A Symposium on Religion : Religion and Society

theoretical expectations. The assumption is that along with modernization and economic development, adherence to religious world views (seen to be a relic of the past) gradually dissipate, as they have in other advanced societies. But they haven’t in the United States. In fact, the importance of religious commitments and religious organizations to American society increased over the last several decades. This phenomenon invites a host of sociological questions regarding how these (mostly) older organizations and institutions have (or haven’t) adapted to the changes they have witnessed over the last several decades. What separates believers from non-believers? What do congregants believe? What do religious organizations do? How do they interface with other community and state organizations, especially in an era in which “faith-based organizations” are often promoted as key institutional players in the resolve of a plethora of social problems—from education to crime control? Have religious organizations accommodated changing racial, ethnic, marital status, and family life style patterns? Likewise, how have changes in demography been consequential for the social organization of religion in America? We invited a group of distinguished Sociology of Religion scholars (Andrew Greeley, Helen Rose Ebaugh, Daniel Olson, and Michelle Dillon) to contribute to the vital debate about the role of religious organizations in American society by asking them to review three or four of eight recent books on the topic. Their essays identify key points of dispute in the recent literature, and offer some insightful thoughts on their resolutions. Our reviewers comment on several conundrums associated with the role of religion in North America. First, despite their strongly held convictions upholding the separation of church and state, many Americans (and current officeholders in particular) expect churches to fulfill many of the functions normally assigned to the state. How realistic is it to assume that religious organizations can and will take on these responsibilities? Second, while the raison d’être of religious organizations is to provide believers with places of worship, they are increasingly called upon to provide bridges between disparate social groups and more visibly contribute to the resolve of pressing social problems. Do religious organizations attempt to address these separations and social problems? Have they begun to perform these functions (and if not, is it even possible for them to do so)? Third, how real is the “culture war” between moral absolutists (associated mainly with the conservative and evangelical churches) and moral relativists (associated mainly with the mainline protestant churches)? Although this war has been mostly fought over the issue of abortion, does the abortion issue encapsulate the war, or is it possible that it will penetrate cognate areas such as contraception, gay marriage, stem cell research and a host of other issues? Fourth, are some religious ideals more (or less) compatible with democratic ideals? Will the widespread differences between various religions enhance societal conflict? Will religious adherents fuel growing conflict or greater societal cohesion? Fifth, with increasing numbers of immigrants from non-Christian nations, the diversity of religious organizations and the demography of religious adherents are changing. How will these changes impact inter-faith relations, conflict, and cohesion, especially across nation-state borders? And finally, can we expect that religion will continue to play an important role in American politics, especially international policy? The reviewers give their informed and sage assessments about these expectations and debates. EDITORS’ NOTE: RELIGION AND SOCIETY