Attachment to God, Tenure, Race, and Participation in Congregational Life

The vitality of religious congregations is dependent on how effectively they attract congregants and mobilize participation, and people are more likely to participate when they share similar characteristics with other congregants. This study suggests attachment to God is a fundamental “behavioral an...

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Autore principale: Kent, Blake Victor (Autore)
Altri autori: Henderson, W. Matthew (Altro)
Tipo di documento: Elettronico Articolo
Lingua:Inglese
Verificare la disponibilità: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Pubblicazione: [2017]
In: Review of religious research
Anno: 2017, Volume: 59, Fascicolo: 3, Pagine: 319-340
(sequenze di) soggetti normati:B USA / Dio / Legame affettivo / Parrocchia <motivo> / Partecipazione
Notazioni IxTheo:AD Sociologia delle religioni
CB Esistenza cristiana
KBQ America settentrionale
RB Carica ecclesiastica
Altre parole chiave:B Attachment Theory
B attachment to God
B Organizations
B Race
B Religione
Accesso online: Volltext (Publisher)
Volltext (doi)
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Riepilogo:The vitality of religious congregations is dependent on how effectively they attract congregants and mobilize participation, and people are more likely to participate when they share similar characteristics with other congregants. This study suggests attachment to God is a fundamental “behavioral and intrapersonal characteristic” which distinguishes participants from one another, contributing to varying levels of participation in congregational and religious life beyond service attendance. Using a national sample, we test several hypotheses related to this theoretical claim. Findings suggest that: (1) secure attachment to God is positively associated with congregational participation, (2) anxious and avoidant attachment are negatively associated with participation, (3) these relationships are moderated by length of time attending a particular congregation, and (4) secure attachment is associated with higher levels of participation in congregational life for blacks than it is for whites. By demonstrating a link between attachment to God and participation in congregational and religious life, this study affirms that intrapersonal characteristics structure the dynamics of religious congregations.
ISSN:2211-4866
Comprende:Enthalten in: Review of religious research
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/s13644-017-0289-2