WEEK OF

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

MAY 22

Welcome, Overview, Introductions

Read: C. Wright Mills, The Sociological Imagination (pp. 3-11) & Phil Zuckerman, Invitation to the Sociology of Religion (pp. 1-34)

Do: Individual meetings with professor to discuss paper topics

Do: Watch movie “Saved” and discuss in terms of its themes and a sociological approach to religion

MAY 29

What is Religion?

Read: Peter Berger, “Sociological Definitions of Religion” (pp. 175-77 in The Sacred Canopy); Keith Roberts, “What Do We Mean by the Term Religion?” (CR); Lynn Schofield Clark, “Baby Boomers and Their Millennial Kids” (CR)

The Secularization Paradigm

Read: Peter Berger, The Sacred Canopy (pp. 3-51, 105-153)

The “New” Paradigm

Read: R. Stephen Warner, “Work in Progress Toward a New Paradigm for the Sociological Study of Religion in the United States” (CR); Rodney Stark, “Secularization R.I.P.” (CR)

Due: Short Paper on “Saved” (e-mail to class by 8am)

JUNE 5

The Churching of America

Read: Roger Finke and Rodney Stark, The Churching of America (pp. 1-116, 156-96, 235-83)

Evangelicalism

Read: Christian Smith, American Evangelicalism (pp. 1-153)

Spirituality, Religious Individualism, and Whatever

Read: Robert Wuthnow, After Heaven (CR); Robert Bellah, et al., Habits of the Heart (CR); Christian Smith, Soul Searching (CR)

JUNE 12

NO CLASS TODAY. READ FOR THIS WEEK AND WORK ON PAPER DUE THURSDAY

NO CLASS TODAY. READ FOR THIS WEEK AND WORK ON PAPER DUE THURSDAY

Congregations,Worship and Megachurches

Read: Mark Chaves, Congregations in America (chapters 1-2, 7-9)

Read: Mark Chaves, Congregations in America (chapter 5); Alan Wolfe, The Transformation of American Religion (CR); Jonathan Mahler, “The Soul of the New Exurb” (CR)

Due: Short paper on the Radiant Church (e-mail to class by 8am)

JUNE 19

Experience and Ritual in an African American Church

Read: Timothy Nelson, Every Time I Feel the Spirit (pp. 1-208)

Religion and Civil Society: Faith-Based Social Services

Read: Mark Chaves, Congregations in America (chapters 3-4); Robert Wuthnow, Saving America? (pp. 1-63)

Civil Religion and Politics

Read: Bellah, “Civil Religion in America” (CR); Clinton and Bush inaugural addresses (CR); Yamane, The Catholic Church in State Politics (CR)

Do: Listen to Presidential Inaugural Addresses for civil religious themes

Due: Short paper on self-guided field trip (e-mail to class by 8am)

JUNE 26

Student Project Presentations

Read: TBA

Student Project Presentations

Read: TBA

Do: Student Research Paper Presentations and Discussion

Do: Student Research Paper Presentations and Discussion