A Comparative Study of the Substructures of Religion

Abstract

This study starts from the premise that religions, in all their diversity, rest upon a common structure: the persistent experience of injustice, suffering, and meaninglessness. The research deals with the responses made by 751 persons from five countries to statements suggesting those themes. Three general hypotheses are tested: 1) that interest in questions of injustice, suffering, and meaninglessness would be widespread among this heterogeneous set of respondents; 2) that the problems would be seen as persistent and intractable; 3) that the belief would prevail, nevertheless, that the problems could finally be dealt with, despite the testimony of experience. Each of these hypothese of six predictor variables was upheld. In addition, several specific hypotheses make predictions regarding the influence of these interests and beliefs, country of citizenship, father's occupation, religious identity, sex, level of education, and major subject of study, with country, religious identity, and education producing some effects.

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell

Publication Date

3-1-1977

Publication Title

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion

Department

Sociology

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1386206

Language

English

Format

text

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