Religion: The Social Context

by Meredith B. McGuire

This is a sound theory-based, integrated approach to religions place in society. Purposefully selective rather than encyclopedically descriptive, the text looks at religion in the context of many cultures. Each chapter is organized according to important theoretical issues, such as how religion is related to social cohesion and conflict.

Genres: Religion, Sociology, Nonfiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

Reviews

[Titus Hjelm]

I read the 3rd edition from 1992, so cannot really give an honest review. That edition was, of course, outdated, and some of the ideas I'm sure would be presented differently today. But overall, very clear, beginner-level introduction that has the added virtue of using examples from around the world--a rare feature in textbooks (or any academic books, for that matter) targeted at an American audience.

[Dave Haskins]

Religion