Sociology Index

Books, E-Books

Books On Sociology Of Religion

Sociology of Religion, Society and Atheism, Syllabus, Abstracts, Bibliography

 

The Sociology of Religion: A Substantive and Transdisciplinary Approach George Lundskow

Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments Book by Kevin J. Christiano

The SAGE Handbook of the Sociology of Religion by James A. Beckford and N Jay Demerath

A Sociology of Spirituality (Theology and Religion in Interdisciplinary Perspective Series in Association With the Bsa Sociology of Religion Study Group) Kieran Flanagan and Peter C. Jupp

Religion and Alienation: A Theological Reading of Sociology Book by Gregory Baum

The Sociology of Religion - BSA New Horizons in Sociology - Book by Grace Davie (Author)

An Introduction to the Sociology of Religion - Classical And Contemporary Perspectives - Book by Inger Furseth (Author), Pal Repstad (Author)

Materialising Religion - Expression Performance And Ritual - Theology and Religion in Interdisciplinary Perspective Series. The BSA Sociology of Religion Study Group) Book by Elisabeth Arweck (Editor), William Keenan (Editor) 

Religion in Society - A Sociology of Religion - (8th Edition) Book by Ronald L. Johnstone

Religion In A Global Society - Book by Peter Beyer (Author)

Weber And The Persistence Of Religion - Social Theory, Capitalism & The Sublime
(Routledge Advances in Sociology S.) Book by Joseph W. H. Lough (Author) 

Reading Religion in Text And Context - Reflections of Faith And Practice in Religious Materials (Theology and Religion in Interdisciplinary Perspective ... the BSA Sociology of Religion Study Group.) Book by Elisabeth Arweck (Editor), Peter Collins (Editor) 

Handbook of the Sociology of Religion by Michele Dillon (Editor)

Sociology of Religion - A Reader - Book by Susanne C. Monahan (Author), William A. Mirola (Author), Michael O. Emerson (Author) 

The Sociology of Religion by Max Weber Book by Ann Swidler (Foreword), Ephraim Fischoff (Translator) 

The Sociology of Religion - Theoretical and Comparative Perspectives - Book by Malcol Hamilton (Author)

The Blackwell Companion to Sociology of Religion - Book by Richard K. Fenn (Editor) 

Sociology and the Worlds Religions - Book by Malcolm B. Hamilton (Author)

Sociology of Religion - Contemporary Developments - Book by Christiano Kevin J.

Religion and Everyday Life - Book by Stephen Hunt (Author)

Religion in the Contemporary World - A Sociological Introduction - Book by Alan Aldridge (Author)

Handbook of Religion and Social Institutions - Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research Book by Helen Rose Ebaugh (Editor) 

Why Conservative Churches Are Growing - A Study in Sociology of Religion - Book by Dean M. Kelley (Author) 

A Comparative Sociology of World Religions - Virtuosi, Priests, and Popular Religion
Book by Stephen Sharot (Author)

Religion and Family in a Changing Society - Princeton Studies in Cultural Sociology
Book by Penny Edgell (Author)

Islam and the Integration of Society - International Library of Sociology F: The Sociology of Religion (International Library of Sociology) (Hardcover) Book by Montgomery Watt (Author)

Defending the Durkheimian Tradition - Religion, Emotion And Morality - Rethinking Classical Sociology Book by Jonathan S. Fish (Author)

Religion and Critical Psychology: The Ethics of Not-Knowing in the Knowledge Economy Religion and Critical Psychology: The Ethics of Not-Knowing in the Knowledge Economy by Jeremy Carrette (Paperback - Dec 14, 2007)

Reviews:

The Sociology of Religion - BSA New Horizons in Sociology - Book by Grace Davie (Author)
Why is religion still important? Can we be fully modern and fully religious? This book, written by one of the leading figures in the field, works at two levels. First it sets out the agenda – covering the key questions in the sociology of religion today. At the same time, it interrogates this agenda – asking if the sociology of religion, as we currently know it, is ‘fit for purpose’. If not, what is to be done? 
Key Features 
Describes the origins of the sociology of religion 
Provides a comparative perspective for religions in the west 
In a single volume Grace Davie captures the nature and forms of modern religion, the current debates in the field and the prospects for future development.

