Introduction

Abstract

This introduction briefly surveys the history and current state of the sociology of religion, and highlights the contributions of the chapters of the Springer Handbook of Religion and Society to the field. Beginning with the classical theories of Marx, Durkheim, and Weber and continuing through the secularization paradigm and its challengers (Warner’s new paradigm, rational choice theory, the strong program identified by Smilde and May), this introduction arrives at sociology of religion’s current stage of post-paradigmatic growth. Facing scholarly pressure toward recognizing the diversity and complexity of religion in the contemporary world, contributors to this handbook push the field beyond the limitations of all existing approaches: beyond Christianity, beyond congregations, beyond beliefs, beyond borders, beyond modernity, and even beyond religion. Collectively, these chapters represent the best thinking in the field across a broad range of topics and offer numerous suggestions for future research in the sociology of religion.