The Secularization of Confessional Protests: The Role of Religious Processes of Rationalization and Differentiation

In the 1830s, a series of single-issue protests mobilized hundreds of thousands of Americans across the nation. In these protests against social problems like slavery and drinking, men and women gathered together to bear witness against what they viewed as sins, and to demand that their fellow Americans join them in confession. These confessional protests launched and linked a national wave of social movements. The origins of these movements were religious and evangelical. However, for many activists, the outcome of these protests led to a repudiation of this religious source. The development of these confessional protests reveals keys to the processes of secularization. Drawing on the letters and diaries of six white leading anti-slavery activists, we demonstrate how religious processes of rationalization and differentiation led to secularization. We present this development as a reminder to social theorists that processes immanent to religion have been fateful forces driving secularization.     

The Creativity of Korean Leaders and its Implications for Creativity Education*

This research explores the promoting elements of Korean leaders' creative achievements, and provides implications for creativity education which are suitable in the Korean sociocultural context. In‐depth interviews focusing on their school life and personal growth were held with twelve leaders, four each in the fields of science, humanities, and art. The results of these interviews revealed that a solid basis of basic knowledge, the ability to connect domains from experience in various fields, challenge, and social contribution were the promoting elements for creative achievement. In addition, permissive parents, psychological support from teachers, and horizontal relationships in organizations were affective. Thus, for promoting creativity in Korean education, the importance of knowledge‐base, shared values, teamwork, and teacher role are discussed.     

The Effects of Spiritual/Religious Engagement on College Students' Affective Outcomes: Differences by Gender and Race

This study examines the general and differential effects of spiritual/religious engagement on affective college outcomes (i.e., leadership skills, interpersonal skills, social satisfaction, sense of belonging, and psychological well-being) across different gender and racial groups among undergraduate students at research universities. The study utilized data on 63,528 students who participated in the 2008 University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES). The findings reveal differential effects of spiritual/religious engagement on college students' affective outcomes depending on their gender and race (i.e., gender- and race-based conditional effects). Implications for college students' spiritual development at public research universities and faith-based institutions are discussed.