Degree Name
Master of Arts
Graduate Program
Sociology
Advisor
Whaley, Rachel
Abstract
This study examines how religious participation and progressive attitudes serve to shape opinions on same-sex marriage and civil unions. Although several investigations have been carried out on the issue of same-sex marriage and civil unions, mostly in the area of the influence of religious participation, attitudes however, have not been given much consideration. This study therefore expands the literature on the issue of same sex marriage and civil unions by looking at attitudes and beliefs such as: being open to new experiences, belief in doing social and religious good, belief in the attribution of choice in homosexuality, the belief that there should be less separation of church and state (sacralization) and how images of God (perceiving God as being angry, positive and involved in one’s life and the world) shape attitudes.
Multinomial regression technique was used in analyzing data obtained from wave 2 of the Baylor Religious Survey, in examining males’ and females’ attitudes separately. The results indicated that the attribution of choice in homosexuality, sacralization, being open to new ideas, biblical literacy and wanting to do religious and social good, were key predictors of acceptance of same-sex marriage and civil unions.