Introduction
The study of the essence, role and functions of the phenomenon of religious belief has an enduring significance. In the modern world, on the one hand, we observe a systemic crisis of globalism and a crisis of culture; on the other, there is a search for identity, conversion to religion, the choice of religious affiliation, and the emergence of new religious movements. The phenomenon of ‘belief’ plays a central role in any religious doctrine, though the essence of what this word means may be different depending on cultural and religious context. Several studies were undertaken to pinpoint the notion of belief, defining it in terms of credence, attitude, faith, and perception. This article aims to identify certain trends and approaches in determining the essence of belief in the works of theologians and determine the frequency these notions are aligned with by common believers.
The Motivation
The question of the essence of belief is especially relevant as it, in many aspects, forms a person’s values, culture, worldview, and identity. The issue of belief is topical for all people as believes determine one’s ability to integrate into society or religious groups. Another function of a belief is “cognitive adjustment to the world”, which allows people o take actions on the basis of when they consider to be right or wrong (Belief & Experiments). Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox theology comprise deep and comprehensive studies of this religious phenomenon that affect human culture and thought in their historical perspective.
The Literature
Conventionally, belief is often understood as doctrine, that is to say official religious teaching. However, “there’s a gap between the doctrines which a religion teaches and what people believe” (Belief & Experiments). Identification of different categories leads to confusion of concepts. When belief is seen as the doctrinal shell of religion, its phenomenon is reduced only to the dogmas of a particular religion. However, a belief is a personal phenomenon, the foundation of personality formation, affecting various aspects of a person’s life (Belief & Experiments). Belief is not only a spiritual-verbal formula, which expresses the character and subject of the object of faith, but also the meaning and nature of the connection of the subjective to the infinite God.
Other literary works treat belief as knowledge, talking about the relationship of belief and reason. An indissoluble unity of belief and knowledge can be asserted or the priority of one over the other postulated. Some works go further and claim that belief is the way people act on the knowledge they have. Thus, Crane states that “being a believer essentially involves doing certain things […] either once in one’s life (baptism, confirmation, the hajj) or on a regular, repeated basis (ritual prayers, giving alms, the Sabbath)” (p.13). These actions in themselves are based on religious knowledge of why it is necessary to perform them.
Belief as an attitude is another concept mentioned in literary works. In this paradigm, belief is seen as moral self-esteem and value system for following the moral ideal that determines a model of behavior. The attitude of “taking as true” or “taking as real” is opposed to “being true” (Belief & Experiments). Godlove states that “belief […] lies at the heart of many […] propositional attitudes, and at the heart of our ordinary notion of intentional action –action undertaken on the basis of what we believe” (p. 10). Lastly, belief is regarded in terms of evidence, where argument and justification reflect two types of belief: “factual and moral”. Factual belief, in its turn, can be seen as “bits of matter interacting with one another in enormously complex, ill understood ways” (Godlove, p. 18). Thus, throughout the history, belief, which is the central concept of any faith, has been treated differently. This work aims to pinpoint the most common perception of belief by ordinary people and believers alike.
The Method
The research will consist of two parts: a literary overview that would allow to synthesise the most common concepts of ‘belief’ and a questionnaire developed to determine what concepts believers most often align with. The questionnaire will consist of multiple choice questions and yes/no answers and will be distributed among students of theological groups as well as students of other faculties. The number of students who will take part in the research is 100. The results of questionnaire will be interpreted to see how belief is understood in theological and other groups and determine whether there is a difference in perception determined by theological studies.
The Strategy
The chosen method follows participatory action research principles which allow to get an objective picture of perception of ‘belief’ in students’ groups. For the analysis of the collected data “display and reduction techniques” as well as “descriptive statistics” outlined by Williman will be used (p. 157). The combination of the two methods will guarantee the impartiality of the research. The proposed techniques fits the question well as it allows to collect and analyse factual data on the issue.
The Logistics
The proposed research is feasible; the first part of the research presupposes synthesising literary works that can be found in a library or on the net. The second part involves distributing questionnaires among student groups and collecting them back when answered. The topic of ‘belief’ is rather interesting so it may be expected that many students will want to take part in the research.
The Quality
The answer received in the first part of the research will be valid as literary review relies on credible peer-reviewed sources and is believed to be the best way for synthesis of the existing views. The second part of the research is done with the help of a questionnaire; reliable as it is, this technique has its limitations. First of all, there are age limitations in the group chosen for the study. As only students will be asked the questions, the study is not representative as far as older generation is concerned. The results for other age groups may be different. Secondly, the study is limited by a geographical area it is conducted in. Finally, though the questionnaire was elaborated to get as reliable data as possible on the perception of ‘belief’, it should be noted that the usage of other questions for the study may get different results. To enhance the validity of the study further research is recommended. Different questionnaire used for different age groups and geographical areas is seen beneficial for further research.
The Implications
The implications of the study are wide; if found that no dominant view of the notion of belief is entertained within society, public and academic debate may spark to create new versions of what ‘belief’ means. Belief is central in religious community groups; the results of the study may change their perception of the notion, ultimately changing the way new members are instructed on the way to self-development. Identity and cultural systems of individuals, closely intertwined with the belief system, may undergo serious transformation.
The Ethics
Religious groups need to be consulted as to the proper way to conduct this study, since they may indicate better wording for questions asked. Moreover, it is important not to harm religious feelings of people from different backgrounds; for this theologians’ consultations are advised before proceeding with the questionnaire. The study will benefit religious groups and researchers sparking further debate on the essence of belief as well as common people, enhancing their self-perception through alignment with this or that position on the issue.
The Dissemination
The study is best presented in the form of scientific article as, first of all, it allows to get valuable critique from scientists and theologians as to the possible drawbacks of the study. Secondly, all interested parties may reach the article online which is a convenient way of exchanging knowledge. The intended audience is theologians and religious communities as well as all people interested in the issue of belief.
Works Cited
Belief & Experiments. The Study of Religion. RLG200 H1S Lecture 6.
Crane, T. (2017) An alternative way to describe religion. Philosophy. 13-14
Godlove, T. F. (2002). Saving belief: on the new materialism in religious studies. Radical interpretation in religion, 10-24.
Walliman, N. (2010). Research methods: The basics. Routledge.