The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Sociology of Religion takes a look at the role of religion in society; unpacking and evaluating the significance of religion in and on human history; and tracing and outlining the social forces and influences that shape religion.

This book is a companion to SmuckerOCOs 1977 publication The Sociologyof Canadian Mennonites, Hutterites and Amish, which is referred to asVol. 1. While the first volume consisted primarily of citations relatingto Canadian Mennonites, Hutterites, and Amish, the present volume ismuch broader in scope, in that it includes materials from both the U.S.and Canada, as well as from Europe. Vol. 2 is organized only slightly differently from the previous volume.There are four main sections: OC Bibliographies and EncyclopediasOCO;OC MennonitesOCO; OC HutteritesOCO; and OC Amish.OCO Each of the latterthree is further arranged by kind of material: OC Books andPamphletsOCO; OC Graduate ThesesOCO; OC ArticlesOCO (from journals andchapters from books); and OC Unpublished SourcesOCO (cited forMennonites only). Three appendixes appear at the end of the book. A nameindex and a subject index are also included. This handy bibliography lists 400 items (mostly published since 1977, though there are a few justified exceptions). It is important to notethat, while information on Mennonites and the Amish is more readilyavailable, the same on Hutterites is scarce. The 53 items listed will, in combination with the ones in the previous volume, prove very useful. The appendixes, though brief, may assist in further research, but theavailability of the materials mentioned therein is not apparent. Theappendixes do provide a little insight into the present-day status andactivities of these groups. Appendix A summarizes the Mennonite ChurchMember Profile II, which is the result of a current survey that willhelp identify trends in the beliefs of Mennonites today. This survey isexpected to be published in a book. Appendix B lists helpful sources(e.g., major Mennonite and Amish research libraries, bookstores, yearbooks, and handbooks relating to these groups). Appendix C listsspecial collections of Amish material. Only some of the books published in the U.S. before 1977 that weremissing from the earlier volume are included in this one. Several otherbooks may have been deliberately excluded (the authorOCOs criteria forinclusion or exclusion are not clearly stated). Just as in the previousbibliography, the writings of prominent Mennonite sociologists and otherauthors have been cited. Evidently books on sociological, religious, andhistorical aspects were chosen, though some fiction titles have alsobeen included. Some books could have been included but are not. Andthere is no mention of the journals Mennonite Historian or The Journalof Mennonite Studies, both of which are Canadian. The bibliography is mostly in essay form. There is no consistency inthe annotations. Some books and articles are annotated in great detail, while others receive only brief mention. A lot of effort has been putinto the arrangement of the material into subsections (books andpamphlets, etc.) for each group, but the user may well find this systemcumbersome. Since there are not many items, they could all have beenlisted in a single alphabetical sequence under each group. The authorindex is convenient, although a spot-check reveals some errors. Theterms used in the subject index are too broad and vague, and at timesserve no purpose. In publishing this bibliography, which reflects 10 years of research, Smucker has further extended his service to students of Mennonites. Theinformation gathered in this volume, as in the earlier one, is notrestricted to academic/research interest only. A bibliography is awelcome addition to any collection, and an annotated one has a distinctadvantage: it enables readers to choose more easily the books they wishto consult. Despite the inconsistencies prevalent in this book, there is no doubtthat, when used in conjunction with its predecessor, it will become avaluable tool for sociologists, historians, and theologiansOCoin fact, for anyone interested in studying or conducting research on thesefascinating people.a"

The main goal of the second issue of the Annual Review of the Sociology of Religion, devoted entirely to religion and politics, is precisely to question the sense of a reconstruction of the mutual and simultaneous relations between these two spheres of social life. What does this process mean and where is it taking us?

The contributors to Bringing Back the Social into the Sociology of Religion explore how 'bringing the social back into the sociology of religion' makes possible a more adequate sociological understanding of such topics as power, emotions, the self, or ethnic relations in religious life. In particular, they do so by engaging with social theories and addressing issues of epistemology and scientific reflexivity. The chapters of this book cover a range of different religious traditions and regions of the world such as Sufism in Pakistan; the Kabbalah Centre in Europe, Brazil and Israel; African Christian missions in Europe; and Evangelical Christianity in France and Oceania. They are based upon original empirical research, making use of a range of methods - quantitative, ethnographic and documentary. Contributors are: Véronique Altglas, Peter Doak, Yannick Fer, Gwendoline Malogne-Fer, Christophe Monnot, Eric Morier-Genoud, Alix Philippon, Matthew Wood.

This clear introduction to the sociology of religion combines a discussion of key theorists with a modern emphasis on the diversity of religious beliefs and practices. Malcolm Hamilton's expanded second edition brings the discussion fully up-to-date, and extends its material on secularization and religious sects, giving a broad comparative view. Drawing on the insights of history, anthropology and sociology, he surveys classic and contemporary theory to give a full picture of the variety and scope of theoretical perspectives.

Is it true that religion is weakening in modern times, or are we facing religious resurgence? What is fundamentalism? How does it emerge and grow? What role does religion play in ethnic and national conflicts? Is religion a fundamental driving force or do political leaders use religion for their own purposes? Do all religions oppress women? These are some of the questions addressed in this book. An Introduction to the Sociology of Religion provides an overview of sociological theories of contemporary religious life. Some chapters are organized according to topic. Others offer brief presentations of classical and contemporary sociologists from Karl Marx to Zygmunt Bauman and their perspectives on social life, including religion. Throughout the book, illustrations and examples are taken from several religious traditions.

Solving the Immigrant Church Crisis: The Biblical Solution of Parallel Ministry (Acts 6:1-7) addresses the crisis of the immigrant church in which complex cultural and linguistic factors create a reticence on the part of immigrants to transfer financial and decision-making authority to succeeding generations, and this results in a culturally irrelevant ministry to those generations, an exodus of believers from the church, a spiritually immature remnant, and an inability to reach the lost. The thesis of this book is that parallel ministry, based on Acts 6:1-7, is the biblical solution to the crisis in the immigrant church. While there are at least two main aspects of this crisis, a spiritual-relational and an ecclesiastical aspect, this book focuses on the ecclesiastical aspect of defining the biblical structure of church government. Specifically, this book is for immigrant churches primarily in the United States and offers them a biblical and practical solution to the problem plaguing them for over two centuries of how to minister effectively to the succeeding generations.

First Published in 1998. This is Volume V of eight in the Sociology of Religion series and includes part two which looks at the sociology of Sectarian Religion in Christendom, exploring the origin and social cause, nature, variety and decay of sects.

The Oxford Handbook of the Sociology of Religion draws on the expertise of an international team of scholars providing both an entry point into the sociological study and understanding of religion and an in-depth survey into its changing forms and content in the contemporary world. The role and impact of religion and spirituality on the politics, culture, education and health in the modern world is rigorously discussed and debated. The study of the sociology of religion forges interdisciplinary links to explore aspects of continuity and change in the contemporary interface between society and religion. Using a combination of theoretical, methodological and content-led approaches, the fifty-seven contributors collectively emphasise the complex relationships between religion and aspects of life from scientific research to law, ecology to art, music to cognitive science, crime to institutional health care and more. The developing character of religion, irreligion and atheism and the impact of religious diversity on social cohesion are explored. An overview of current scholarship in the field is provided in each themed chapter with an emphasis on encouraging new thinking and reflection on familiar and emergent themes to stimulate further debate and scholarship. The resulting essay collection provides an invaluable resource for research and teaching in this diverse discipline.