Acts of Faith: Explaining the Human Side of Religion (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780520222021)

Finally, social scientists have begun to attempt to understand religious behavior rather than to discredit it as irrational, ignorant, or foolish-and Rodney Stark and Roger Finke have played a major role in this new approach. Acknowledging that science cannot assess the supernatural side of religion (and therefore should not claim to do so), Stark and Finke analyze the observable, human side of faith. In clear and engaging prose, the authors combine explicit theorizing with animated discussions as they move from considering the religiousness of individuals to the dynamics of religious groups and then to the religious workings of entire societies as religious groups contend for support. The result is a comprehensive new paradigm for the social-scientific study of religion.

Author: Rodney Stark, Roger Finke
ISBN-10: 0520222024
ISBN-13: 9780520222021
Publisher: University of California Press
Language: English
Published: 08/01/2000
Pages: 343
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.00lbs
Size: 8.96h x 6.00w x 0.85d