“[Berger] writes in a concise and lucid style, a rare talent among sociologists, but does so without losing any of the cogency of his material. Mor...
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Mar 18, 2010
David
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The Sacred Canopy is a classic in the sociology of religion, and is simply one of the finest studies I know of religious people acting in groups. I first read it in fall of 2001, and Berger was one of the few thinkers who helped me make sense of 9/11.
Based on the work of Emile Durkheim, one of the founders of modern sociology, Berger examines how communities construct their own version of reality and then enforce it among its members. This socially constructed reality becomes the n More...
Based on the work of Emile Durkheim, one of the founders of modern sociology, Berger examines how communities construct their own version of reality and then enforce it among its members. This socially constructed reality becomes the n More...
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Sep 05, 2011
Rebecca
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The first half of this is essentially an application of basic principles of sociology to religion. It is wordy, rambling, uses the royal "we" in an annoying way and probably could just be skimmed. Part two then seeks to apply those principles to the Christian church. This section moves a bit more easily and held my interest inasmuch as it sought to explain why secularization has taken place (and attributes that to the ancient Israelites). However, much of the author's style continu
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Mar 13, 2010
Rachael
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Berger was a big proponent of the secularization thesis, that is, religious adherence would dim as the pluralism of ideas spread. How can conservative religious belief survive in an environment of religious pluralism? He argues it cannot. Religious adherence requires a 'sacred canopy' that is a society in which the religious view is taken to be default reality- competing religions destroy this canopy. He later recanted the view put forth in this book because it does not fit empirical reality
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Nov 17, 2008
Alex
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This book was written in the sixties, and there is something about the scientific writing of the sixties that makes it feel like a journal entry of natal-circumlocution. However, Berger is quite thorough, and when one is covering a dialectical process, circumlocution seems to be inevitable. Yet, this is only an illusion. The words that Berger uses aren't necessarily layman and this is what creates that illusion. If someone is into this academia lexis than it will be a joy, as it was for me. I al
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Dec 12, 2011
Leah
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So informative, but SO dry. It was difficult to trudge through. I learned so much about how religion is constructed and how it is studied, but it was just so dense and I had to reread paragraphs a few times to understand the meaning. Definitely not for the casually interested.
Nov 19, 2009
Matt
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His linear, progressive prediction of secularization has been refuted since publication (1967)--not least by himself--but the application of his 1966 work with Thomas Luckmann to religion is a classic and very influential within the field.
May 29, 2010
PB
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A very old-fashioned dialectical approach to sociology of religion, but very insightful as far as "ground-up" approaches to life go. The stuff on plausibility structures, pluralism, secularism, and the free market really got my mind going.
Sep 05, 2011
Bill
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Only regret is not finding this author sooner. Explains a great deal about the history and influence of "religion".
Mar 29, 2011
Cindy
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A bit on the dry side but the idea of socially constructing meaning and religion has stuck with me since I read it!
Mar 31, 2010
Karla
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This was okay---Invitation to Sociology and a Rumor of Angels were much more profound. But Berger always writes well.
Nov 03, 2009
Jill
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interesting. i appreciate the concepts he portrays in objectivity. it's interesting to learn how important and how frequently plausiblilty is challenged, and why religions today resemble small businesses, they've been selling out to each other in an attempt to modify their product for the masses.
most poignant, though, is how he nails people's height of secularism or decline in religious piety to the economy, when the economy is rolling smoothly, the people are not inclined to be More...
most poignant, though, is how he nails people's height of secularism or decline in religious piety to the economy, when the economy is rolling smoothly, the people are not inclined to be More...
Feb 11, 2010
Katie
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I know some Southern Baptists who would have a thing or two to say about this book. . . .I'm sure it seemed much more "groundbreaking" when it came out in the 60s.
Jan 10, 2008
Tank
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thank god, finally someone to support my claims for my ISP! i really recommend this book if you are interested in religion from a sociological perspective. two caveats: i do not think "methodological atheism" is the best route to take within the academy, rather a "methodologically agnostic" approach. second, he is a sociologist primarily and so some of his examples of religions less familiar to him/the west are a little squiffy.
Jan 13, 2008
Brian
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foundational book for the experienced believer but only to be read in tandem with Berger's "A Rumor of Angles" as well as a great teacher (like Richard Perkins at Houghton College). shows how much of religion is man-made but with faith this can be truth-enabling in believing God to be within this man-made culture of religion that attempts to express the Divine.
Jul 28, 2010
Remy
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Sociology of Religion is an aquired taste. I had a proffessor I really enjoyed and he was able to take the information in the book and paint it into a beautiful picture.
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