Why God?: Explaining Religious Phenomena - Hardcover

Stark, Rodney

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1599475200 ISBN 13: 9781599475202

Publisher: Templeton Press, 2017

Synopsis

Why is it that the majority of people, from all socio-economic, education, and ethnic backgrounds, ascribe to some sort of faith? What draws us to religion? What pushes us away? And what exactly is religion anyway?
Defining religion over the past century has, ironically, led to theories that exclude belief in God, proposing that all systems of thought concerning the meaning of life are religions. Of course, this makes it impossible to distinguish the village priest from the village atheist, or Communism from Catholicism.  Worse yet, it makes all religious behavior irrational, presuming that, for example, people knowingly pray to an empty sky.
Renowned sociologist of religion Rodney Stark offers a comprehensive, decisive, God-centered theory of religion in his book, Why God: Explaining Religious Phenomena. While his intent is not to insist that God exists, Stark limits religions to systems of thought based on belief in supernatural beings—to Gods.  With this God-focused theory, Stark explores the entire range of religious topics, including the rise of monotheism, the discovery of sin, causes of religious hostility and conflict, and the role of revelations. 
Each chapter of Why God? builds a comprehensive framework, starting with the foundations of human motivations and ending with an explanation of why most people are religious. Stark ultimately settles what religion is, what it does, and why it is a universal feature of human societies.
Why God? is a much needed guide for anyone who wants a thorough understanding of religion and our relationship to it, as well as a firm refutation to those who think religion can exist without the divine. 
 

About this title

About the Author

Rodney Stark is the distinguished professor of the social sciences and codirector of the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University. He also is an honorary professor of sociology at Peking University in Beijing, China. He was previously professor of sociology and of comparative religion at the University of Washington, and a research sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley. His PhD is from UC, Berkeley. Many of his previous books have won national and international awards, and many have been translated into a total of seventeen foreign languages.
Rodney Stark is the distinguished professor of the social sciences and codirector of the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University. He also is an honorary professor of sociology at Peking University in Beijing, China. He was previously professor of sociology and of comparative religion at the University of Washington, and a research sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley. His PhD is from UC, Berkeley. Many of his previous books have won national and international awards, and many have been translated into a total of seventeen foreign languages.

Review

“Religion is alive and well across the globe, and Why God? presented an excellent theory as to how and why religious belief is an enduring aspect of human life. In the book, Stark suggested that his ideas are a sociological theory of religion, and he encouraged further research to prove him wrong and develop an even more nuanced understanding of religion. . . . As long as humans have hearts to demand moral goodness and minds to wonder at the universe, they will also have a need for God, Stark suggested. Religion, it seems, is as unavoidable as death and taxes.” —Tyler O'Neil, PJ Media

"Sociologist of religion Rodney Stark offers a sympathetic explanation of why people might come to believe in God that is refreshingly free of jargon and a corrective to more hostile accounts of belief, and which will still illuminate much for those of us within the walls of churches." —Nick Mattiske, Journey

"Impressively informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation, Why God?: Explaining Religious Phenomena is an exceptional work of outstanding scholarship that will have particular interest and relevance for clergy, academics, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in religion, belief systems, and faith-based relationships as a part of the human experience. While very highly recommended for personal, community and academic library Religion/Spirituality collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted that Why God? is also available in a Kindle format." —John Burroughs, Midwest Book Review

"Starks book is worth reading. . . There is plenty of helpful information and food for thought in here." —Nick Peters, Deep Waters
08/03/2017

“An informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking guide for anyone who wants a thorough understanding of religion and our relationship to it, as well as a firm refutation to those who think religion can exist without the divine, will find "Why God?" to be an absorbing read from beginning to end. A masterpiece of seminal scholarship”  — Able Greenspan. Midwest Book Review

Edition details

• Publisher: Templeton Press
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1599475200
• ISBN 13: 9781599475202
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304