ABSTRACT Objectives Previous studies indicate that different aspects of individual religiosity were associated with White Americans’ attitudes toward interracial marriage with Asians. However, there is a paucity of research on how religious geographic contexts may influence those attitudes. This study aims to fill in this research gap and reveal how race and religion may intersect with each other in a multilevel, geographic context. Methods This study merged individual‐level data from the General Social Survey 2010–2022 with contextual‐level variables from the US Census 2010 and the Religious Congregations and Membership Study 2010. Multilevel logistic regression was employed to analyze the combined datasets. Results White Americans were more likely to be against a close relative marrying an Asian when their county religious population was more homogeneously evangelical Protestant. In contrast, a higher county‐level Catholic homogeneity was associated with less hostile attitudes among Whites toward interracial marriage with Asians. These religious contextual effects interacted with individual religious identity. Conclusion The main results suggest the significant role that religion, particularly macro‐level religion, may play in White Americans’ racial attitudes and family processes. The study provides new insights to an interdisciplinary audience in the sociology of religion, racial and ethnic studies, and family studies.

Abstract This study adopts an interdisciplinary approach encompassing historical geography, religious sociology, and digital humanities, concentrating on the Great Tea Road (GTR) and Guan Yu Cult Sites (GYCS) within a 400 km radius of Hankou. It investigates their interaction mechanisms through three dimensions: the agglomeration of GYCS, the influence of GYCS within the GTR network, and the significance of nodes in the dissemination of belief. The integrated analysis of GIS and Gephi indicates that the spatial distribution of GYCS is closely linked to dynamic GTR, exhibiting considerable regional variation, while its cross-regional dissemination mostly relies on social network-mediated practical flexibility. This study establishes a quantitative framework for studying belief dissemination through cultural route dynamics, addresses deficiencies in the interaction between material and intangible aspects within global cultural route theory, and facilitates the application of world heritage and integrated protection.

This article examines the interplay of memory, politics, and religion at the Buchenwald Memorial, focusing on the 2024 edition of the Genius Loci festival. Once staged by the German Democratic Republic as a monumental site of antifascist resistance, the memorial has undergone multiple reinterpretations, reflecting shifting regimes of remembrance and contested political claims, and an architectural vocabulary informed by Christian metaphors. Drawing on Durkheim’s sociology of religion and concepts of memory (Nora, Assmann), the analysis highlights how memorial architecture, ritual practices, and artistic interventions frame collective memory as both a political resource and a civic challenge. The Genius Loci festival exemplifies how contemporary art can reactivate debates around memorial spaces, exposing their religious frame of reference while simultaneously opening them to contemporary renegotiation.

The article substantiates the heuristic potential of social network analysis (SNA) for studying the Orthodox parish as a form of local social organization. The relevance of the study stems from the need to move beyond the attribute-based approaches prevalent in Russian sociology of religion (measuring individual religiosity, constructing typological groups) towards a structural-analytical investigation of the real configurations of interpersonal ties within the parish community. The theoretical framework is based on the concepts of social capital (P.Bourdieu, R.Putnam), structural embeddedness, and network integration. Based on the analysis of Russian and foreign studies, it is shown that the parish can be interpreted not only as a religious community but also as a stable network of interactions, including formal and informal ties, affiliative structures, and mechanisms of symbolic integration. Special attention is paid to the methodological potential of analyzing density, centrality, clustering, and structural holes for studying the internal dynamics of the community, the distribution of roles, and leadership. The relationship between horizontal and vertical ties, the role of the clergy as a network actor, and the mechanisms of social capital reproduction within the parish space are examined. A separate section is devoted to the role of the family and the intergenerational transmission of religiosity in the context of the parish community. It is concluded that the application of SNA methods makes it possible to overcome the limitations of normative-descriptive models and opens up new prospects for a comprehensive sociological analysis of religious communities in modern Russia.

This article examines suicide from the perspectives of the sociology of religion and Catholic theology in order to understand its social, moral, and pastoral dimensions. The study employs a qualitative approach through interdisciplinary library research, integrating sociological theories of religion with theological reflections within the Catholic tradition. The analysis shows that suicide cannot be understood solely as an individual act but is closely related to social integration, communal solidarity, and the protective role of religious communities. From a theological perspective, Bunuh Diri Dalam Perspektif Sosiologi Agama dan Teologi KatolikCatholic teaching emphasizes the inherent dignity of the human person, the complexity of moral responsibility in situations of psychological suffering, and the primacy of divine mercy. The study argues that an interdisciplinary approach provides a more comprehensive framework for interpreting suicide and responding pastorally to those affected by it. It proposes a contextual pastoral response that includes spiritual accompaniment, compassionate pastoral care, and the strengthening of community support systems. Such an approach enables the Church to address the issue of suicide in a more humane, reflective, and pastorally responsible manner.

