From the Religious Question to Christian and Secualr Convictions

In how far the intensity of the religious question, i.e. the question with regard to origin and destination of one’s life and of the world, is correlated with the choice of Christian or secular convictions is investigated with the German ALLBUS 2012. The intensity of the religious question is measured by the frequency of thinking about the meaning of life, of talking about religion, and of thinking about belief. It is expected that the meaning question is correlated with neither Christian nor secular convictions – openness hypothesis; while the religion and the belief question correlate positively with Christian, and negatively with secular convictions – differentiation hypothesis. Christian convictions are measured by theistic/deistic world views and by figurative as well as conceptual beliefs; secular convictions are measured by naturalistic and existentialist world-views. The meaning question as well as the religion and the belief question correlate positively with Christian convictions and negatively with secular convictions. However, when the positive impact of the religion and the belief question upon Christian convictions and their negative impact upon secular convictions is controlled for in regressions, the meaning question has no longer an impact upon Christian and secular convictions while the positive impact of the religion and the belief question on Christian conviction and their negative impact on secular convictions remain. Then, the openness and the differentiation hypotheses are confirmed. The intensity of the religious question can be regarded as a starting point for the choice of religious, Christian and secular, convictions.