Rodney Stark





Rodney Stark

Author profile


born
in The United States
July 08, 1934

gender
male

website

genre


About this author

Rodney Stark grew up in Jamestown, North Dakota, and began his career as a newspaper reporter. Following a tour of duty in the U.S. Army, he received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, where he held appointments as a research sociologist at the Survey Research Center and at the Center for the Study of Law and Society. He left Berkeley to become Professor of Sociology and of Comparative Religion at the University of Washington. In 2004 he joined the faculty of Baylor University. He has published 30 books and more than 140 scholarly articles on subjects as diverse as prejudice, crime, suicide, and city life in ancient Rome. However, the greater part of his work has been on religion. He is past president of the Society for th...more


Average rating: 3.84 · 1,465 ratings · 302 reviews · 37 distinct works · Similar authors
The Rise of Christianity: H...
3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 avg rating — 514 ratings — published 1996 — 2 editions
God's Battalions: The Case ...
3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 avg rating — 262 ratings — published 2009 — 10 editions
The Victory of Reason: How ...
3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 avg rating — 206 ratings — published 2005 — 5 editions
Cities of God: The Real Sto...
3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 avg rating — 87 ratings — published 2006 — 7 editions
The Triumph of Christianity...
4.16 of 5 stars 4.16 avg rating — 67 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions
For the Glory of God: How M...
3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 avg rating — 72 ratings — published 2003 — 3 editions
Discovering God: The Origin...
3.36 of 5 stars 3.36 avg rating — 67 ratings — published 2007 — 8 editions
Acts of Faith: Explaining t...
by
3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 avg rating — 32 ratings — published 2000 — 4 editions
One True God: Historical Co...
3.31 of 5 stars 3.31 avg rating — 32 ratings — published 2001 — 2 editions
What Americans Really Belie...
2.74 of 5 stars 2.74 avg rating — 27 ratings — published 2008 — 2 editions
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“Not only were science and religion compatible, they were inseparable--the rise of science was achieved by deeply religious Christian scholars. ”
Rodney Stark

“Because God is perfect, his handiwork functions in accord with immutable principles. By the full use of our God-given powers of reason and observation, it ought to be possible to discover these principles.

These were the crucial ideas that explain why science arose in Christian Europe and no where else.”
Rodney Stark

“Slavery ended in medieval Europe only because the church extended its sacraments to all slaves and then managed to impose a ban on the enslavement of Christians (and of Jews). Within the context of medieval Europe, that prohibition was effectively a rule of universal abolition. ”
Rodney Stark

Polls

55838
Spotlighted Book Discussion Poll I - October 26, 2011

This is a poll that adds other books to our listing of potential non fiction books to discuss and also helps the moderators determine which one or ones are the most popular. Since we have many more group members than when we first started; voting in the polls is very important. There will be a series of polls. Many of these books have been recommended by group members but were either not selected before nor voted upon before.

Vote for the book that you would most like to read and/or is the book that you believe that would appeal to the most group members.

Note:

We have added some of the books nominated thus far but we have more to add to other polls. However, this poll was getting quite large.

However, if you do not see your favorite book on this list; then just comment or pop me a note and I will immediately add it to this poll.

You can always change your vote at any time; so nothing is lost. There are some books which have been nominated by the same author; however, skip over those if the particular author does not suit you and vote for your favorite or for one you or others might want to read.

Before making your selection, please try to look up your choice and make sure it really is a book you are interested in or you think others would be; do not be lured in by the title. Also, check out the author and what others have said about the book before you (reviewers who you trust). Then of course, make your selection.

And if you do not see your favorite, just contact me and I will add it to the poll.

Cleopatra  A Life Stacy SchiffStacy Schiff

Cleopatra: A Life
 
  18 votes, 9.9%

A Country of Vast Designs  James K. Polk, the Mexican War and the Conquest of the American Continent by Robert W. Merry

A Country of Vast Designs: James K. Polk, the Mexican War and the Conquest of the American Continent
 
  13 votes, 7.2%

Hero  The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia by Michael Korda

Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia
 
  13 votes, 7.2%

Alexander the Great by Philip Freeman

Alexander the Great
 
  13 votes, 7.2%

The Storm of War  A New History of the Second World War by Andrew Roberts

The Storm of War: A New History of the Second World War
 
  12 votes, 6.6%

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much  The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover BartlettAllison Hoover Bartlett

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession
 
  12 votes, 6.6%

 
  10 votes, 5.5%

Horse Soldiers  The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan by Doug Stanton

Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of US Soldiers
 
  8 votes, 4.4%

The Clockwork Universe  Isaac Newton, the Royal Society, and the Birth of the Modern Worldby Edward Dolnick

The Clockwork Universe: Isaac Newton, the Royal Society and the Birth of the Modern World
 
