EgerMcDonald_ReligiousAttitudesandCharitableDonations.pdf (application/pdf Object)

Religious Attitudes and Charitable Donations by Robert J. Eger, III of Florida State University and Bruce D. McDonald, III of Indiana University - South Bend

utilizes data from Robert Wuthnow’s Arts and Religion Survey to explore the correlation between a person’s self defined religious orientation and religious charitable giving.

The data support the hypothesis that individuals who define themselves to be religiously conservative exhibit higher levels of generosity to religious charities than those who define themselves to be religious liberals. This occurs because self-identified conservatives are more involved in religious institutions, activities, and commitments, such as regular church participation and stable family structures, than religious liberals. Second, there are normative differences: religious liberals are expected to contribute less than religious moderates when other characteristics are held constant.