Nondoctrinal Religion Scales [NRS-27]

Description

The Nondoctrinal Religion Scales (NRS-27) were developed to assess religious orientations that are not tied to specific doctrines or formal belief systems. Rather than focusing on adherence to particular theological statements, the scales examine broader existential and religious concerns such as meaning, suffering, injustice, and the individual’s general orientation toward religion.

Aim

The main aim of the NRS is to evaluate religiosity beyond conventional doctrinal affiliation. The scales are intended to explore how individuals respond to fundamental existential concerns and how these concerns relate to religion, personal meaning, and social experience.

This approach also makes the instrument relevant to comparative and cross-cultural research, where specific religious doctrines may differ substantially across populations.

Structure

The Nondoctrinal Religion Scales are associated with two main versions developed by Yinger:

7 items (1969)
and
20 items (1977).

Thus, the label NRS-27 may refer to the combined 27 items represented across these two historical forms rather than to a single unified 27-item version.

The later version addresses themes related to human suffering, injustice, meaninglessness, general religiosity, and social or political concerns.

Scoring

Items are generally rated using a Likert-type response format, reflecting the degree of agreement or disagreement with each statement.

The original approach emphasized the interpretation of responses to individual items or thematic dimensions rather than necessarily producing a single global score. Therefore, researchers should verify the scoring procedure associated with the specific version being used.

Psychometric Considerations

Research on the scales has raised questions regarding their dimensionality and internal consistency. In particular, the earlier 7-item version may not represent a purely unidimensional construct.

Subsequent studies also examined the relationship between NRS scores and more traditional measures of religiosity, contributing to discussion about whether nondoctrinal religiosity represents a fully distinct construct.

Applications

The NRS-27 may be used in the psychology and sociology of religion, particularly in studies examining:

religious orientation,

existential concerns,

meaning in life,

cross-cultural differences in religiosity,

and relationships between religion, values, and social attitudes.

Conclusions

The Nondoctrinal Religion Scales [NRS-27] represent an important approach to assessing religiosity without relying exclusively on specific religious doctrines.

Their focus on broad existential concerns makes them potentially useful in comparative research, although their historical development and reported psychometric limitations should be considered when applying them in contemporary studies.

References

Yinger, J. M. (1969). A structural examination of religion. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 8, 88–99.

Yinger, J. M. (1977). A comparative study of the substructures of religion. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 16, 67–86.

Nelsen, H. M., Everett, R. F., Mader, P. D., & Hamby, W. C. (1976). A test of Yinger’s measure of nondoctrinal religion: Implications for invisible religion as a belief system. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 15, 263–267.