Studying Religiosity Beyond (Western) Christianity: an Empirical-Psychological Perspective and its Implications
In: Journal of Empirical TheologySearch for other papers by Sarah Demmrich in
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Abstract
Over recent decades, empirical research on religion has increasingly criticized its primary focus on Western Christianity. This paper has two aims: Firstly, it addresses challenges in applying ‘Western’ empirical research on religion to non-Western contexts (samples, measurement, results and discussion). Secondly, it highlights the convergent approach, bridging the gap between the perceived dichotomy of cultural universalism and cultural relativism. This approach acknowledges both religiosity’s universal commonalities across contexts and particularities in a certain cultural-religious context. Studying religiosity beyond Christianity enables to explore a nearly limitless field of basic research but also provides a robust empirical, social-scientific foundation for various practical applications that are gaining increasing social relevance, such as therapy, migration, and counseling for religious institutions. Such are vital for the future of our field, ensuring its continued relevance in times of accelerated secularization.
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Studying Religiosity Beyond (Western) Christianity: an Empirical-Psychological Perspective and its Implications
In: Journal of Empirical TheologySearch for other papers by Sarah Demmrich in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Over recent decades, empirical research on religion has increasingly criticized its primary focus on Western Christianity. This paper has two aims: Firstly, it addresses challenges in applying ‘Western’ empirical research on religion to non-Western contexts (samples, measurement, results and discussion). Secondly, it highlights the convergent approach, bridging the gap between the perceived dichotomy of cultural universalism and cultural relativism. This approach acknowledges both religiosity’s universal commonalities across contexts and particularities in a certain cultural-religious context. Studying religiosity beyond Christianity enables to explore a nearly limitless field of basic research but also provides a robust empirical, social-scientific foundation for various practical applications that are gaining increasing social relevance, such as therapy, migration, and counseling for religious institutions. Such are vital for the future of our field, ensuring its continued relevance in times of accelerated secularization.
| All Time | Past Year | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 81 | 81 | 81 |
| Full Text Views | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 31 | 31 | 31 |