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Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments

Publisher:
, 2025
ISBN: 9781538137994
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Overview

Sociology of Religion, Fourth Edition introduces students to the nature and function of religious institutions and practices while asking sociological questions about the changing role of religion in today’s “post-traditional” world. Broken into three parts, the book opens with the basics of religious history and a review of key theories for its study. Part II, “Religion and Social Differentiation,” examines the intersections of ethnicity, class, gender, and sexuality with spirituality today, and Part III, “Religion, Culture, and Change,” explores religious inspirations for, or impediments to, social change. Throughout the text, boxes illuminate key concepts and suggestions for further reading allow for ongoing exploration of key themes and topics.

New to the Fourth Edition:
· Chapter 9, “Politicized Religion and Conflict,” presents a comparative look at religious extremism and its global risks
· Updated and expanded content on ethnicity and religion aids students in better understanding increasingly diverse societies
· Greater focus on religion’s significance in current debates over gender roles and sexuality offers a framework for exploring contemporary conflicts.
· Updated and expanded discussion of religion and the media explores the history of their relationship and how it is being reconfigured in a media-saturated age.

About Us
About the Book
Part One: The Basics
By Way of IntroductionBackground
The Definitional Problem
Exploring the Dimensions of Religion
Social Relationships
Ethical Considerations
A Definitional Revision
The Plan of the Book
Suggestions for Further Reading
Studying ReligionWhy Study Religion?
How Do We Study Religion?
Survey Research
Participant Observation
Historical Research
Theory in the Study of Religion
Functionalist Theories
Conflict Theories
A Paradigm Shift
Rational Choice Theories
Sociologie Religieuse
Implicit Religion
Suggestions for Further Reading
The “Religion” of Secularization and the History of ReligionsThe “World” of Religion
The Arguments
The Critique
The “Religions” of Secularization
Civil Religion
Invisible Religion
The Myth of the Age of Faith
Pluralism
Suggestions for Further Reading
Religion in the United States: Denominationalism and BeyondChurches and Sects
Weber’s Sociology and Troeltsch’s Ethics
Elaboration, Reaction, and Revision
Neo-Weberian Analyses
Denominationalism
Typology
Denominations Today
Congregationalism
American Religious Renewal
Mainlines and Sidelines in Religion in the United States
Evangelicals and Fundamentalists: Alike and Different
Suggestions for Further Reading
Part Two: Religion and Social Differentiation
Social Class, Religion and Power: A Classic Field of InquirySociological Classics
Marx: The Permanent Exile and Prophet
Weber: Theodicy, Religious Ethics, and Social Class
Religion and the U.S. Class Structure
U.S. Classes and Religion in the Industrial Age: 1870–1970
The Class/Religion Nexus in the Neo-Liberal Era: 1970–
Suggestions for Further Reading
Religion and Ethnicity: A Complex RelationshipClarifying Terms: Ethnic, Nationality, and Racial Groups
Defining Ethnic Groups
Nationality Groups and Territoriality
The Specter of Race
Relational Patterns between Religion and Ethnicity
Ethnicity in the “Righteous Empire”
The Ethnic Factor in the Formative Period of U.S. Catholicism
The Jewish Diaspora
Herberg’s Thesis and the “Triple Melting Pot”
The African-American Religious Experience
From Different Shores: The New Immigrants
The New Ethnics as Protestants, Catholics, and Jews
Beyond Protestant, Catholic, Jew
Suggestions for Further Reading
Gender, Sexuality, and Religion: Spirituality in Different Voices?The Ordination Debate
Women in Clerical and Lay Roles
Culture Wars: Gender, Religion, and Family Values
Abortion and the Politics of the Body
Family Matters
Gays, Lesbians, and Religion
Images of God and Gendered Spirituality
Suggestions for Further Reading
Part Three: Religion, Culture, and Change
Religious Change: The Case of Catholicism in the United StatesChurch with a Capital C
Change: From Breeze to Tornado
Commitment: Loyalty, but Not Obedience
Devotion: A Collapse of Authority
Governance: Guiding the People of God
Leadership: Failures at the Top
Membership: Problems in the Pews
African-American Catholics
Hispanic / Latino Catholics
Women in the Church
Personnel: People without Priests
Finances: Expanding Mission, Declining Resources
Suggestions for Further Reading
Politicized Religion and Conflict: National and Global DimensionsFundamentalism
The Religious Right in the United States
Islamization
Ultraorthodox Judaism
Hindutva: Hindu Nationalism
Militant Buddhism in Sri Lanka
Conclusion
Suggestions for Further Reading
Mediating Meaning: Religion in—and as—Contemporary CultureMass Faith: The Media of Religion
Religion in Material Culture: Faith in the Flesh
Religious Publishing: Words and The Word
“That Old-Time Religion”: Broadcast Faith in the United States
“In the Beginning . . .”
The Message: “His Master’s Voice”?
The Messengers: The Return of Elmer Gantry?
The Audience: Preaching to the Converted?
Cyber-Faith: Religion on the Internet
Suggestions for Further Reading
Boundary Issues: Church, State, and New ReligionsReligious Novelty
Cult and Anticult: Social Science and Social Movements
Asceticism and Mysticism
The Attraction of the Margin
Illustrations of NRM Dynamics
Unificationism (with Eileen Barker)
“Satanism” and Anti-Satanism
Neopaganism: Of Gods and Goddesses
Suggestions for Further Reading
References
Index

Ambitious in scope, this new edition of Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments blends together classical and contemporary perspectives while highlighting recent trends and developments. With engaging prose and timely examples, including secularization, fundamentalism, and the changing role of technology, it’s an ideal choice for classroom use.

This new edition of Sociology of Religion is a thoughtful introduction to the field. Written in an accessible manner, students will appreciate both the breadth of theoretical approaches to religion that the authors outline and the range of contemporary issues discussed amid significant changes in the religious landscape.

As a comprehensive and accessible guide, Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments is an invaluable resource for both students and professionals. The authors provide clear explanations and real-world examples that both engage readers and illuminate complex concepts. This is a must-read for anyone seeking a deep understanding of the field.

Kevin J. Christiano is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and a past president of the Association for the Sociology of Religion and the American Council for Québec Studies.

Peter Kivisto is the Richard A. Swanson Professor of Social Thought at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, and a research fellow at the Università di Trento in Italy. An author or editor of more than twenty-five books, he is a member of the Council of the American Sociological Association.



William H. Swatos, Jr., served as the executive officer of the Association for the Sociology of Religion and of the Religious Research Association for many years. He is senior priest and Canon Theologian of the Anglican diocese of Quincy, Illinois.

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