Date of Award
6-1989
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Sociology
First Advisor
Dr. James Petersen
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
With the increasing size and social/political activity of theologically orthodox religious groups within the United States, research dealing with the relationship between orthodoxy and social action is necessary in better understanding the phenomena. Past research has been inadequate in that it has largely focused either on the clergy or, when using the laity, has only measured attitudes toward social action rather than participation in social action. This study measured social action participation among lay members drawn from three Grand Rapids area United Methodist Churches. A third variable, salience of religious belief, was also examined, which past research indicated could be a possibly important interviewing variable between orthodoxy and social action. No direct relationship was found between orthodoxy and social action. When controlling for salience, however, an inverse orthodoxy social action relationship was found among those in the high salience group only.
Recommended Citation
Tuinstra, Timothy R., "Religious Belief, Salience, and Social Action: Are They Related?" (1989). Masters Theses. 1167.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/1167