Bridging literature and religious studies : an examination of intrinsic religious orientation in T. K. Chapin’s The Journey of Grace

Joys Joseph, Jemimal (author)

The present study examines the intrinsic religious orientation in T. K. Chapin’s The Journey of Grace. Intrinsic religious orientation involves the internalization of religious teachings, where individuals find meaning in their faith. By bridging Christian literature and religious studies, the present study makes a unique contribution, demonstrating how faith journeys are depicted in literature. Using qualitative content analysis, the research looks at five dimensions of intrinsic religious orientation: faith as a master motive, internalization, consistency, autonomous faith, and spiritual growth and transformation. This study addresses a fundamental gap in existing research by providing a qualitative content analysis as this field is dominated by quantitative research. The findings show that intrinsic religious orientation helps the characters to overcome emotional problems, achieve stability through faith. This study lays the foundation for future researchers to analyze Christian literature fiction in the areas of extrinsic religious orientation.

• Language: English
• Keywords: religion, religious orientation, intrinsic religious orientation, faith, prayer, scripture
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.03 - Other scientific articles
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.09.2026
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 405-419
• Numbering: Letn. 86, [št.] 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-188101
• UDC: 821.09:2
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: 10.34291/BV2026/02/Joseph
• COBISS.SI-ID: 290053379
• Publication date in RUL: 18.09.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Bogoslovna akademija, Bogoslovna akademija, Teološka fakulteta v Ljubljani, Teološka fakulteta Univerze v Ljubljani, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Povezovanje književnosti in religijskih študij : analiza notranje verske usmerjenosti v delu T. K. Chapina The Journey of Grace

Abstract

Prispevek preučuje notranjo versko naravnanost v delu T. K. Chapina The Journey of Grace. Notranja verska naravnanost pomeni notranje sprejetje verskih naukov, v katerih posamezniki najdejo smisel svoje vere. S povezovanjem krščanske literature in verskih študij raziskava prinaša edinstven prispevek, saj prikazuje, kako so verske poti upodobljene v literaturi. Z uporabo kvalitativne vsebinske analize raziskava obravnava pet dimenzij notranje verske naravnanosti: vero kot glavni motiv, notranje sprejetje, doslednost, avtonomno vero ter duhovno rast in preobrazbo. Študija zapolnjuje temeljno vrzel v obstoječih raziskavah, saj ponuja kvalitativno vsebinsko analizo, medtem ko na tem področju prevladujejo kvantitativne raziskave. Ugotovitve kažejo, da notranja verska usmerjenost pomaga likom premagovati čustvene težave in doseči stabilnost skozi vero. Študija postavlja temelje prihodnjim raziskovalcem za analizo krščanskega leposlovja na področju zunanje verske naravnanosti.

• Keywords: religija, verska naravnanost, notranja verska usmerjenost, vera, molitev, Sveto pismo