The persistence of spiritual experience among churchgoing and non-churchgoing Italians: sociological and psychological perspectives

The study presented in this article draws on theories and methods developed within the psychology of religion to examine, from a fresh perspective, a problem established within the sociology of religion: the 'oddity of the Italian situation'. The study employs the notion of openness to mys...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of contemporary religion 2018-09, Vol.33 (3), p.447-465
Main Authors: Giordan, Giuseppe, Francis, Leslie J., Crea, Giuseppe
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Italy
Mysticism
Openness
Psychological theories
Psychology of religion
Religion
Religious participation
secularisation
Sociology
Sociology of religion
spiritual experience
Spirituality
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Summary:The study presented in this article draws on theories and methods developed within the psychology of religion to examine, from a fresh perspective, a problem established within the sociology of religion: the 'oddity of the Italian situation'. The study employs the notion of openness to mystical experience as an indicator of the level of spiritual awareness among a sample of 1,155 Italians ranging in age from 14 to 80 years. The data demonstrated that, while levels of openness to mystical experience remain quite high among non-churchgoing Italians, these levels are significantly associated with sex, age, religious attendance, and personal prayer. Moreover, the differences between attenders and non-attenders are sensitive to the ways in which aspects of mystical experience are expressed. The dialogue between the psychology of religion and the sociology of religion generates fresh insight into the religious and spiritual landscape of Italy today.
ISSN:1353-7903
1469-9419
DOI:10.1080/13537903.2018.1535371