1. Classical Secularization Theory 2. Modified Secularization Theory 3. American Rejections of Secularization Theory 4. Is There a Spiritual Revolution? 5. The Durability of Conservative Religion: American and British Perspectives 6. Resilient Religion - Emerging Transatlantic and Global Trends Index
Authoritative guide to contemporay debates and issues in the sociology of religion providing a clear examination of classical secularization and the post-secularization paradigm.
Dr Rob Warner is Professor of Religion, Culture and Society, and Dean of Humanities at the University of Chester, UK.
"Professor Warner's overview of the sociological disagreements on
the nature and extent of the secularization thesis is a major
contribution to the debate. Clearly on the side of what he calls
(following Freud) the ‘discontents' of the theories he does not
attempt to win others over to his view of things. This is not a
book about mission or apologetics; it is a work of intellectual
clarification and moral candour that looks for synthesis of
opposing ideas where others see only contradictions." - Andrew
Walker, King's College London, UK
Named a Choice 'Outstanding Academic Title' of 2011
Rob Warner gives an overview that deftly and critically reviews the
debates over secularization, subjecting extant arguments to both
theoretical and empirical scrutiny ... Most impressive of all (at
least for my analytical interests) is Warner’s interpretive
analysis of the “new” atheism. Where most treatments fall into
polemics on one side or the other thanks to the polarizing rhetoric
of the movement, Warner’s analysis is clear-eyed and insightful, a
real gem in a literature strewn with pyrite ... Warner’s critical
distance and erudition make this a valuable contribution to
fiercely contested and important topics for understanding
religion’s role in the postindustrial world. The book would be
useful as an introduction to secularization for advanced students
but also has much to offer those already familiar with the
disputes. It turns out that this balanced treatment of
secularization is, in all earnestness, just what the fields engaged
in these debates need.
*The Journal of Religion and Popular Culture*
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