SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
Sociology 338: Sociology of Religion 9/14
Professor Gordon Clanton
Office: NH-221
E-mail: gclanton@mail.sdsu.edu
Phone (voice mail): 619/594-1321
Sociology Department Office: 594-5449 Fax: 594-1325
Mailbox in Sociology Department Office — NH-203
Office hours:
GOAL
This course investigates some social aspects of religion: its history, its variety, its social
usefulness, its relationship to economics and politics. Religion is understood in terms of its
capacity to provide meaning, community, and ethics. Religion is considered as a source of both
social cohesion and social conflict. Attention is given to the history of religion and society in the
West since the Protestant Reformation and to the enormous religious diversity of the United
States today.
RESOURCES
These required materials (listed in the order we shall read them) are available at:
KB Books, 5187 College Avenue, San Diego CA 92115. Phone: 619/287-BOOK
Gordon Clanton. Sociological Vision. San Diego: KB Books. 1994.
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Cat’s Cradle. New York: Delta, 1963/1998.
Robert N. Bellah. Beyond Belief. Berkeley: University of California Press,
1970/1991.
Peter L. Berger. The Sacred Canopy. New York: Anchor, 1967/1990.
Max Weber. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (Introduction by
Anthony Giddens). London: Routledge Classics, 1905/2001.
Also: Read a good NEWSPAPER every day and clip items relevant to this course.
Please bring 3x5 cards for in-class exercises.
COURSE OUTLINE
WEEK
1
INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE
Read: This syllabus and all attached materials
Hereafter, read each assignment before the class meeting at which it will be discussed.
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2
THE SOCIOLOGICAL WAY OF LOOKING AT THE WORLD
Read: Gordon Clanton, Sociological Vision, Preface + Chapters 1 and 2
Ask yourself: How is sociology different from common sense? How is it different
from psychology? What is “sociological imagination”? What are the distinctive ideas
of Durkheim, Marx, Weber, and Mead? Apply them to religion.
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INTRODUCTION TO THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION
Read: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Cat’s Cradle, Chapters 1-74
Ask yourself: What is a karass? A wampeter? A granfalloon? What are foma?
What was Bokonon’s religious background?
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AMERICAN RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY
Read: Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle, Chapters 75-127
Ask yourself: How did Bokononism originate? What is the relationship of church and
state in San Lorenzo? What is a “cat’s cradle” and what is its significance? What is
sacred to Bokononists? What is ice-nine? What lessons does this book teach about
religion?
QUIZ I
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ROBERT BELLAH AND THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION
Read: Robert N. Bellah, Beyond Belief, Preface, Introduction, and Chapter 1
Ask yourself: What aspects of Bellah’s background bear upon his understanding of
religion? What, according to Bellah, do Marx, Durkheim, Weber, and Freud contribute
to the study of religion?
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RELIGIOUS EVOLUTION
Read: Bellah, Chapter 2
Ask yourself: What are the major stages of religious evolution? Give examples of
each. How do Catholic and Protestant Christianity fit into Bellah’s evolutionary
scheme? What is the likely future of religion in the U.S.?
QUIZ II
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CIVIL RELIGION IN AMERICA
Read: Bellah, Chapter 9
Ask yourself: What is “civil religion”? What are the most important myths, beliefs,
and rituals of the American civil religion? How is civil religion different from the
worship of the state and of the political status quo?
DUE: PAPER 1 on “Civil Religion in America”
Sum up this chapter and make connections to earlier assignments.
DO NOT DISCUSS the planning or writing of your paper with anyone else.
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THE SACRED CANOPY, I
Read: Peter L. Berger, The Sacred Canopy, Preface + Chapters 1-3
Ask yourself: How does religion contribute to world-construction and worldmaintenance? What is theodicy?
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THE SACRED CANOPY, II
Read: Berger, Chapters 4-6
Ask yourself: What is alienation? What does Berger mean by “bad faith”? What is a
plausibility structure? What is secularization?
