Toward a Sociological Theory of Religion and Health (Religion and the Social Order)

Driven by funding agencies, empirical research in the social scientific study of health and medicine has grown in quantity and developed in quality. When it became evident, in what is now a tradition of inquiry, that people's religious activities had significant health consequences, a portion of that body of work began to focus more frequently on the relationship between health and religion. The field has reached a point where book-length summaries of empirical findings, especially those pertinent to older people, can identify independent, mediating, and dependent variables of interest. Every mediating variable, even if considered as a “control” variable, represents an explanation, a small theory of some kind. However, taken in granular form, as it were, the multiple theories do not comprise mid-level theory, let alone a general theoretical framework. This volume seeks to move toward more general theoretical development. Contributors include: Alex Bierman, Sherry Cummings, Christopher G. Ellison, Andrea K. Henderson, Barbara Kilbourne, Neal Krause, Jeff Levin, Robert S. Levine, Eric Liu, Michael K. Roemer, Scott Schieman, and Ephraim Shapiro. Toward a Sociological Theory of Religion and Health......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Preface: “Illth” and Health......Page 8 Introduction: Sociological Theory on Religion and Health......Page 10 1. Religion and Mental Health: Through the Lens of the Stress Process......Page 20 2. The Role of Divine Beliefs in Stress Processes......Page 54 3. Transcendent Experience and Health: Concepts, Cases, and Sociological Themes......Page 78 4. Does Religion Protect against Psychological Distress among Chronically Ill and Poor Women?......Page 104 5. Religion and Health in Japan: Past Research, New Findings, and Future Directions......Page 124 6. Religion and Mental Health in China......Page 150 7. Religious Involvement and Latino Immigrant Health......Page 184 8. Stress, Religious-based Coping, and Physical Health......Page 216 9. Religious Involvement and Religious Struggles......Page 248 10. The Recondite Religious Life of Health......Page 270 Contributors......Page 282 Religion and the Social Order......Page 286 Introduction : Sociological Theory On Religion And Health / Anthony J. Blasi -- Religion And Mental Health : Through The Lens Of The Stress Process / Christopher G. Ellison And Andrea K. Henderson -- The Role Of Divine Beliefs In Stress Processes / Scott Schieman And Alex Bierman -- Transcendent Experience And Health : Concepts, Cases, And Sociological Themes / Jeff Levin -- Does Religion Protest Against Psychological Distress Among Chronically Ill And Poor Women? / Barbara Kilbourne, Sherry Cummings, And Robert S. Levine -- Religion And Health In Japan : Past Research, New Findings, And Future Directions / Michael K. Roemer -- Religion And Mental Health In China / Eric Y. Liu -- Religious Involvement And Latino Immigrant Health / Ephraim Shapiro -- Stress, Religious-based Coping, And Physical Health / Neal Krause -- Religious Involvement And Religious Struggles / Terence D. Hill And Ryon J. Cobb -- The Recondite Religious Life Of Health / Anthony J. Blasi. Edited By Anthony J. Blasi. Includes Bibliographical References. Driven by funding agencies, empirical research in the social scientific study of health and medicine has grown in quantity and developed in quality. When it became evident, in what is now a tradition of inquiry, that people 's religious activities had significant health consequences, a portion of that body of work began to focus more frequently on the relationship between health and religion. The field has reached a point where book-length summaries of empirical findings, especially those pertinent to older people, can identify independent, mediating, and dependent variables of interest. Every This book seeks to involve recognized researchers in the social scientific study of health, medicine and religion, which has burgeoned across the past twenty years, toward more general theoretical development within the field, particularly with respect to the elderly and disadvantaged.