Religious Identity

Abstract

Religious identity refers to how individuals develop their personal sense of religious and/or spiritual identity over the course of their lifetimes. Researchers often equate religion with the concrete rituals and behaviors of traditional, established religious institutions, as well as with official denominational doctrine. Alternatively, spirituality becomes synonymous with one's personal faith and ethical beliefs, including private behaviors such as prayer and personal morality. However, there is a lack of consensus among researchers as to the inclusive scope of religious identity (e.g., behavior and belief), or to the driving force behind religious identity development. Many prominent psychological theorists argue that religious identity is learned within family and community contexts (e.g., nurture), while others theorize that religious development is genetically driven (e.g., nature). This entry aims to address the debates on religious identity origins (e.g., nature vs. nurture), religious identity development from childhood to adulthood, and cultural contexts of religious identity development.