“Blessings and Friends and Knowledge”

Environmental Motivations for Religious Literacy

Bibliographic Data

ID21379845
AuthorsEric D Rackley (0000-0002-9298-9690, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume116
Issue2
Pages101-115
Publication date2021-03-15
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueReligious Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0034-4087 • E-ISSN: 1547-3201
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00344087.2020.1821303
OpenAlexW3140263691
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited17

This two-year ethnographic study examines the motivations for religious knowledge development, or religious literacy, embedded in a Latter-day Saint congregation. Qualitative analyses of observations and 29 interviews with nine youth yielded three characteristics of religious environments that motivated youth for religious literacy. When youth felt the influence of the Holy Ghost (spiritual), had strong social bonds with fellow congregants (relational), and were learning important truths about their faith (educative) motivation for religious literacy increased. Absent these influences, motivation waned. This study raises questions about religious learning spaces, youths’ experiences within them, and the religiosocial dynamics that influence them

Art · Ethnography · Faith · Literacy · Pedagogy · Qualitative research · Religious education · SAINT · Social science · Sociology · Theology · Anthropology · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Gender Studies · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Psychology · Religious Education and Schools · Social Psychology

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