Spirituality and Subjective Religiosity Among African Americans, Caribbean Blacks, and Non-Hispanic Whites

• Published in: Journal for the scientific study of religion Vol. 47; no. 4; pp. 725 - 737
• Main Authors: CHATTERS, LINDA M., TAYLOR, ROBERT JOSEPH, BULLARD, KAI M., JACKSON, JAMES S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Blackwell Publishing Inc 01.12.2008; Blackwell Publishing; Wiley; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: African Americans; Americans; Baptists; Behavioural psychology; Black communities; Black White Differences; Blacks; Buddhism; Caribbean Cultural Groups; Christianity; Comparative analysis; Contemporary period; Demographics; Demography; Ethnicity; General subjects; History and sciences of religions; Minority & ethnic groups; Protestantism; Race; Religion; Religiosity; Religious identity; Religious practice; Religious studies; Research Notes; Sociological studies; Spiritual belief systems; Spirituality; U.S.A; Whites; United States of America; United States > US; Spirituality; Religiosity
• ISSN: 0021-8294; 1468-5906
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2008.00437.x

Patterns and correlates of self-perceptions of spirituality and subjective religiosity are examined using data from the National Survey of American Life, a nationally representative study of African Americans, Caribbean blacks, and non-Hispanic whites. Demographic and denominational correlates of patterns of subjective religiosity and spirituality (i.e., religious only, spiritual only, both religious/spiritual, and neither religious/spiritual) are examined. In addition, the study of African Americans and Caribbean blacks permits the investigation of possible ethnic variation in the meaning and conceptual significance of these constructs within the U.S. black population. African Americans and Caribbean blacks are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to indicate that they are "both religious and spiritual" and less likely to indicate that they are "spiritual only" or "neither spiritual nor religious." Demographic and denominational differences in the patterns of spirituality and subjective religiosity are also indicated. Study findings are discussed in relation to prior research in this field and conceptual and methodological issues deserving further study are noted.