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Religiosity and Spiritual Engagement in Two American Indian Populations
Author(s) -
Garroutte Eva M.,
Beals Janette,
Keane Ellen M.,
Kaufman Carol,
Spicer Paul,
Henderson Jeff,
Henderson Patricia N.,
Mitchell Christina M.,
Manson Spero M.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal for the scientific study of religion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.941
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1468-5906
pISSN - 0021-8294
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2009.01461.x
Subject(s) - religiosity , psychology , social psychology , sociology , religious studies , philosophy
Social scientific investigation into the religiospiritual characteristics of American Indians rarely includes analysis of quantitative data. After reviewing information from ethnographic and autobiographical sources, we present analyses of data from a large, population‐based sample of two tribes (n = 3,084). We examine salience of belief in three traditions: aboriginal, Christian, and Native American Church. We then investigate patterns in sociodemographic subgroups, determining the significant correlates of salience with other variables controlled. Finally, we examine frequency with which respondents assign high salience to only one tradition (exclusivity) or multiple traditions (nonexclusivity), again investigating subgroup variations. This first detailed, statistical portrait of American Indian religious and spiritual lives links work on tribal ethnic identity to theoretical work on America's “religious marketplace.” Results may also inform social/behavioral interventions that incorporate religiospiritual elements.