Rodney Stark

Rodney Stark
Rodney William Starkis an American sociologist of religion who was a long time professor of sociology and of comparative religion at the University of Washington. He is presently the Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor University, co-director of the university's Institute for Studies of Religion, and founding editor of the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionTheologian
CountryUnited States of America
bring churches hard people reaching work
American churches work very hard at reaching out to people to bring them in.
members people
The more members of the clergy that are out there working to expand their congregations, the more people will go to church.
appeal basis critics dramatic enjoy fine inch mile music people services sunday thrive wide wish
There are many critics who think the megachurches thrive on people who enjoy dramatic Sunday services with fine music but don't wish to become very 'religious' on a day-to-day basis - that the megachurch appeal is a mile wide and an inch deep.
people atheism cost
People value religion on the basis of cost, and they don't value the cheapest ones the most. Religions that ask nothing get nothing.
religious people atheism
... One thing about religious truths is that we have to take them on faith, and faith needs reassurance. What's more reassuring than noticing that some other people, whom you admire, are so certain that it's all true that they're willing to go the ultimate mile?
religious strong people
Many people who say they have no religion are simply saying they have no official religious affiliation. They may actually have strong personal beliefs.
christian religious people
The success of the West, including the rise of science, rested entirely on religious foundations, and the people who brought it about were devout Christians.
allow cares codes generating god humans image moral power prohibit questions scope serious sixth theology thereby unlimited war
Theology necessitates an image of God as a conscious, rational, supernatural being of unlimited power and scope who cares about humans and imposes moral codes and responsibilities upon them, thereby generating serious intellectual questions such as: 'Why does God allow us to sin?' 'Does the Sixth Commandment prohibit war?'
attend classical likely music newspapers regular symphony
Regular church-goers are substantially more likely than non-attenders to read, to take newspapers and magazines, to listen to classical music, to attend symphony concerts, operas, and stage plays.
churches decided met
Most churches are run by preachers who went to seminaries, who decided to be preachers when they were 18, 19, 20 years old. These preachers never met a payroll. They don't know how the world works.
attend belong display high level
Those who belong to megachurches display as high a level of personal commitment as do those who attend small congregations.
guys harder knows minister ought women
Every minister knows it's harder to get the guys to church than the women. We ought to be asking why this is.
anyone kids maybe raise society stable state
Can anyone seriously imagine a society without stable families? Maybe we should raise all the kids in state orphanages.
met
A whole lot of Americans have never met a Mormon.