Abstract
Research on adult petitionary prayer indicates domain differences in prayer requests with adults are more likely to ask God for psychological than biological or physical interventions. What people pray for may depend on their view of what God can do. Do adult beliefs in what God can do also vary by domain? Do mainstream Christian adults view each person in the Trinity as equally omnipotent? Are God concepts related to prayers? In Study 1, adult participants completed a questionnaire consisting of questions about what different agents (God, a superhero, and a Dad) can do. The actions varied by domain (physical, biological, and psychological). Participants were asked for explanations for each response and asked questions about demographics, religious affiliation and religious practices. In Study 2, adults completed a questionnaire with a prayer scale (Ladd & Spilka, 2005) and questions about what different members of the Trinity and a teacher can do in different domains. Results will be discussed in terms of differences in responses for agents and domain and connections between God concepts and prayer.
Included in
Can God lift a heavy rock? The relationship between beliefs about God's power and prayer practice
Research on adult petitionary prayer indicates domain differences in prayer requests with adults are more likely to ask God for psychological than biological or physical interventions. What people pray for may depend on their view of what God can do. Do adult beliefs in what God can do also vary by domain? Do mainstream Christian adults view each person in the Trinity as equally omnipotent? Are God concepts related to prayers? In Study 1, adult participants completed a questionnaire consisting of questions about what different agents (God, a superhero, and a Dad) can do. The actions varied by domain (physical, biological, and psychological). Participants were asked for explanations for each response and asked questions about demographics, religious affiliation and religious practices. In Study 2, adults completed a questionnaire with a prayer scale (Ladd & Spilka, 2005) and questions about what different members of the Trinity and a teacher can do in different domains. Results will be discussed in terms of differences in responses for agents and domain and connections between God concepts and prayer.