Description:
This collection of seventeen essays presents an interactive discussion of critical issues in sociology and religion. Combining reports from empirical research with discussions of theoretical issues, personal reflections, and applied perspectives, the book offers a thorough examination of the sociology-religion interface. The collection brings together experience and analysis in the best sociological tradition, while taking a fundamental, non-reductionist approach toward religious perspectives.
Review Quotes: "The twelve essays explore various reasons why sociologists should recognize the faith commitments' of their theoretical perspectives and why religionists should recognize the sociological dimensions of their faiths. Besides overview essays, topics range from William Garrett's analysis of the influence of George Herbert Mead on H. Richard Niebuhr to the editor's investigation of the social aspects of prayer. A thought-provoking book."-Religious Studies Review