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- Title
Paradox in Popular Religion: The Limits of Instrumental Faith.
- Authors
Althauser, Robert P.
- Abstract
How dependent are the alleged benefits of religious faith on one's orientation to religion? How well do believers more focused on faith as an instrument for achieving these benefits succeed by their own account, compared to those more focused on ultimate religious truth and content? Recalling past theoretical work by Merton, Kolb, and Schneider, as well as the classic survey of popular religious literature by Schneider and Dornbusch, the hypothesis that instrumental approaches to religion are self-defeating is developed, tested, and sustained using a sample of Methodist-church members. Implications for court cases related to religion in the public schools are explored.
- Subjects
RELIGION in the public schools; RELIGIOUS education of children; RELIGION &; sociology; CHURCH &; education; RELIGION in literature; RELIGIOUS education
- Publication
Social Forces, 1990, Vol 69, Issue 2, p585
- ISSN
0037-7732
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2307/2579675