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Ines Jindra & Michael Jindra

By on May 3, 2009 in Faculty Publications

Jindra, Ines W. and Michael Jindra. “Alien Worlds: Social and Religious Dimensions of Extraterrestrial Contact.” Sociology of Religion 70, no. 2 (Summer, 2009): 200-201.

Here, we found Scott Scribner’s chapter to be especially interesting, since he highlights parallels between religion and these experiences, notably in the area of “interactions with supernatural beings, stmggles between good and evil, encounters with overpowering benevolent (‘light’) forces or malevolent (‘dark’) forces, conversion and reframing of interpretations (belief templates), the notion of being chosen, visions, testimonial evidence, the occasional channeling of otherworldly beings, altered states of consciousness, healing narratives, and apocalyptic pronouncements” (151-152).

Ines Jindra

By on January 16, 2009 in Faculty Publications

Jindra, Ines W. “Comparing Biographical Backgrounds of Religious Founders and Converts to those Religions: An Exploratory Study.” Pastoral Psychology 58, no. 4 (2009): 365-385. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11089-009-0193-y.

Abstract: This paper is an exploratory, preliminary investigation of the possible links between the biographical backgrounds and developmental trajectories of major religious figures such as Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Buddha, and Baha’u’llah, and the backgrounds of those who convert to these religions (or certain groups within these religions) in the West. This article ends with the hypothesis that in terms of biographical backgrounds and motivations for conversion, followers’ narratives resemble those of their religious leaders in some areas.

Ines Jindra

By on April 16, 2008 in Faculty Publications

Jindra, Ines W. “Religious Stage Development among Converts to Different Religious Groups.” International Journal for the Psychology of Religion 18, no. 3 (2008): 195-215. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10508610802115768.

Abstract: Only a few studies have dealt with the relationship between faith development theory and conversion or apostasy, though some have called for these studies. In this study, I compare religious judgment and religious stage transformations of 47 converts, focusing specifically on four case studies of conversions to Christianity, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Unitarian Universalists. The research was conducted from 2001 to 2006 in the midwestern United States and utilized religious dilemmas, narrative biographical interviews, and content analysis. It was found that there was a close affinity between a person’s conversion or apostasy narrative and their trajectory of religious judgment.

Robert Woods & Ines Jindra

By on November 13, 2005 in Faculty Publications

Knight, David A., Robert H. Woods Jr, and Ines W. Jindra. “Gender Differences in the Communication of Christian Conversion Narratives.” Review of Religious Research (2005): 113–134.

Abstract: Scholars have long sought to find the differences in the ways men and women communicate. Also, researchers have studied the field of religious conversion. Thisfirst-of-a-kind study has sought to find if gender differences arise when men and women communicate the story of their religious conversion. Forty structured in-depth interviews with 20 male and 20 female undergraduate students at a small, private Christian liberal arts university in the Midwest were used to address the stated research question. Five male and five females were selected from each grade level. A non-probability sampling procedure was used to select subjects. The final sample consisted of two Hispanics, one Black, and 37 White non-Hispanic participants. The average age of each participant was 20. Although some authors have suggested that conversion stories of men and women would be similar due to a rhythmic narrative formula and common structural elements, this study has found that significant gender differences in the communication of such narratives do arise in certain specific areas. The majority of men used adventurous metaphors, while the majority of women used peaceful metaphors to describe their conversion experiences. It was also found that the majority of men focused on themselves as the control character while most women focused on someone else. And, men described themselves as clever whereas women described themselves as foolish in their narratives.

Ines Jindra

By on September 16, 2002 in Faculty Publications

Ines, Wenger Jindra. “Crossing the Gods: World Religions and Worldly Politics.” Social Forces 81, no. 1 (2002): 378-380.

Abstract: Are there “culture wars” occurring in countries other than the U.S.? The main theme of this fascinating book is the relationship between religion and politics around the world. In the first part, the author combines an anthropological approach with travelography and takes his readers on a worldwide journey, using the image of religion as a moth circling the flame (politics). Religion, like the moth, increases both its possible gains (e.g., it can energize politics, provide legitimacy and moral leverage) and possible losses (e.g., assassinations of openly religious figures, religious violence or religious lethargy due to influence of the government) by approaching the political flame too closely. In order to understand these issues, he stresses the cultural context of religion over its doctrine.