Principles of Social Model of Religiosity Assessment in Iran

A glancing study of the surveys of religiosity assessment since 1990s in Iran shows a shift in the approach of scholars of religion from application of Western Christian models of religiosity assessment to indigenous Islamic models. Nevertheless, despite the fact that the indigenous models are based on experience of religiosity in Iran, the differences in these models and several shortcomings in their principles and fundamentals, make it necessary to conduct precise research in order to develop principles and fundamentals of indigenous models. The present paper is an attempt to explain the principles of social model of religiosity assessment in Iran. Its results can be presuppositions for developing an indigenous model, particularly through a sociological approach. Thus, by explaining seven fundamental issues (including, possibility or necessity of religiosity assessment; possibility of developing a general model of religiosity assessment for special purpose; role of culture in developing an assessment model; etc.), their answers have been extracted as principles for developing a religiosity assessment model, including impossibility of developing a general model of religiosity assessment for special purpose; taking into consideration the culture, customs and traditions of Iranian society in developing the assessment model; and the necessity of attaching due significance to theology in the assessment model.