Religious ego identity and its relationship to faith maturity

The relationship between religious ego identity and religious faith maturit y was investigated among college students (M age = 19.8 years) using J. E. Marcia's (1966) religious ego status classification system, which is based on the presence or absence in an individual of an exploration of religious values or beliefs and commitment to them; the system also contains a measur e of religious faith maturity. Results showed that individuals with a diffu sion status (no exploration, no commitment) were less mature in religious f aith than those with a foreclosure status (no exploration, commitment), a m oratorium status (exploration, no commitment), or those classified as achie ved (exploration, commitment). Compared with individuals classified as fore closed, achieved individuals integrated more effectively the religious fait h maturity dimension of service to humanity and community as well as servic e of self to a transcendent reality.