Anthony J. Blasi

Sociologist Anthony Blasi analyzes early Christianity using multiple social scientific theories, including those of Max Weber, Georg Simmel, Karl Marx, Antonio Gramsci, Max Scheler, Alfred Schutz, and contemporary theorists. He investigates the canonical New Testament books as representative of early Christianity, a sample based on usage, and he takes the books in the chronological order in which they were written. The result is a series of "stills" that depict the movement at different stages in its development. His approaches, often neglected in New Testament studies, include such sociological subfields as sect theory, the routinization of charisma, conflict, stratification theory, stigma, the sociology of knowledge, new religions, the sociology of secrecy, marginality, liminality, syncretism, the social role of intellectuals, the poor person as a type, the sick role, degradation ceremonies, populism, the sociology of migration, the sociology of time, mergers, the sociology of law, and the sociology of written communication. Needing to treat the New Testament text as social data, Blasi uses his background in biblical studies and a review of a vast literature to establish the chronology of the compositions of the New Testament books and to present the "data" in a new translation that is accessible to non-specialists.

Sociological Introductions and New Translation

Social Science and the Christian Scriptures, Volume 2

Social Science and the Christian Scriptures, Volume 3

Paul D. Sullins

Catholic Social Thought presents detailed commentary and response to the Vatican's 2005 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, with contributions from outstanding American scholars. Addressing theology, social theory, the family, economy, government, labor, global society, gender, peace, and the environment, the various authors explore the core theology, explain the Compendium's themes and arguments, and apply their own intellectual powers to applications of its teachings. Some of the essays are largely expository, some more critical (in both positive and negative senses). Some operate from a standard of magisterial assent in conformity with Ad Tuendam Fidam, others do not. Together, the essays represent the range of Catholic thinking on social issues in the American Church today.

American Reflections on the Compendium

Catholic Social Thought

Michael W. Cuneo

A Bibliography

Issues in the Sociology of Religion

Lluis Oviedo

This book offers an academically rigorous examination of the biological, psychological, social and ecclesiastical processes that allowed sexual abuse in the Catholic Church to happen and then be covered up. The collected essays provide a means to better assess systemic wrongdoing in religious institutions, so that they can be more effectively held to account. An international team of contributors apply a necessarily multi-disciplinary approach to this difficult subject. Chapters look closely at the sexual abuse of minors by Roman Catholic clerics, explaining the complexity of this issue, which cannot be reduced to simple misconduct, sexual deviation, or a management failure alone. The book will help the reader to better understand the social, organizational, and cultural processes in the Church over recent decades, as well as the intricate world of beliefs, moral rules, and behaviours. It concludes with some strategies for change at the individual and corporate levels that will better ensure safeguarding within the Catholic Church and its affiliate institutions. This multifaceted study gives a nuanced analysis of this huge organizational failure and offers recommendations for effective ways of preventing it in the future. As such, it will be of keen interest to scholars of Religious Studies, Sociology of Religion, Psychology, Psychiatry, Legal Studies, Ethics, Anthropology, Cultural Studies, History, and Theology.

Dismantling the Culture of Cover Ups

The Abuse of Minors in the Catholic Church

Adam Possamai

The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Sociology of Religion takes a three-pronged look at this, namely investigating the role of religion in society; unpacking and evaluating the significance of religion in and on human history; and tracing and outlining the social forces and influences that shape religion. This encyclopedia covers a range of themes from: • fundamental topics like definitions • secularization • dimensions of religiosity to such emerging issues as civil religion • new religious movements This Encyclopedia also addresses contemporary dilemmas such as fundamentalism and extremism and the role of gender in religion.

The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Sociology of Religion

Paul-André Turcotte

Jean Duhaime

Social Science Approaches

Handbook of Early Christianity

Social Science and the Christian Scriptures, Volume 1

The authority of charisma entails a "devotion to the exceptional sanctity, heroism, or exemplary character of an individual person." In the sociology of religion it has long been held that the authority of institutions is legitimated by their identification with charismatic personalities. However, in this book which examines the construction of St. Paul's public image, Anthony J. Blasi argues that charisma "comes as much from us as it is projected by the personages." It is a work of the collective imagination and a fulfillment of a social need. Thus, the charisma of St. Paul is shown to emerge as much or more from the dynamics of early Christianity's institutionalization as from the person of Paul. While acknowledging the importance of certain features of Paul's actual biography, the principle focus of the book is on how Paul became an important personality in Christian tradition in the decades immediately following his death. The ability of the charismatic personality to make acts and creeds religiously legitimate is usually thought of by sociologists as producing normative organizations such as churches, but here it is shown that Paul's charisma was consciously fostered and promoted by the incipient Christian church. The book is divided into segments that examine the social construction of charisma; the role of St. Luke in fashioning Paul's posthumous image; the 'traditions and legends that grew up around Paul after his death (including inauthentic "Pauline" letters written in his name); and the dynamics of constructing the image in the religious and historical context of the time. The author concludes with a reconsideration of what is meant by charisma and how it is created. This is one of the few studies which takes advantage of the methods of literary criticism to explore the social processes at work in early Christianity. "Making Charisma "will be of interest to sociologists of religion and a wide range of scholars interested in the history of religion.

The Social Construction of Paul's Public Image

Making Charisma

Anthony J. Blasi

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