SOCI 3429 Sociology of Religion

Prerequisite: SOCI 1121 or permission of instructor. What role does religion play in society? What are the similarities and differences in the major religious traditional in our society? How can we explain variation in belief and participation? Are we becoming more or less religious? This course will try to answer these questions and more. While we will not be looking at specific doctrines or histories, we will be looking at the general practices and beliefs of Mainline Protestants, Evangelical and Black Protestants, Roman Catholicism, Judaism, and Islam, especially their significance to contemporary social issues.