Religion and Personal Autonomy

by Hammond, Phillip E.

• ISBN13: 9780872498204
• ISBN10: 0872498204
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1992-06-01
• Publisher: Univ of South Carolina Pr

Summary

Based on extensive primary research and grounded in a historical and theoretical framework, Religion and Personal Autonomy analyzes the role of religion in contemporary American society. The book makes a significant contribution to the current debate among American--and some non-American--sociologists of religion concerning secularization, the contemporary cultural role of 'mainline' religion for individuals, and the relevance of regional differences in religious identity and change.
In this thought-provoking book, the author suggests that while the churches have heretofore reflected local social relationships and a traditional family morality, recent social revolutions have accelerated major changes in this church-culture relationship most evident in the increased emphasis on personal autonomy. In effect, Hammond argues, churches have lost the custodianship of American core values.

Table of Contents

Series Editor's Preface
Preface
The Process of Disestablishment	p. 1
Parish Involvement and Its Cultural Context	p. 19
Sources of Parish Involvement	p. 37
Personal Autonomy and the Meaning of	p. 62
The Religious Histories of Four States	p. 88
From Regional Histories to Religious Climates	p. 113
Disestablishment in Four Regions of America	p. 139
A Third Disestablishment?	p. 167
Appendix A: The Weekly Calendars of Riverside Church, New York City, and the Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, California	p. 178
Appendix B: The Interview Schedule	p. 185
Appendix C: The Research Process	p. 203
References	p. 209
Index	p. 217
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