Religion in Society - A Sociology of Religion - (8th Edition) Book by Ronald L. Johnstone Using an unbiased, balanced approach, the 8th edition of this text puts religion in its social context by discussing the impact of society on religion while helpg readers understand the role and function of religion in society that occur regardless of anyone's claims about the truth or falsity of religious systems. 
The publisher, Prentice-Hall Humanities/Social Science
Fresh with new insights, issues, and developments, this text offers a sound analysis of religion as a social institution that is interdependent and in constant interaction with other societal units. Objective in approach, it shows students the importance of chronicling and analyzing the actions and reactions of religious institutions in our endeavor to understand how societies function and change. 

Religion In A Global Society - Book by Peter Beyer (Author) 
Saying the word "religion" in today's world evokes a bewildering and often contradictory variety of images and attitudes. From the Dalai Lama to Falun Gong, from mosque to temple, "religion" covers a multitude of practices, worldviews and cosmologies. This book, by a distinguished sociologist of religion, offers a way of understanding religion in contemporary global society, by analyzing it as a dimension of the historical process of globalization. Written with exceptional clarity, it introduces theories of globalization, show how they can be applied to world religions.
Peter Beyer is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Ottawa. His previous books include Religion and Globalisation (1994) and Religion and the Process of Globalisation (2001).

Weber And The Persistence Of Religion - Social Theory, Capitalism & The Sublime
(Routledge Advances in Sociology S.) Book by Joseph W. H. Lough (Author) 
This book presents a clear and compelling case for the intimate practical relationship between religion and capitalism. It signals a major change in how social scientists are beginning to interpret capitalism, religion and growing public hostility against secular society.

Handbook of the Sociology of Religion by Michele Dillon (Editor) - "Michele Dillon has done sociology of religion a great service by bringing together many of its most distinguished and promising practitioners to address the field at large according to their special competencies and interests. Could serve as the main text for an upper division or graduate survey course in sociology of religion. List of contributors is the closest thing to a 'who's who` of contemporary sociologists of religion to appear in one text that I am aware of. For sociologists of religion, this is easily the best single compendium of research and theory to come out in years, and a hearty testament to the vitality and dynamism of the state of our crucial discipline." Phil Zuckerman, Pitzer College, Contemporary Sociology

Sociology of Religion - A Reader - Book by Susanne C. Monahan (Author), William A. Mirola (Author), Michael O. Emerson (Author) 
This collection of articles explores the relationship between the structure and culture of religion and various aspects of social life in the United States. Based on both classic and contemporary research in the sociology of religion, it highlights a variety of research methods and theoretical approaches in exploring the ways in which religious values, beliefs and practices shape the world outside of church, synagogue, or mosque walls while simultaneously being shaped by the non-religious forces operating in that world. Classic Sociological Definitions Of Religion; Belief And Ritual; Religious Experience; Race, Ethnicity And Religion; Gender And Religion; Social Class And Religion; Sexual Identity And Religion; The Secularization Debate; Religious Organizations, Institutions And Authority; Alternative Religions; Media And Religion; Politics And Religion; Science And Religion; Social Movements And Religion. For anyone interested in the sociology of religion or religious perspectives on social issues. 
Each of us looks forward to our opportunities to teach Sociology of Religion to undergraduate students. There is something about the study of the social aspects of religion that makes for a good class, a class that teaches itself.
The focus of this reader is on the structure and culture of religion in the United States. Thus, many of the readings are about religion in the Christian tradition. Nonetheless, where it was feasible, we included readings about religion outside the American context (e.g., Poland, England, El Salvador, Nicaragua), and beyond the Christian tradition (e.g., Judaism, alternative religions, Hindu traditions).
In teaching the Sociology of Religion, we have been amazed at how much discussion these classical statements generate among students. We continue with sections that focus on the "stuff" of religion—belief, ritual, and religious experience. We then present several sections on how religion is related to various aspects of identity: race and ethnicity, gender, social class, and sexual identity. We put this material early in the volume because religious participation has a powerful ability to shape how we see ourselves-and how we interact with others. 
Next, we move to structural concerns. We introduce students to the secularization debate that has raged recently in the sociology of religion: Is religion declining or is it thriving? We follow with sections on organizational aspects of official religion—authority, organizations, and institutions—and on alternative religions. Because religion does not exist in a vacuum, we also include sections examining the relationship between religion and different social institutions: media, politics, and science. We end with a section on the role of religion in social movements and social change. 
Additionally, we have tried to organize sections according to common understandings of topics in Sociology of Religion, so that it can be used with a standard textbook or an existing syllabus of topics. 
It was during our discussions of teaching that the idea of pulling together a reader for Sociology of Religion first emerged. We hope that you will find the study of religion and society to be as engaging and exciting as we do.

