Вестник Православного Свято-Тихоновского гуманитарного университета: Серия I. Богословие, философия (May 2017)

Characteristics of Involvement of the People of Belarus into Religion: The Worldview Dimension

  • Karassyova Svetlana,
  • Shkurova Elena,
  • Shatravsky Sergey

DOI
https://doi.org/10.15382/sturI201770.85-109
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 70
pp. 85 – 109

Abstract

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The paper deals with some results of testing a multi-dimensional model of religiosity applied in a cross-confessional questionnaire within the framework of an on-going all-republican research. The model was designed in Belarus in 2012 as a means for studying multiconfessional environments and is aimed at discovering universal types of religiosity. Key concepts of the model (religion, religiosity) are defined as broadly as possible. Religion is understood as a unity resulting from a transcendent idea and as a system of notions, activities and institutions symbolically expressing this idea. Religiosity is seen as involvement into a complex system of various dimensions of religion, each of which manifests itself by a range of indicators. These indicators are of universal nature, which allows us to compare the worldview of adherents of various beliefs. The comparison is based on an assumed range of degrees of involvement into religion, from formal, weak and moderate to strong. The combination of the degree of religiosity and the complex of characteristics that reveal it forms an integral value, i.e. the cross-confessional type of religiousness. The analysis of data obtained by means of our questionnaire allows us to develop a cross-confessional typology of religious population. The paper analyses two indicators of measuring the involvement into the system of religious beliefs. The correlation of these indicators reflects the degree of consciousness in respondents’ confessional choice in its broadest sense, namely their denominational affi liation and their awareness of the core truths of the chosen faith. The indicators are compared with regard to their worldview content, i.e. the universal understanding of the origin, structure and functioning as well as the ultimate fate of the world and humankind. The carried out analysis leads to a conclusion about the conscious religious choice of respondents.

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