Faith domain distinctions in the conceptualization of morality and social convention for evangelical Christians
Abstract
This research investigated faith issues within the framework of the distinct domains model of moral and social reasoning. Eighty individual interviews were conducted with junior/senior evangelical Christian students majoring in religious studies. The interviews asked for responses to eight yes-no questions concerning five different behavioral descriptions from each of four types of domains--20 items. (1) Moral domain items were intrinsically harmful to others, universally wrong and not alterable; (2) faith-moral domain actions were Biblically-derived, not intrinsically harmful to others, universally wrong for all Christians, and not alterable; (3) faith-conviction domain actions were wrong only for individual Christians as a matter of personal obedience to God, and not alterable; (4) conventional domain actions were related to the coordination of social interaction, arbitrary and alterable. Patterns of response were analyzed by repeated measures analyses of variance. All particular domain items conformed to their respective domain response patterns significantly more than items from any other domain. Faith-moral domain items also conformed primarily to the moral response pattern significantly more than items from the faith-conviction or convention domains. Justification reasons were given for the judgments made about each stimulus item. They were categorically coded and analyzed by repeated measures analyses of variance. Significant differences were found for domains in nine justification categories. Approximately 73% of all justifications given for judgments about faith-moral domain items and 50% of all justifications given for judgments about faith-conviction domain items were from exclusively religious categories, lending support to the conclusion that evangelical Christians engage in faith-based domain distinctions in their reasoning about matters of right and wrong. The research is discussed in relation to the importance of attending to faith considerations when investigating the moral judgments of religious persons.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Davis, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Educational psychology|Religion|Religious education
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