QUIZ III
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THE SACRED CANOPY, III
Read: Berger, Chapter 7 + Appendices I and II
Ask yourself: Who were the key figures of liberal and neo-orthodox Protestant
theology in the 20thcentury? How were their views different from those of
fundamentalist or evangelical Protestants? What is “psychologism,” and how does
Berger feel about it? What is the future of religion?
DUE: PAPER 2 on “The Sacred Canopy”
Sum up the book, including main points from Chapter 7 and the Appendices — and
make connections with earlier assignments.
DO NOT DISCUSS the planning or writing of your paper with anyone else.
REMINDER: Optional Bonus Paper 4 is due no later than Week 12.
See page 5 of the attached document “Learning Together.”
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THE PROTESTANT ETHIC, I
Read: Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, pp. i-xlii.
Ask yourself: What is the Protestant work ethic? When and where did it arise? When
and how did it come to America? What did John Calvin contribute? Who were the
Puritans? What does Weber conclude from his survey of the world religions?
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THE PROTESTANT ETHIC, II
Read: Weber, pp. 1-50
Ask yourself: What are some important unintended consequences of the Protestant
Reformation? What is the spirit of capitalism? What was new about the Protestant view
of “vocation”? What is the importance of Benjamin Franklin?
DUE (for some): MAKE-UP PAPER on
“Robert Bellah (or Peter Berger) and the Sociology of Religion”
Write this paper for a grade ONLY if you failed to write one of the first two.
Write on the author you missed, but include connections to the themes of the course.
DO NOT DISCUSS the planning or writing of your paper with anyone else.
DEADLINE: Optional BONUS PAPER 4. See page 5 of “Learning Together.”
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THE PROTESTANT ETHIC, III
Read: Weber, pp. 51-101
Ask yourself: How was Protestant asceticism different from Roman Catholic
asceticism? What was the economic impact of the Calvinist doctrine of predestination?
What were the results of Protestants being less certain of their salvation than
Catholics?
QUIZ IV
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THE PROTESTANT ETHIC, IV
Read: Weber, pp. 102-125
Optional reading: Weber’s article “The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism.”
Available in Gerth and Mills, From Max Weber (Oxford UP, 1958)
Ask yourself: How did the Protestant ethic influence sex, love, marriage, and the
family? How did Protestant asceticism free the acquisition of wealth from the
inhibitions of earlier ethical systems? What was John Wesley’s contribution? What
does Weber mean by the “iron cage”? What new insights resulted from his trip to the
United States in 1905?
DUE: PAPER 3 on “Max Weber’s Protestant Ethic Thesis”
Sum up the book, including main points from pp. 102-125 —
but also make connections with other course assignments and other relevant reading.
This final paper COUNTS AS TWO and cannot be skipped or dropped.
DO NOT DISCUSS the planning or writing of your paper with anyone else.
If you want your final paper and course grade mailed to you: Attach a
stamped, self-addressed envelope to the back of your paper —
or leave an envelope (or grade report card) in my box in NH-203.
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SUMMING UP
QUIZ V. This final quiz COUNTS AS TWO and cannot be skipped or dropped.
You are responsible for any changes we may make as we go along.
See the attached material titled LEARNING TOGETHER
for further helpful information about this course.
REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
Two-thirds of your course grade will be based on the average of your quiz scores after the two
lowest have been dropped. You may not skip or drop the last quiz. (If your last quiz is your
lowest, none will be dropped.) One-third of your course grade will be based on your three
papers. These papers are required. If you do not write three papers, you will fail the course. If
your three papers are turned in on time, you may drop the lower of your first two paper grades.
You may not skip or drop the last paper. The last quiz counts as two quizzes; the last paper
counts as two papers. Prepare papers according to directions provided in the attached material
under the heading “Learning Together.” Listen in class for further suggestions for your papers.
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class,
it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any
delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as
soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations
based upon disability cannot be provided until you have presented your instructor with an
accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
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