The interplay between religion, morality, and community-making is a core theme across human experience, yet scholars have only recently begun to quantify these links. Drawing on a sample of 1512 self-identified religious - mainly Christian (86.0%) - New Zealanders, we used structural equation modeling to test hypothesized associations between Religious Orientations (Quest, Intrinsic, Extrinsic ...

Culture shapes individuals, but the measurement of cultural differences has proven a challenge. Traditional measures of cultural values focus on individual perceptions. We suggest that values are established and maintained within social communities of proximate others, such as the family and its social environment. Within such communities, values serve to maintain collective harmony whilst pres...

Science alone cannot protect the oceans and their biological diversity. Whereas, scientists can identify problems and empirical steps toward their resolution, support for research, problem solving, and implementation of solutions must come from societal sources. Among the most promising are religious communities whose members are motivated by their faith to collaborate with marine scientists in...

Previous research suggests that many men increase their religious involvement after the birth of a new child. This study extends this research by examining whether fathers maintain a higher rate of religious participation as children get older and how fathers’ religiosity may influence children’s behavior. Results suggest that many fathers maintain a higher level of religious participation duri...

In Zambia, circumcision is traditionally practiced on a large scale only in North-Western Province, an area with one of the lowest HIV rates in Zambia. Few ethnic groups in Zambia conduct male circumcision as a part of religious and cultural practices. The Luvale and Lunda of Northwestern Province practice traditional universal male circumcision, though there are small groups who also practice ...

This article addresses the need for improved clergy-mental health professional collaboration in the assessment and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Tens of millions of North Americans with personal problems seek the counsel of clergy. There is an absence of research on the function of clergy as helpers with the traumatized and on the psychological dynamics of religious coping ...

While some research projects have been done into the guidelines for and inefficacy of religious involvement in subjective well-being (SWB), it has been well-argued that religious involvement should be more considered as one of the key elements triggering off SWB. The current study examines the possible relationship between religious involvement, religious attendance, religious beliefs, and SWB ...

This paper examines the life stories of 14 men and women who spent time in religious communities and who subsequently took up work in the caring professions. Their accounts reflect the alignment between the ethics of care and those of religious life, the centrality of contemplation and self-examination to both Christianity and psychotherapy. There are further correspondences between their narra...

Distinguished scholar of religious movements Donald Miller demonstrates the energy, vitality, and entrepreneurial resourcefulness of Pentecostal and charismatic congregations. With one-quarter of the world's Christians, this movement represents a pivotal renewal force within global Christianity, fueled by religious zeal, bold vision, adaptability to local context, and non-hierarchical organizat...

The purpose of this brief report was to ascertain student veterans' patterns of help-seeking from professional, informal, and religious sources. In total, 350 veterans from an academic institution on the Gulf Coast completed assessments of help-seeking intentions from a range of potential sources in their communities. Analyses revealed that veterans had a neutral probability to seek help from p...