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Dimensions of neopentecostal Identity in the Church of England
Author(s) -
Ball Peter
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
european journal of social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1099-0992
pISSN - 0046-2772
DOI - 10.1002/ejsp.2420110402
Subject(s) - optimal distinctiveness theory , psychology , prayer , social psychology , social identity theory , analogy , identity (music) , mainstream , similarity (geometry) , ethnic group , religious identity , religiosity , sociology , religious studies , epistemology , social group , theology , aesthetics , anthropology , philosophy , artificial intelligence , computer science , image (mathematics)
Examined the dimensional structure of identity among neopentecostal Anglicans, applying an analogy between glossolalia and ethnic languages, based on intergroup theory. Similarity data obatined from a card‐sorting task performed by 29 non‐glossolalic and 49 glossolalic members of Church of England congregations were multidimensionally scaled. The resulting dimensional structures indicate that neopentecostalists define themselves mainly in terms of conventional religious markers: ‘rebirth’ experience, belief in scriptural authority, and, for non‐glossolalists, regular prayer. Glossolalia plays only a limited role, and does so only for those who practise it, while denominational affiliation appears to have no significance in religious identity at all. It is suggested that neopentecostalists regard themselves as having marginal status in mainstream churches and aim to distinguish themselves from ‘nominal’ Christians, thus identibing with all devout believers, in preference to emphasizing neopentecostal distinctiveness which does not afford favourable enough social comparisons.