Summary of article in Sociologische Gids, 47 nr. 4, september 2000
René Bekkers
Religious involvement and voluntary work: a question of psychological disposition or social organization?
("Religieuze betrokkenheid en vrijwilligerswerk: een kwestie van psychologische dispositie of sociale organisatie?")
Why do active church members participate in voluntary organizations more often than non-religious people? Two explanations are investigated: (1) church members are socialized to altruism; (2) church members are better integrated in social networks which foster participation. The first, 'Parsonian' explanation, holds that church members have gained a disposition to altruism through successful socialization in religious doctrines. The second explanation, which combines Durkheimean sociology and research in social networks, states that church members are more integrated in social networks, which may motivate participation or make it difficult to refuse if asked. An empirical test of these competing hypotheses reveals that neither altruism can explain the relation between church membership and voluntary work (although it is a very important predictor), nor can size and quality of contact within social networks. However, the number of volunteers within the social network reduces the initial relationship to non-significance. The church is a meetingplace for volunteers and serves as a recruitment pool.