Chapter 4: Religious Development

Question 1

Economically developed countries tend to be highly ____.

Answer 1

Secular

Question 2

_______are more religious than people in virtually any other economically developed country.

Answer 2

Americans

Question 3

3 characteristics that increase regigiousity:

Answer 3

• If your parents talk about religion in the home
• Parental participation
• If both parents are of similar religion.

Question 4

2 characteristics that decrease religion:

Answer 4

• if your parents disagree on religion

- if your parents are divorced.

Question 5

Religiosity generally _____ from adolescence through emerging adulthood.

Answer 5

declines

Question 6

From childhood to adolescence, individuals view God in these ways:

Answer 6

• Childhood Example 1: children are seeing religion externally (they go to church) & Example 2: children are seeing religion concretely.
• Adolescence Example 1: seeing religion internally (can articulate beliefs) & Example 2: seeing religion as abstract.

Question 7

Have a traditional, conservative faith

Answer 7

Committed Traditionalists

Question 8

Believe only in the parts of their faith that appeal to them. pick and choose. what am i going to follow and what am i not?

Answer 8

Selective Adherents

Question 9

Believe in the existence of a God or “spiritual force,” but beyond this they are unsure in their beliefs.

Answer 9

Spiritually open

Question 10

Religiously Indifferent/Hostile

Answer 10

Indifferent:
Have no opinion / Do not think about religion
Agnostics: I dont’ know if God exists.
Atheists: I don’t believe in any God.
Hostile:
Anti-religious- religion is bad

Question 11

Most emerging adults are in the __________ category

Answer 11

Selective adherents

Question 12

Religions typically contain guidelines for ______ such as ___, ____, and ____.

Answer 12

socialization such as codes for behavior, roles, and sources of meaning.

Question 13

Synthetic-Conventional Faith:

Answer 13

Faith is largely conformist
Example: You haven’t thought about it too much. conforming to what parents say and friends think.

Integrate ideas into a single system of beliefs
Example: I am christian, and here are some things about christian beliefs.

Question 14

Individual-Reflective Faith:

Answer 14

Explore beliefs, incorporate personal experiences, develop individualized faith

Two Possible Outcomes:

• I’m rejecting catholicism. I’m no longer catholic
• I stick with this. It makes sense. I truly believe this.

Question 15

Critique of theory:

Answer 15

Fowler’s theory of Religious Development is based on American majority culture & individualistic values.