Education and religion: Individual, congregational, and cross-level interaction effects on biblical literalism

Abstract

a b s t r a c tUsing ideas from cultural and organizational theory, I examine the interplay of individual and congregation-level educational attainment on biblical literalism. Data on 387 congregations and 100,009 worshippers (US Congregational Life Survey, 2001) are used to test hypotheses. Results indicate that the effects of congregational education and individual educational attainment are among the largest effects in models. This study is the first to show that regardless of an individual's own education, affirmations of biblical literalism are less likely when persons with higher education dominate a congregation. This finding brings into relief the important role of social context in persons' belief in biblical literalism. Additionally, congregational education amplifies the influence of individual education on biblical literalism such that the gap in belief between college/non-college education individuals widens in high education congregations. This finding suggests that high education persons more deeply absorb the influence of a more educated congregational context.

Small groups, contexts, and civic engagement: A multilevel analysis of United States Congregational Life Survey data

“…Applied to the present analysis, if overall congregational small group structure maintains an environment encouraging service to others, this context can ratify beliefs and behaviors of service fostered at the level of individual small group participation. Existing research on congregations is consistent with this view, showing that congregation-level educational attainment increases the effects of individual education on religious belief (Stroope, 2011b). In this way, social context changes the balance between potentially competing ideologies, with the possibility that one ideology or set of actions will win.…”

Biblical literalism among Anglican clergy: what is the role of psychological type?

“…A number of studies have indicated that biblical literalism may be related to education (Samuel, 2011;Village, 2005c) …”

Hinduism in India and Congregational Forms: Influences of Modernization and Social Networks

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