  6 votes, 3.3%

A History of God  The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Karen ArmstrongKaren Armstrong

A History of God: The 4,000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
 
  6 votes, 3.3%

Newton and the Counterfeiter  The Unknown Detective Career of the World's Greatest Scientistby Thomas Levenson

Newton and the Counterfeiter: The Unknown Detective Career of the World's Greatest Scientist
 
  5 votes, 2.8%

The Ascent of Money  A Financial History of the World Niall FergusonNiall Ferguson

The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World
 
  4 votes, 2.2%

Destiny Disrupted  A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes by Tamim Ansary

Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World Through Islamic Eyes
 
  4 votes, 2.2%

The Painter's Chair  George Washington and the Making of American Art by Hugh Howard

The Painter's Chair: George Washington and the Making of American Art
 
  4 votes, 2.2%

The Idea of America  Reflections on the Birth of the United States Gordon S. WoodGordon S. Wood

The Idea of America: Reflections on the Birth of the United States
 
  4 votes, 2.2%

The Birth of Modern Politics  Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and the Election of 1828 (Pivotal Moments in American History) by Lynn Hudson Parsons

The Birth of Modern Politics: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams and the Election of 1828
 
  3 votes, 1.7%

Decision Points by George W. BushGeorge W. Bush

Decision Points
 
  3 votes, 1.7%

Winston's War  Churchill, 1940-1945 by Max HastingsMax Hastings

Winston's War: Churchill, 1940-1945
 
  3 votes, 1.7%

A History of the American People by Paul  JohnsonPaul Johnson

A History of the American People
 
  3 votes, 1.7%

U. S. Grant  American Hero, American Myth Joan WaughJoan Waugh

U. S. Grant: American Hero, American Myth
 
  3 votes, 1.7%

Churchill by Paul  JohnsonPaul Johnson

Churchill
 
  3 votes, 1.7%

Civilization  The West and the Rest by Niall FergusonNiall Ferguson

Civilization: The West and the Rest
 
  3 votes, 1.7%

Letters from America Alexis de TocquevilleAlexis de Tocqueville

Letters from America
 
  3 votes, 1.7%

Pericles of Athens and the Birth of Democracy by Donald Kagan

Pericles of Athens and the Birth of Democracy
 
  3 votes, 1.7%

The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments by George B. Johnson

The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments
 
  2 votes, 1.1%

Thucydides  The Reinvention of HistoryDonald Kagan

Thucydides: The Reinvention of History
 
  2 votes, 1.1%

 
  2 votes, 1.1%

The Union War by Gary W. Gallagher

The Union War
 
  2 votes, 1.1%

Modern Times  The World from the 20s to the 90s by Paul  JohnsonPaul Johnson

Modern Times: The World from the 20s to the 90s
 
  2 votes, 1.1%

The Age of Wonder  How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard HolmesRichard Holmes

The Age of Wonder
 
  2 votes, 1.1%

The Journey Tony BlairTony Blair

The Journey
 
  2 votes, 1.1%

God's Battalions  The Case for the Crusades Rodney StarkRodney Stark

God's Battalions: The Case for the Crusades
 
  2 votes, 1.1%

The Wealth of Nations Adam SmithAdam Smith

The Wealth of Nations
 
  2 votes, 1.1%

Courage and Consequence  My Life as a Conservative in the Fight by Karl RoveKarl Rove

Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight
 
  1 vote, 0.6%

Party over Section  The Rough and Ready Presidential Election of 1848 (American Presidential Elections) by Joel H. Silbey

Party Over Section: The Rough and Ready Presidential Election of 1848
 
  1 vote, 0.6%

A History of the Jews (Perennial Library) Paul  JohnsonPaul Johnson

A History of the Jews
 
  1 vote, 0.6%

Madam Secretary  A Memoir Madeleine AlbrightMadeleine Albright

Madam Secretary: A Memoir
 
  1 vote, 0.6%

The Theory of Moral Sentiments  by Adam SmithAdam Smith

The Theory of Moral Sentiments
 
  0 votes, 0.0%

Merchant Kings Stephen R. BownStephen R. Bown

Merchant Kings
 
  0 votes, 0.0%

A History of Christianity Paul  JohnsonPaul Johnson

A History of Christianity
 
  0 votes, 0.0%

Jesus  A Biography, from a Believerby Paul  JohnsonPaul Johnson


Jesus: A Biography from a Believer
 
  0 votes, 0.0%

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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The History Book ...: * THE CRUSADES - GENERAL DISCUSSION 275 305 May 05, 2012 08:13am  
The Seasonal Read...: Summer Challenge 2012: Completed Tasks - DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC 2662 604 Aug 31, 2012 09:02pm  


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