The churching of America, 1776-2005 : winners and losers in our religious economy / Roger Finke and Rodney Stark.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Finke, Roger, 1954-

Contributor:

Stark, Rodney.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Christian sociology--United States.

Christian sociology.

United States--Church history.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (367 p.)

Edition:

2nd ed.

Place of Publication:

New Brunswick, N.J. : Rutgers University Press, c2005.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Although many Americans assume that religious participation has declined in America, Finke and Stark present a different picture. In 1776, fewer than 1 in 5 Americans were active in church affairs. Today, church membership includes about 6 out of 10 people. But, as Finke and Stark show, not all denominations benefited. They explain how and why the early nineteenth-century churches began their descent, while two newcomer sects, the Baptists and the Methodists, gained ground. They also analyze why the Methodists then began a long, downward slide, why the Baptists continued to succeed, how the Catholic Church met the competition of ardent Protestant missionaries, and why the Catholic commitment has declined since Vatican II. The authors also explain why ecumenical movements always fail In short, Americans are not abandoning religion; they have been moving away from established denominations. A "church-sect process" is always under way, Finke and Stark argue, as successful churches lose their organizational vigor and are replaced by less worldly groups. Some observers assert that the rise in churching rates indicates increased participation, not increased belief. Finke and Stark challenge this as well. They find that those groups that have gained the greatest numbers have demanded that their followers accept traditional doctrines and otherworldliness. They argue that religious organizations can thrive only when they comfort souls and demand sacrifice. When theology becomes too logical, or too secular, it loses people.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

List of Illustrations

List of Figures

List of Tables

Preface to the Second Edition

Chapter 1. A New Approach to American Religious History

Chapter 2. The Colonial Era Revisited

Chapter 3. The Upstart Sects Win America, 1776–1850

Chapter 4. The Coming of the Catholics, 1850–1926

Chapter 5. Methodists Transformed, Baptists Triumphant

Chapter 6. Why Unification Efforts Fail

Chapter 7. Why “Mainline” Denominations Decline

Appendix. Profile Tables, 1776 and 1850

Notes

Reference List

Index

About the Authors

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. [305]-331) and index.

ISBN:

1-283-59193-6

9786613904386

0-8135-4113-1

OCLC:

77539054