A Theory of Religion - Softcover

Stark, Rodney; Bainbridge, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0813523303 ISBN 13: 9780813523309

Publisher: Rutgers University Press, 1996

Synopsis

In this unique text, Stark and Bainbridge begin with basic statements about human nature and, employing the principles of logic and philosophy, build toward increasingly complex propositions about societies and their religious institutions. They provide a rigorous yet flexible sociological theory of religion as well as a general sociological model for deriving macrolevel theory from microlevel evidence.

About this title

About the Author:

Rodney Stark is the Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor University. His thirty books on the history and sociology of religion include The Rise of Christianity, Cities of God, For the Glory of God, Discovering God, and The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success. Stark received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley.

National Science Foundation

Review:

«Stark and Bainbridge have made pioneering and enduring efforts in writing this book, and to a large extent they have been successful in their attempt to explain deductively why and how the phenomena of religion occur.» (K.Peter Takayama, Journal of Church and State)
«This study is generally clear and coherent, and provides fresh, interesting sidelights on the ebb and flow of religious groupings as human organizations.» (David J.Casey, Theological Studies)
«By demonstrating that the main propositions of the sociology of religion have a logical coherence, the authors have made a decisive contribution to their discipline.» (Winston Davis, The Journal of Religion)
«...the finest consistent application of the deductive method for the construction of a sociological theory of religion. The value of 'A Theory of Religion' lies in the distance it carries sociology toward a scientific theory of religion and in teh sustained rigor of its deductive application. It is a 'must read'.» (Thomas Ryba, Zygon)

About this edition

• Publisher: Rutgers University Press
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0813523303
• ISBN 13: 9780813523309
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 390