The Role of Religion in Modern Societies (Routledge Advances in Sociology)

Does modernization lead to the decline of religion? This question lies at the centre of a key debate in the sociology of religion. During the past decade American scholars, using primarily American data, have dominated this debate and have made a strong case that the answer to this question is no. Recently, however, a new crop of European scholars, working with new sources of European data, have uncovered evidence that points toward an affirmitive answer. This volume pays special attention to these trends and developments to provide the reader with a more well-rounded understanding of the many ways in which religion interacts with modernization. Respected scholars such as David Voas, Steve Bruce and Anthony Gill examine modern societies across the world in this splendid book which will interest sociologists, political scientists, historians, and theologians in equal measure. Introduction: Religious Change In Modern Societies--perspectives Offered By The Sociology Of Religion / Detlef Pollack -- The Continuing Secular Transition / David Voas -- God, Gaelic, And Needlepoint : Religion As A Social Accomplishment / Steve Bruce -- Religion In Central And Eastern Europe : Was There A Re-awakening After The Breakdown Of Communism? / Olaf Müller -- Quantitative Evidence Favoring And Opposing The Religious Economies Model / Daniel V.a. Olson -- Secularization And The State : The Role Government Policy Plays In Determining Social Religiosity / Anthony Gill -- Unsecular Europe : The Persistence Of Religion / Andrew Greeley -- From Believing Without Belonging To Vicarious Religion : Understanding The Patterns Of Religion In Modern Europe / Grace Davie -- The Cultural Paradigm : Declines In Belonging And Then Believing / Robin Gill -- Religious Individualization Or Secularization : An Attempt To Evaluate The Thesis Of Religious Individualization In Eastern And Western Germany / Detlef Pollack And Gert Pickel -- Religion And Science Or Religion Versus Science? : About The Social Construction Of The Science-religion-antagonism In The German Democratic Republic And Its Lasting Consequences / Monika Wohlrab-sahr -- Secularization Theory And Rational Choice : An Integration Of Macro- And Micro-theories Of Secularization Using The Example Of Switzerland / Jörg Stolz. Edited By Detlef Pollack And Daniel V.a. Olson. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Content: Introduction: Religious change in modern societies--perspectives offered by the sociology of religion / Detlef Pollack -- The continuing secular transition / David Voas -- God, Gaelic, and needlepoint : religion as a social accomplishment / Steve Bruce -- Religion in Central and Eastern Europe : was there a re-awakening after the breakdown of communism? / Olaf Müller -- Quantitative evidence favoring and opposing the religious economies model / Daniel V.A. Olson -- Secularization and the state : the role government policy plays in determining social religiosity / Anthony Gill -- Unsecular Europe : the persistence of religion / Andrew Greeley -- From believing without belonging to vicarious religion : understanding the patterns of religion in modern Europe / Grace Davie -- The cultural paradigm : declines in belonging and then believing / Robin Gill -- Religious individualization or secularization : an attempt to evaluate the thesis of religious individualization in Eastern and Western Germany / Detlef Pollack and Gert Pickel -- Religion and science or religion versus science? : about the social construction of the science-religion-antagonism in the German Democratic Republic and its lasting consequences / Monika Wohlrab-Sahr -- Secularization theory and rational choice : an integration of macro- and micro-theories of secularization using the example of Switzerland / Jörg Stolz. Religious change in modern societies : perspectives offered by the sociology of religion / Detlef Pollack The continuing secular transition / David Voas God, Gaelic, and needlepoint : religion as a social accomplishment / Steve Bruce Religion in Central and Eastern Europe : was there a re-awakening after the breakdown of communism? / Olaf Müller Quantitative evidence favoring and opposing the religious market model / Daniel V. A. Olson Secularization and the state : the role government policy plays in determining social religiosity / Anthony Gill Unsecular Europe : the persistence of religion / Andrew Greeley From "believing without belonging" to "vicarious religion" : understanding the patterns of religion in modern Europe / Grace Davie The cultural paradigm : declines in belonging and then believing / Robin Gill Religious individualization or secularization : an attempt to evaluate the thesis of religious individualization in Eastern and Western Germany / Gert Pickel and Detlef Pollack Religion and science or religion versus science? : about the social construction of the science-religion-antagonism in the German Democratic Republic and its lasting consequences / Monika Wohlrab-Sahr Secularization theory and rational choice : an integration of macro- and micro-theories of secularization using the example of Switzerland / Jörg Stolz. Presenting a thorough understanding of the many ways in which religion interacts with modernization and its debates, respected scholars such as David Voas, Steve Bruce and Anthony Gill examine modern societies across the world in this splendid book.