The Sociology of Religion by Max Weber Book by Ann Swidler (Foreword), Ephraim Fischoff (Translator) 
Weber's book was groundbreaking when it was first published. Even today, it is considered a classic. However, the reader should be informed that Weber's book is full of white Germanic Christian bias, a bias so strong at times that it harms the author's credibility. However, if read in tandem with later works which critique it, Weber's "Sociology of Religion" provides a glimpse of early 20th century sociological methodology
Reviewer: Ahato@hotmail.com (Madison Wisconsin)

The Sociology of Religion - Theoretical and Comparative Perspectives - Book by Malcol Hamilton (Author)
An expanded second edition, this clear and comprehensive introduction to the sociology of religion incorporates the ideas of the main theorists with a wide range of material that illustrates the large expanse of religious beliefs and practices. Malcolm Hamilton presents a broad comparative view that draws on insights in history, anthropology and sociology. The Sociology of Religion encompasses both classic and contemporary theories to present a full picture of the variety and span of theoretical perspectives.

The Blackwell Companion to Sociology of Religion - Book by Richard K. Fenn (Editor) 
This Companion, edited by one of the best known and most widely respected sociologists of religion, provides essential reading for sociologists and religion scholars. The Blackwell Companion to Sociology of Religion is presented in three comprehensive parts. Written by a range of outstanding academics, the volume explores the current status of the sociology of religion, and how it might look in future.Contributors discuss the major social trends which will affect, or be affected by, religion in the near future, encompassing all aspects of the sociology of religion.

Sociology and the Worlds Religions - Book by Malcolm B. Hamilton (Author)
Sociological and related studies of systems of religion tend to be fragmented. This book brings together and assesses a diverse range of substantive sociological, anthropological and social-psychological scholarship dealing with the broad spectrum of religious belief, experience and behavior from the work of anthropologists on the religions of tribal and pre-industrial peoples to explorations of the origins, development and impact of the great world religions. 

Sociology of Religion - Contemporary Developments - Book by Christiano Kevin J.
Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments charts changes in the sociology of religion without ignoring the continuing relevance of Weber, Durkheim, and Marx. Veteran sociologists Christiano, Swatos, and Kivisto address both the foundations and the profound changes in the field, placing new conceptions against their historical background. Charts, pictures, down-to-earth examples, and a readable style keep the history and new developments within the reach of undergraduates. Instructors who want to give their students a current and comprehensive overview of the field should take a look at Sociology of Religion: Contemporary Developments.

Religion and Everyday Life - Book by Stephen Hunt (Author) 
Religion and Everyday Life explores the historical and contemporary relevance of religion to social life through an examination of practice and belief. In this introductory textbook, Stephen Hunt reconsiders how theories and concepts are lived at the level of selfhood and cultural identity, through religious and spiritual belief.
Individual chapters cover a range of issues, such as: religion, identity, and community; secularization and pluralism; traditional Christianity: change and continuity; globalization and the global context; and religion and ethnicity.

