Abstract

The relationship between two types of religiousness (progressive and orthodox) and marital relationships was investigated using qualitative data from a sample of 26 Christian couples (13 progressive and 39 orthodox individuals) from California and New England. The focus of the study was individuals' frameworks of values and goals (moral order) and the ontological views behind them. Text analysis, t-tests for between-group differences of coded results, and phenomenological analysis were used. Results indicated that couples in the progressive group had Non-transcendent Selfhood as a basic moral order and engaged in mutual loving-kindness to respect and care for each other primarily in the form of a horizontal marital relationship. The couples in the orthodox group had Transcendent God Primacy as a basic moral order and, in addition to loving-kindness (horizontal relationship) toward the spouse, engaged in Transcendent Religious Striving (a vertical movement) as their main religious activity. Spouses in the orthodox group supported, strengthened, and shared the striving of each other. The substantive difference found in the types of being religious and their effects on marital relationships extends the understanding of the link between religion and marriage.

Degree

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Family Life; Marriage, Family, and Human Development

Rights

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