Validation of the Short Forms of Centrality of Religiosity Scale in Russia

Michael Ackert,Ivan Zabaev,Elena Prutskova

doi:10.3390/rel11110577

Michael Ackert, Ivan Zabaev + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/rel11110577

Copy DOI

Abstract

Since the end of the Soviet Union, Christian Orthodoxy has regained importance in Russian society. Considering the religious dynamics in the decades after 1990, scholars working in the field have been debating about a reliable measuring tool for religiosity. The present study provides a validation of two short forms of the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS), the CRS-5, and CRSi-7 in Russia, as well as its corresponding translated items. Therefore, data from two large-scale sociological surveys from 2008 (N = 894) and 2019 (N = 1768) were used. A multigroup confirmatory factor analysis with restrictions on the variance and covariance structure of the model shows good results in terms of absolute, parsimony, and relative model fit for the CRS-5 and CRSi-7. Moreover, the models indicate time-invariance, which is a consistent psychometric characteristic of both short forms. The time-invariance is accompanied by the good internal consistency of the scales: The CRS-5 with α=0.85 and the CRSi-7 with α=0.84. The results of the analysis encourage the use of the CRS-5 and the CRSi-7 for research on religiosity in Russia. While the CRS-5 is especially suitable for the Orthodox-dominated religious landscape, the CRSi-7 should be used if non-monotheistic private religious practice and religious experience are the focus of the scientific investigation.

Highlights

While the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS)-5 is especially suitable for the Orthodox-dominated religious landscape, the CRSi-7 should be used if non-monotheistic private religious practice and religious experience are the focus of the scientific investigation
All means and standard deviations followed by correlations of the core-dimensions as well as of the composite score of the CRS-5 and CRSi-7 are reported in the subsequent paragraphs and tables
We use an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to examine whether the presumed structure of one latent variable is suitable to explain the theoretical construct of the “centrality of religiosity” in Russian data from 2008 and 2019

Summary

Introduction

A substantial gap concerning church affiliation and religious practice can be identified in sociological research on religiosity in Russia. The low religiosity level is usually explained by the strong link between Russian Orthodox religious affiliation and ethnicity, national identity, or loyalty to the state, which substitutes “true” religious commitment. Kääriäinen and Furman (Кaaриaйненand φурмaн 2007a, 2007b) conclude that the “pro-Orthodox consensus”—a positive attitude towards religion and the Russian Orthodox Church in the mass consciousness, accompanied by the conviction that there is no Religions 2020, 11, 577; doi:10.3390/rel11110577 www.mdpi.com/journal/religions “Russianness” without Orthodoxy—cause the growth of religious affiliation not confirmed by either practice or belief in God. Filatov and Lunkin (φилaтовand Лункин 2005) complete these thoughts by adding that the religious factor only has a minor effect on public life in Russia, as for the majority of Orthodox Christians faith has become just a cultural symbol.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion