Theological Index

Abstract

The Theological Index is a comprehensive, 53-item psychometric instrument developed primarily by Dean R. Hoge (1976) to measure diverse theological positions and identify areas of doctrinal disagreement among members of the Protestant community of faith. The scale is highly multidimensional, consisting of 12 distinct subscales that capture various facets of religious belief, practice, and worldview.

The 12 measured components of theological position include: Spiritual-Secular Dualism (6 items), Freewill Behavior (6 items), Otherworldliness (3 items), Scriptural Authority (1 item), Social Optimism (3 items), Ethicalism (4 items), Religious Nationalism (3 items), Creedal Assent (6 items), Religious Despair (5 items), Orientation to Growth and Striving (5 items), Devotionalism (4 items), and Salience: Behavior (6 items). Items for several subscales were adapted from the work of King and Hunt (1972). The instrument was validated using large Presbyterian samples of both laity and clergy.

Keywords

Theological Index, Protestantism, Religious Belief, Psychological Measurement, Hoge (1976), Spiritual-Secular Dualism, Ethicalism, Devotionalism, Freewill Behavior, Creedal Assent.

Authors

Dean R. Hoge, Morton King, Richard Hunt

Purpose

The fundamental purpose of the Theological Index is to provide a detailed, quantitative measure capable of isolating specific points of theological variation and conflict within the Protestant denomination. It was conceived as a robust research measure to move beyond generalized religious affiliation and analyze the nuanced ways individuals, particularly within Presbyterian samples, conceptualize and practice their faith.

The scale’s structure, utilizing numerous subscales, allows researchers to pinpoint specific areas—such as views on social action versus spiritual focus, or adherence to traditional doctrines—where disagreements are most pronounced among church members and leadership. This focus facilitates the study of internal fragmentation within the religious community.

Construct

The construct measured by the Theological Index is Theological Position, understood as a complex psychological orientation encompassing an individual’s cognitive acceptance of doctrine, emotional experience of faith, and behavioral manifestation of religious commitment.

The scale dissects this construct into 12 distinct sub-constructs. For instance, Spiritual-Secular Dualism measures the perceived separation between spiritual and worldly concerns, while Creedal Assent assesses the acceptance of core Christian doctrines. The inclusion of scales like Religious Despair and Devotionalism ensures that both the affective and practical dimensions of religious life are covered. Five of these subscales (Creedal Assent, Religious Despair, Orientation to Growth and Striving, Devotionalism, and Salience: Behavior) are derived or adapted from the earlier “Religious Variables” scales developed by King and Hunt (1972).

Validity

The documentation for the Theological Index, specifically Hoge (1976) and its Technical Supplement, does not provide specific empirical validity coefficients (e.g., convergent, divergent, or criterion validity). Therefore, statistical evidence of how well the scale correlates with other established measures or predicts external criteria is not available in the primary source material.

The primary method used for item selection and validation was Face validity. Items were chosen because they conceptually and overtly reflected the intended theological constructs. The development process involved writing a larger pool of items (10 to 15 per construct) and refining them based on two pretests involving Presbyterian laypersons and ministers, prioritizing items that demonstrated acceptable reliability coefficients.

Reliability

Internal consistency reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficients, reported separately for two distinct groups: 872 Presbyterian laity and 667 Presbyterian clergy. Reliability estimates varied considerably across the subscales and between the groups tested.

For the subscales developed by Hoge, the reported alpha coefficients are as follows: Spiritual-Secular Dualism (.65 for ministers, .56 for laypersons); Freewill Behavior (.68 for ministers, .50 for laypersons); Otherworldliness (.75 for ministers, .71 for laypersons); Social Optimism (.63 for ministers, .44 for laypersons); and Ethicalism (.68 for laypersons only). While clergy scores generally showed moderate reliability, several layperson scores fell below commonly accepted thresholds (e.g., Social Optimism at .44 and Freewill Behavior at .50), indicating that the internal consistency of these specific dimensions is questionable for lay populations.

Factor Analysis

The source documentation does not contain information detailing the use of formal factor analytic techniques (such as principal component analysis or common factor analysis) to confirm the 12-factor structure of the Theological Index. The subscale structure appears to be based on theoretical distinctions within theology and refinement based on pretesting and initial reliability estimates rather than statistical confirmation of factor loadings.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report psychological scale / Multi-dimensional attitude inventory

Format: 53 items, primarily using a 4-point Likert-style scale ranging from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. Response categories are modified for items assessing behavioral frequency.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Adult members of the Protestant faith, specifically utilized within the Presbyterian denomination.

Age Group: Adult (Laypersons and Clergy).

Population Details: The scale was standardized using a large sample of 872 Presbyterian laity and 667 Presbyterian clergy. A practical consideration noted by the author is that the traditional wording of many items, reflecting older theological concepts and pronouns, may require editing to reflect more inclusive language if used in contemporary settings.

Test Methodology: Administration is straightforward, requiring minimal instruction. Scoring involves the summation of numerical responses for items corresponding to each of the 12 subscales. Several items require reverse scoring (indicated by R).

Keywords

Psychological scale, Religious attitudes, Theological position, Internal consistency, Dean Hoge, Clergy, Laity, Creedal Assent, Spiritual-Secular Dualism, Religious despair.

