RT Article
T1 Religious Belief as an Independent Variable
JF Journal for the scientific study of religion
VO 11
IS 1
SP 65
OP 75
A1 Davidson, James D. 1942-
LA English
YR 1972
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1667979051
AB The author examines (1) the conditions under which religion is most likely to perform its comfort and challenge functions and (2) the extent to which religion today tends to perform these two functions. Evidence from Baptists and Methodists in two Indiana communities indicates that the comfort function is positively related to the maintenance of "vertical" beliefs, but is not associated with "horizontal" beliefs; the prophetic function is positively related to "horizontal" beliefs, but is negatively related to "vertical" beliefs. Finally, the data indicate that religion tends to provide comfort and support more than it inspires social protest and change.
K1 Baptists
K1 Churches
K1 Communities
K1 Methodism
K1 Neighborhoods
K1 Questionnaires
K1 Scientific Belief
K1 Social beliefs
DO 10.2307/1384299