Where Is the Sociology of Religion Heading? Some Comments to 'Three European Sociologies of Religion'

Abstract

Comments on Zdenek R. Nespor's article, 'Three European Sociologies of Religion: Beyond the Usual Agenda of the Discipline,' which reviews three new European overviews of the discipline that go beyond its traditional agenda. There is agreement with Nespor that there has been a merging of European & Anglo-American sociologies of religion; however, differences between European & American applications of the sociological study of religion are said to be an artificially created problem. Attention is given to whether or not the sociology of religion needs grand theories, especially the secularization theory which Nespor describes as 'worn out.' The dispute over the importance of the secularization paradigm for the sociology of religion is considered to argue that abandoning it is not completely justified. The inadequate attention Nespor gives to the dispute over the definition of religion is pointed out, along with the inability of the sociology of religion to 'decide which rationality/discourse type it has & is able to defend & which criteria will help assess the relevance of the rationalities adopted.'