liberal. Conservatism was associated with being Epimethean among those who were Anglo-catholic or broad-church, but with preference for thinking over feeling among evangelicals.
{"title":"Liberalism and Conservatism in Relation to Psychological Type among Church of England Clergy","authors":"A. Village","doi":"10.1163/15709256-12341384","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341384","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000Liberalism and conservatism have been important stances that have shaped doctrinal, moral and ecclesial beliefs and practices in Christianity. In the Church of England, Anglo-catholics are generally more liberal, and evangelicals more conservative, than those from broad-church congregations. This paper tests the idea that psychological preference may also partly explain liberalism or conservatism in the Church of England. Data from 1,389 clergy, collected as part of the 2013 Church Growth Research Programme, were used to categorise individuals by church tradition (Anglo-catholic, broad church or evangelical), whether or not they had an Epimethean psychological temperament, and whether or not they preferred thinking over feeling in their psychological judging process. Epimetheans and those who preferred thinking were more likely to rate themselves as conservative rather than liberal. Conservatism was associated with being Epimethean among those who were Anglo-catholic or broad-church, but with preference for thinking over feeling among evangelicals.","PeriodicalId":42786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Empirical Theology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15709256-12341384","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48862680","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-07-15DOI: 10.1163/15709256-12341385
H. Ringnes, Sarah Demmrich, H. Hegstad, Gry Stålsett, L. J. Danbolt
The aim of this qualitative interview study was to explore the specific expectations that N = 29 Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) had of end times and paradise using an emotion regulation perspective. Beyond the general eschatological doctrine of JWs, the participants were encouraged to report their individual beliefs and connected emotions. Thematic analysis identified forecasting of life in paradise in the form of a continuation of physical life but with an overall positive emotional atmosphere. Emotionally, paradise was often contrasted with the present time, as negative emotions and the downregulation of strong positive emotions dominate the current end time. As an emotion regulation strategy between current end times and future paradise, emotional forecasting, i.e., predicting which emotions would arise in the future to regulate present-day emotions, is used. The results are discussed in the frame of positive and negative psychological implications of JWs’ eschatological beliefs and emotional forecasting.
{"title":"End Time and Emotions: Emotion Regulation Functions of Eschatological Expectations among Jehovah’s Witnesses in Norway","authors":"H. Ringnes, Sarah Demmrich, H. Hegstad, Gry Stålsett, L. J. Danbolt","doi":"10.1163/15709256-12341385","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341385","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000The aim of this qualitative interview study was to explore the specific expectations that N = 29 Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs) had of end times and paradise using an emotion regulation perspective. Beyond the general eschatological doctrine of JWs, the participants were encouraged to report their individual beliefs and connected emotions. Thematic analysis identified forecasting of life in paradise in the form of a continuation of physical life but with an overall positive emotional atmosphere. Emotionally, paradise was often contrasted with the present time, as negative emotions and the downregulation of strong positive emotions dominate the current end time. As an emotion regulation strategy between current end times and future paradise, emotional forecasting, i.e., predicting which emotions would arise in the future to regulate present-day emotions, is used. The results are discussed in the frame of positive and negative psychological implications of JWs’ eschatological beliefs and emotional forecasting.","PeriodicalId":42786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Empirical Theology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15709256-12341385","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43160647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-11-21DOI: 10.1163/15709256-12341372
Svein Olaf Thorbjørnsen, M. Supphellen
To what extent do Norwegian ministers deal with social-ethical issues in their sermons? While we examine the frequency of such topics in this article, we primarily explore the potential determinants of their priorities in discussing these issues: their individual backgrounds, their ethical and political orientations, the local parish characteristics and the ministers’ sources of inspiration in preparing sermons. The results shows that different ethical orientations appear to be largely unrelated to the frequency of addressing social-ethical issues. Experiences in nature are the most important source of inspiration. The school at which the minister was trained has a significant impact on frequency, while political orientation has a very weak influence. Different parish characteristics—affluence and level of social challenges—and the age and marital status of the clergy do have an impact on which issues are given priority. The minister’s gender and geographical location both have no effect.
{"title":"Ethics from Pulpits of the Church of Norway: A Self-Report Survey of Social-Ethical Issues","authors":"Svein Olaf Thorbjørnsen, M. Supphellen","doi":"10.1163/15709256-12341372","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341372","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000To what extent do Norwegian ministers deal with social-ethical issues in their sermons? While we examine the frequency of such topics in this article, we primarily explore the potential determinants of their priorities in discussing these issues: their individual backgrounds, their ethical and political orientations, the local parish characteristics and the ministers’ sources of inspiration in preparing sermons. The results shows that different ethical orientations appear to be largely unrelated to the frequency of addressing social-ethical issues. Experiences in nature are the most important source of inspiration. The school at which the minister was trained has a significant impact on frequency, while political orientation has a very weak influence. Different parish characteristics—affluence and level of social challenges—and the age and marital status of the clergy do have an impact on which issues are given priority. The minister’s gender and geographical location both have no effect.","PeriodicalId":42786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Empirical Theology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15709256-12341372","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41771168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2018-11-21DOI: 10.1163/15709256-12341376
H. Ziebertz
There is very extensive literature on whether and how religiosity and empathy are related. Such research shows very different results, with some finding a positive influence while others seeing no influence. This paper presents research conducted on German youth (N=2157) regarding the question of how young people score on empathic concern and which concepts function as predictors. Therefore, different concepts on religious commitment are included, and in order to properly assess the meaning of religiosity in the social context of young people, socio-cultural concepts and socio-demographic characteristics are similarly included. The findings show that around two thirds of the respondents score positive or very positive on empathic concern, and that empathic concern correlates with both religious and socio-cultural concepts. Our regression analysis shows that among religious concepts the centrality of religiosity has the strongest influence (β=.220) and among the socio-religious concepts the students’ support for multiculturalism is the strongest factor (β=.195). Admittedly, the beta of sex is even higher, as being female shows the strongest influence on empathic concern (β=.265).
{"title":"Religious Commitment and Empathic Concern","authors":"H. Ziebertz","doi":"10.1163/15709256-12341376","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1163/15709256-12341376","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000There is very extensive literature on whether and how religiosity and empathy are related. Such research shows very different results, with some finding a positive influence while others seeing no influence. This paper presents research conducted on German youth (N=2157) regarding the question of how young people score on empathic concern and which concepts function as predictors. Therefore, different concepts on religious commitment are included, and in order to properly assess the meaning of religiosity in the social context of young people, socio-cultural concepts and socio-demographic characteristics are similarly included. The findings show that around two thirds of the respondents score positive or very positive on empathic concern, and that empathic concern correlates with both religious and socio-cultural concepts. Our regression analysis shows that among religious concepts the centrality of religiosity has the strongest influence (β=.220) and among the socio-religious concepts the students’ support for multiculturalism is the strongest factor (β=.195). Admittedly, the beta of sex is even higher, as being female shows the strongest influence on empathic concern (β=.265).","PeriodicalId":42786,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Empirical Theology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2018-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1163/15709256-12341376","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44874295","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}