Meet the Author
Since 2004, Rodney Stark has been a University Professor in Social Sciences and the Co-Director of the Institute of Studies of Religion at Baylor University. Stark is an American sociologist of religion who previously taught for over thirty years at the University of Washington. He has published 30 books (my review of What Americans Really Believe / my review of The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion) and more than 140 scholarly articles, mostly on religion.
Book Basics
Rodney Stark’s latest book is an exploration of the positive impact of Christianity on select areas of American life, including crime, sexuality, health, and generous citizenship. America has long been an unusually religious nation, and Christianity has always been Americans primary religion of choice. Stark’s writing is intended as a corrective to the popular media’s over-reliance on small research studies and tendency to favor the stories of extremism or even to present such stories as if they offer an authentic representation of a given religion. America’s Blessings effectively argues that Christianity does considerable good not only for its adherents but for all Americans, providing a $2.6 trillion a year net positive impact on the American economy.
More specifically, Stark argues:
- “Religious Americans are more successful, obtaining better jobs and far less subject to be on unemployment or welfare” (p.5).
- “Religious Americans are far less likely than irreligious Americans to commit crimes and far more likely to commit prosocial actions” (p.55)
- Religious Americans have more children than others making American one of few developed nations not facing real peril due to declining population (p.57-58).
- Religious Americans are more likely to “delay premarital sex” and to have “superior sex lives” within the context of marriage (p.90-91).
- Religiousness “provides substantial protection against mental illness” and can “even make people happier” (p.95).
- Religious Americans are generous citizens who display “higher levels of generosity with their money and their time” (p.131).
- “Religious students have a superior level of academic achievement, however it is measured” (p.134).
So What?
While this book provides important information, it also displays Stark’s conservative Evangelical bias. Significantly, the bias is more notable than in any work of Stark’s I have read. The introductory chapter highlights the decline of mainline denominations in comparison with the growth of a selected list (rather than a similarly matched comprehensive list) of conservative denominations. Only here does Stark reach beyond his role as a sociologist to suggest the growing conservative form of religion is the preferred form of religion. Of course, conservative Protestants and Catholics have more children than progressive Protestants and Catholics. Nonetheless, he rightly argues that while America is increasingly pluralistic, most Americans are Christian and most Christian Americans are theologically conservative.
- Share a few misguided or woefully inadequate characterizations of Christianity by mainstream media. How do you believe Christians should respond? your local congregation?
- What do you believe are the greatest benefits of American’s high levels of religiosity?
Rodney Stark. America’s Blessings: How Religion Benefits Everyone, Including Atheists (Templeton Press, 2012). ISBN: 9781599474120.