Religion and Attitudes toward the Environment
Greeley, A. (1993). Religion and attitudes toward the environment. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 32, 1, 19-28.
Extended a study (D. L. Eckberg and T. J. Blocker; 1990) of the relationship between religion and concern for the environment among 300 adults in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In the present study, only 1 variable was used, willingness to spend money on the environment, but findings were based on a national data set (J. A. Davis and T. Smith, 1988). The principal finding of the Tulsa study was confirmed: Low levels of environmental concern correlate with a biblical literalism. They also correlate with being Christian and with confidence in the existence of God. On the other hand, support for environmental spending correlates positively with a gracious image of God and with being Catholic. However, explanatory models suggest that it is not biblical literalism as such which relates to lack of environmental concern, but rather a rigid political and religious "story."
