Sociology of Religion

It is one of the more curious ironies of modern industrial societies that, whilst religious belief is declining, interest in the sociology of religion flourishes. This paradox is of particular interest to sociologists, for in spite of its almost invisible status, religion remains one of the most significant sources in society of meaning and morality.

In this collection of Readings, Roland Robertson has brought together a range of readings which examine such questions as the social functions of religion in advanced industrial societies, and the symbolic significance of religious beliefs.

This selection of twenty-five Readings has been chosen to successfully provide an up-to-date and comprehensive survey of the sociology of religion. Roland Robertson has made the selection as up-to-date as possible and tried to establish a pattern of concerns which runs through the whole discipline. The Readings both indicate analytic issues and provide a range of empirical material. Colin Bell, New Society