Modern Religiousness : Extrinsic , Intrinsic or quest?

Abstract

AbstractThe authors examine the religiousness of theology students and students in other disciplines at several German universities in a context of religious differentiation and pluralisation. Based on Batson's model, religiousness is classified into intrinsic, extrinsic and quest orientations. The religiousness of students of theology and students in other fields was found to differ significantly in the three dimensions. Non-theologians tended to ascribe negative value to the extrinsic and the intrinsic dimensions, with the intrinsic dimension being valued more negatively. At the same time they ascribed a slightly positive value to the quest orientation. Theology students valued all three dimensions positively, with especially strong positive value attached to the quest orientation. Using cluster analysis, four types of religiousness were developed: a "conventionally religious" type, a type described as "not religious in a Christian sense", a "questioning and religious" type, and a "strongly religious" type. Theology students fit mainly into the "strongly religious" and "questioning and religious" types. Students in other fields were concentrated in the "conventionally religious" and "not religious in a Christian sense" categories. At the end, the results are discussed from the perspective of practical theology.