| Questions about the meaning of life and human nature have been raised for millennia, and until this century were considered by many to be the purview of theologians and philosophers (Allport, 1953). But modern scientists--especially those in psychological and psychosocial disciplines--have also become prominent in the quest to understand religious thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. The purpose of this project is to examine the effect of two types of religious studies courses on female college students' religious attitudes. Eighty-three students were enrolled in two courses at a church-related liberal arts college for women. One course (N = 35) approached a survey of world religions from a traditional perspective and the other (N = 48) employed a women's studies perspective. Three instruments (Dogmatism Scale, Quest Scale, and Faith Maturity Index) were administered at the beginning and end of the semester to measure change in student attitudes. Secondary data collected from questionnaires, interviews, journal entries, and evaluation comments were also examined.;Students in both courses showed a significant increase in their willingness to raise religious questions and in their faith maturity. Although dogmatism scores decreased for both courses (indicating increased openness), those changes were not significant. Treatment (type of course) had no significant effect on student scores on any of the three instruments. |