Religion in the Contemporary World - A Sociological Introduction - Book by Alan Aldridge (Author)
In this wide-ranging and accessible book, Alan Aldridge reviews the contribution sociologists have made to our understanding of the role of religion in society.The founders of sociology thought that religion and magic were being replaced by science and technology. Some, such as Marx, saw this as a liberation. Others, including Comte, invented substitute religions, none of which has survived. Today many sociologists believe religion has lost social significance. Yet current affairs and everyday experience provide evidence of religion's continuing importance.

Handbook of Religion and Social Institutions - Handbooks of Sociology and Social Research Book by Helen Rose Ebaugh (Editor) 
Handbook for Religion and Social Institutions is written for sociologists who study a variety of sub-disciplines and are interested in recent studies and theoretical approaches that relate religious variables to their particular area of interest.

Why Conservative Churches Are Growing - A Study in Sociology of Religion - Book by Dean M. Kelley (Author) 
Important Book for Students of American Religion, May 25, 2006
Reviewer: Lost (Fresno, Ca USA)
In 1969 Peter Berger told the New York Times that religious people would soon be huddled together in little enclaves, surrounded by a sea of secularity. In doing so, he was simply making explicit the philosophy of history implicit in social theory since its founding. According to this philosophy, Christianity became Protestant, then liberal Protestant, then vaguely and privately spiritual, moving inevitably towards secularism. In the 60s and into the 70s the data on American religion seemed to support this story - at least in mainline churches.

A Comparative Sociology of World Religions - Virtuosi, Priests, and Popular Religion
Book by Stephen Sharot (Author)
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, September 2002
"Sharot makes a substantial contribution to the maturation of the comparative sociology of religion. A distinctive feature of the book is its accent on popular religion.
The many books on the world's religions typically emphasize doctrine ( religion "in the air"), while sociology of religion books typically emphasize behavior (religion "on the ground"). -Phillip Hammond, D. Mackenzie Brown Professor of Religious Studies 
A Sociology of World Religions presents a comparative analysis of the world's religions, focusing on the differences and interrelationships between religious elites and lay masses.
The volume introduces and builds upon an analysis of Weber's model of religious action, drawing on Durkheim, Marxist scholars, and the work of contemporary sociologists and anthropolgists. The following chapters each focus on major religious cultures, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Judaism, and the religions of China and Japan. This ambitious project is the first to offer a comparison of the popular, or folk, forms of religion around the world. 

Religion and Family in a Changing Society - Princeton Studies in Cultural Sociology
Book by Penny Edgell (Author)
Sally K. Gallagher Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion : Penny Edgell's new monograph provides a much-needed analysis of the intersections of religion and family life.
Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University : The research in this book is more extensive than almost anything else on this topic--and this is a topic that has received considerable attention in recent years. The particular attractiveness of the book is its combination of qualitative and quantitative evidence. I can think of no other book that brings the two together in this way.
It also displays a sophisticated social-science methodology and makes important theoretical contributions to both social theory and the sociology of religion.

Religion and Critical Psychology: The Ethics of Not-Knowing in the Knowledge Economy Religion and Critical Psychology: The Ethics of Not-Knowing in the Knowledge Economy by Jeremy Carrette. Jeremy Carrette argues that the psychology of religion is no longer sustainable without a social critique, and that as William James predicted, the project of the modernist psychology of religion has failed. Controversially he champions greater social and philosophical analysis within the field to challenge the political naivety and disciplinary illusions of the traditional approaches to psychology of religion. Carrette discusses the relevance of the social and economic factors surrounding the debates of psychology and religion, through three critical examples: * psychoanalysis * humanistic psychology * cognitive neuroscience. A Critical Psychology of Religion provides a new dimension to the debates surrounding religious experience. It will be of interest to students and researchers in the fields of critical psychology, religious experience and the psychology of religion and extends an interdisciplinary challenge to the separation of psychology, sociology, politics, economics and religion.

 

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