Religion in Sociological Perspective

by Keith A. Roberts

This text is a highly sociological view of religion and as such stresses theoretical perspectives about religion. The text also focuses on the methodology that sociologists have used to study religion. Keith Roberts states that his own preferred approach is open systems theory, which he says focuses equally on structure and dynamics. Other texts may lean toward the religious studies end of the market, but Roberts is a true sociology text.

Genres: Sociology, Religion, Nonfiction, Reference, Academic

445 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Tyler Collins]

I read a good portion of this book for my Sociology of Religion course taught by Professor Bo Cassell. It is extremely informative and reveals some powerful sociological principles as they pertain to religion. I found the content fascinating and would love to learn more in this area. Studying the sociology of religion, I think, is a powerful tool for anyone who is engaged in or plans to be engaged in ministry of any form.

[Justin P]

I read this textbook cover to cover for a GenEd class. Me reading a general coverage class' textbook is rare, so I should explain why the authors get 4 stars.

Basically, the textbook is the typical survey or coverage of the topic and a reader could skim it. But the authors have been transparent about what studies say and what studies cannot say about religion. This transparency and conclusions about secular research in religion was fascinating. There were so many details about religion that I, as a secular person living in the West, was totally ignorant about.

The authors filled this book's paragraphs with references to academic studies of religion. I became motivated to read these referenced studies and academic literature myself because the textbook came to unexpected conclusions. For example, before reading this I believed that secularization was happening everywhere and religion doomed to be a problem of the past. Everywhere in the news was the rise of the "nones". Well, the authors covered secularization theories (in an dedicated chapter) but clarified that it is phenomena of the West and it is *not* happening globally. O.o That detail has not been reported by the news in the West. So I went digging into the cited sources to check this conclusion, and I grew more aware of the complexity of our religious world that has been oversimplified.

I thank the authors for their transparency in citing sources so that I could do my own reading of the literature about religion. 4 stars.

[Beth Quick]

I'm using this textbook in my undergraduate classes for the third time this semester. I think it is really superb, clear, concise, and easy to understand. It isn't perfect, of course, but the authors acknowledge themselves where the field of sociology of religion needs to grow, calling out their own limitations, which I appreciate. Students have responded well to this textbook. I also appreciate the teaching/testing resources that can be accessed with this edition.

[Sabrina Salvan]

it's good

[Gary]

Good introduction to the field. Interesting textbook with lots of references. I read the 5th edition and it needs a little bit better organization in parts, but I don't know if it's been fixed in latest edition.