User:Ad Re Spring 2008

[]Sociology 2008


 * 1) I am open to working as a group member on any of these projects, or on a Wikipedia entry by myself.
 * 2) I am interested in social deviance, and/or macro sociology: social structure and how large groups of people react to social conditions.
 * 3) I am a fine art student. I have experience with graphic presentations. I own and have experience with photoshop and some mid/high range digital photo equipment: Camera, Tripod, Etc (not SLR or Video). I also enjoy doing research and writing/editing.

Theory of Religious Economy

 * 1) I will edit the Wikipedia page on the Theory of Religious Economy.
 * 2) This is interesting substantively because religion has a significant role in almost every culture around the globe and has a substantial impact on economical and social development within societies. The addition of information to the Theory of Religious Economy page will help present sociological concepts in relation to changes in one of the world's oldest organizations.
 * 3) Link to project Theory_of_religious_economy
 * 4) I will be working alone.
 * 5) Quote 1 "The notion of religious economies underscores the dynamic interplay of different religious groups within a society. This interplay accounts for the religious makeup of societies at any given time and explains why and how religions change."
 * 6) I will use this idea to help define the Theory of Religious Economy in the into. paragraph.
 * 7) [Sociology textbook, 395]
 * 8) Quote 2 "Past discussions of secularization usually postulate a decline in the demand for religion, claiming that potential consumers in a modern, enlightened age no longer find a need in faith in the supernatural. In contrast, in new essays written with Larry Iannaccone, we focus not so much on religious consumers as on religious suppliers. We ask, under what conditions are religious firms able to create a demand."
 * 9) I will use this idea (and others from the book) to describe some of the concepts associated with the theory and how they differ from previous approaches.
 * 10) [Stark, Rodney. 1997. Rational Choice and Religion. Ed. Lawrence A. Young. Routledge (publisher). Pg.17. ISBN 0-415-91192-3

=Edits= User:Htw3/Spring_2008_Project_Page

1. Addition to initial description:
The Theory of Religious Economy argues that economic factors have a significant role in the development and success of organized religions. A religious economy consists of a market (or demand for religion) and a supply of different religious organizations. A competitive free market or economy makes it possible for religious suppliers to meet the demands of different religious consumers. By offering an array of religious products, a competitive religious economy stimulates activity in the marketplace

The Theory of Religious Economy takes into account a wide spectrum of issues (e.g., the differences between competitive religious markets and religious monopolies), making this theory one of the most significant developments in the social scientific study of religion during the past thirty years. Previous discussion of secularization usually assumes that the demand for religion decreased as times became more modern and enlightened. The Theory of Religious Economy focuses attention on religious suppliers and whether religious firms have the ability to increase the demand for religion.

Early Development

 * H. Richard Niebuhr: In his 1929 publication, The Social Sources of Denominationalism, Niebuhr discusses the competing denominations of Christianity. Niebuhr states that economic factors are the primary cause of divisions of the church. Also, Niebuhr suggests that economic stratification is responsible for maintaining divisions in the church that were caused by other factors.

Monopoly
The ability of a religious organization to monopolize a religious economy is entirely dependent on the extent to which the state governs the religious economy. A monopolized religious economy tends to have lower levels of participation.

Religious Pluralism
A competitive and pluralistic religious economy has a positive effect on levels of participation.

Morals
Religious markets are similar to other markets in that they are social creations. The exchanges that take place in a religious market are regulated by social factors. Elements of social interactions such as norms and morals influence the individual choices and preferences of the religious consumer. Therefore, elements of social interactions influence the types of religious goods offered in the marketplace and the changes in these products over a span of time.