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed and introduced in 1976 through the publication of Hoge’s work, “Division in the Protestant House.” Specific details regarding current licensing, permissions for use, or associated fees are not available in the source material.

Reference’s

Hoge, D. (1976). Division in the protestant house. Philadelphia: Westminster.

King, M., & Hunt, R. (1972). Measuring the religious variable: Replication. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 11, 240-251.

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Items of the THEOLOGICAL INDEX

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

Unless instructed otherwise, please indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each item by using the following scale

• 1 = strongly disagree
• 2 = disagree
• 3 = agree
• 4 = strongly agree

Spiritual-Secular Dualism Index

1. The true Christian’s loyalties must be to the spiritual part of man, not the bodily part.
2. Spiritual, and not worldly, affairs in human life should be the concern of the Christian.
3. Christians should look at man as a total unity and not concern themselves with only a “spiritual” part. (R)
4. The true Christian should avoid much involvement in the secular structures of society; his loyalties should first of all be to spiritual things.
5. Christianity is clear about separating spiritual and secular realms and putting emphasis on spiritual values.
6. The Christian should identify himself with secular social forces working for justice and humanization in society. (R)

Freewill Behavior Index

1. Most human behavior is a result of social pressures and conditions. (R)
2. Any person’s behavior is largely determined by the influences of society upon him. (R)
3. The individual, and not his society, determines his personal fate in life.
4. Converting men to Christ must be the first step in creating a better society.
5. To bring peace in the world, we must first of all cleanse men’s hearts of sin.
6. Freedom in Christ has little meaning for persons living amid oppressive social conditions. (R)

Otherworldliness Index

1. The primary purpose of man in this life is preparation for the next life.
2. I believe in a divine judgment after death where some shall be rewarded and others punished.
3. It is not as important to worry about life after death as about what one can do in this life. (R)

Scriptural Authority Item

1. Scripture is the inspired and inerrant Word of God, not only in matters of faith but also in historical, geographical, and other secular matters.

Social Optimism Index

1. The world is so full of human sin that we can expect little improvement in the human condition in history. (R)
2. All human undertakings are corrupted by sin and therefore will eventually fail. (R)
3. Human action can create a substantially better world than we now have.

Ethicalism Index

1. For the Christian, the man-to-man relationship should be at least as important as the man to-God relationship.
2. A good Christian should be as concerned about personal and social ethics as about his own spiritual growth.
3. A correct relationship to God is far more important than proper ethical behavior toward other people. (R)
4. It is the correct relationship to God and not good works in society which should be the foremost concern of the Christian. (R)

Religious Nationalism Index

1. A good Christian should never criticize an American president while he is in office.
2. America is a nation chosen by God to lead in the regeneration of the world.
3. In the church Christianity should be distinguished as much as possible from patriotism. (R)

Creedal Assent Index

1. I believe in eternal life.
2. I believe that God revealed himself to man in Jesus Christ.
3. I believe in salvation as release from sin and freedom for new life with God.
4. I believe that the Word of God is revealed in the Scriptures.
5. I believe in God as a Heavenly Father who watches over me and to whom I am accountable.
6. I believe that Christ is a living reality.

Religious Despair Index

1. The Communion Service (Lord’s Supper, Eucharist) often has little meaning to me.
2. I find myself believing in God some of the time, but not at other times.
3. My personal existence often seems meaningless and without purpose.
4. My life is often empty, filled with despair.
5. I have about given up trying to understand “worship” or get much out of it.

Orientation to Growth and Striving Index

1. I try hard to grow in understanding of what it means to live as a child of God.
2. I try hard to carry my religion over into all my other dealings in life.
3. How often to you read literature about your faith (or church)?

   infrequently

   fairly infrequently

   fairly frequently

   frequently

4. How often do you read the Bible?

   infrequently

   fairly infrequently

   fairly frequently

   frequently

5. The amount of time I spend trying to grow in understanding of my faith is:

   very little

   somewhat little

   somewhat much

   very much

Devotionalism Index

1. Private prayer is one of the most important and satisfying aspects of my religious experience.
2. I frequently feel very close to God in prayer, during public worship, or at important moments in my daily life.
3. How often do you ask God to forgive your sin?

   infrequently

   fairly infrequently

   fairly frequently

   frequently

4. How often do you pray privately in places other than at church?

   infrequently

   fairly infrequently

   fairly frequently

   frequently

Salience: Behavior Index

1. How often do you talk with the pastor (or other official) about some part of the worship service, for example, the sermon, Scripture, choice of hymns, etc.?

   infrequently

   fairly infrequently

   fairly frequently

   frequently

2. How often in the past year have you shared with another church member the problems and joys of trying to live a life of faith in God?

   infrequently

   fairly infrequently

   fairly frequently

   frequently

3. When faced with decisions regarding social problems, how often do you seek guidance from statements and publications provided by the church?

   infrequently

   fairly infrequently

   fairly frequently

   frequently

4. How often do you talk about religion with your friends, neighbors, or fellow workers?

   infrequently

   fairly infrequently

   fairly frequently

   frequently

5. During the last year, how often have you visited someone in need, besides relatives?

   infrequently

   fairly infrequently

   fairly frequently

   frequently

6. How often have you personally tried to convert someone to faith in God?

   infrequently

   fairly infrequently

   fairly frequently

   frequently

(R) indicates item to be reverse scored