This study examines how religion influences individual cognitive perspectives, social behaviour, and emotional coping strategies within a multicultural academic environment. The research was conducted at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, using a sample of 18 international participants representing 12 countries and four religious traditions: Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, and African Traditional Religions. Data were collected over a ten‑month period using a mixed‑methods approach involving structured questionnaires, semi‑structured interviews, and observational techniques. Quantitative analyses included correlation, regression, and paired sample tests, while qualitative data were analysed using thematic coding and thematic analysis. The results indicate that religious identity plays a significant role in shaping cognitive interpretation of experiences, social integration, and emotional resilience. The study highlights the importance of religious diversity in multicultural academic settings and contributes to interdisciplinary research in sociology of religion, psychology, and cultural adaptation.

Changes in media and technology have affected the legitimacy, distribution, and access to Qur'anic knowledge. The formulation of the research problem focuses on how the authority of Qur'anic science has evolved from traditional to rational-legal to technological and its implications for the legitimacy and quality of science. The purpose of this research is to explore the evolution of the scientific authority of the Qur'an, identify challenges and opportunities, and provide recommendations for education and management of digital interpretation. The research method uses a descriptive-analytical qualitative approach based on literature review and documentation studies with the integration of Max Weber's theory of traditional, rational-legal, and charismatic authority as an analytical knife. The results of the study show three findings. First, the traditional authority in classical times was centered on scholars and sanad, guaranteeing the authenticity and authenticity of the text. Second, rational-legal authority through standardized printing mushaf strengthens formal legitimacy and wide distribution. Third, technology authorities in the digital era bring the democratization of access through applications, but face challenges of legitimacy, interpretation accuracy, and algorithm dominance. The significance of the research lies in the systematic understanding of the evolution of the scientific authority of the Qur'an, its implications for education, the regulation of digital interpretation, and the integration of scientific traditions with technological innovation. This research's contribution provides a new conceptual framework for the study of the sociology of religion, Islamic epistemology, and the development of Qur'an applications, while affirming the importance of synergy between traditional authorities and technology to maintain the credibility and sustainability of Qur'anic knowledge.

Bulletin of the Sociology of Religion

The Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom was founded on 9 March 1987. Until the closure of its office on 30 April 2024, followed by its formal dissolution on 21 January 2025, it was a significant part of the religion and belief and inter-religious relations landscape of the United Kingdom (UK). This essay aims, as soon as possible following the Network’s closure, but also in a scholarly way, to document some key aspects of its origins and development, and thus to make an initial contribution to the likely later creation of a more comprehensive and definitive historical record of the Network’s origins, development, achievements, challenges and closure on the basis of which future work in relevant scholarly fields such inter-faith studies, the sociology of religion, and political science will be able to build. For now, building on the documentary record which this essay sets out, an early preliminary identification and contextual evaluation is offered of some of the Network’s key achievements and challenges. And finally, the article aims to make an informed and contextually evaluated contribution to such practitioner and policy-related discussions that have emerged and are still emerging around the gaps that have been identified as having been left by the closure of the Network, and the desirability and viability of how aspects of its inheritance might or might not be taken forward into the future in addressing those gaps.

Abstract The goal of the paper is to provide a comparative analysis of religious revitalisation among selected religious Ghanaian Catholic youths in Ghana and England. In the 1960s Peter Berger and Harvey Cox, two leading scholars of the sociology of religion, argued that the force of modernity, characterised by advances in science and technology, would marginalise religion. But global religious resurgence, especially after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, led them to revise this view toward desecularization. Using ethnographic methods and secularization theory, the study examines how factors like parental socialisation, education, religious plurality, and state control shape youth religiosity, particularly amid uncertainty intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper concludes that the definition of religiosity among Ghanaian Catholic youths is both morally valued and contextualised.

Studies of Muslim religious practice have largely relied on theological and normative perspectives, while analyses based on sociological approaches that treat religious practice as a social phenomenon remain relatively limited. This study aims to analyze the forms of religious practice among Muslims, identify the social factors that influence these practices, and explain the relevance of a sociological approach for understanding the dynamics of religiosity in society. A qualitative approach with a case study design was employed, involving 15 participants selected through purposive sampling, consisting of religious leaders and members of the Muslim community. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation, and were analyzed using thematic analysis through the stages of data reduction, coding, categorization, and conclusion drawing. The findings show that Muslim religious practice manifests in two main dimensions: ritual practice (congregational prayer, recitation of the Qur’an, and study circles) and social practice (charitable giving, gotong royong, and community-based religious activities). Family, social environment, religious education, and the role of religious leaders were found to be key determinants shaping patterns of religious practice, while variations in the intensity of practice were influenced by personal conditions such as level of busyness and access to religious activities. These results affirm that religious practice is the outcome of dynamic interaction between individuals and surrounding social structures, and thus a sociological approach is relevant and necessary for understanding the forms of Muslim religiosity more comprehensively. Theoretically, this study enriches the body of knowledge in the sociology of religion, while practically it provides a basis for religious institutions to design more contextual guidance programs and opens avenues for further research on the impact of modernization and digital media on the transformation of religious practice.

This article examines the ideological convergence between Rational Choice Theory (RCT) and “paleolibertarian” thinking in the prejudicial defense of high-demand religious groups. It argues that the Theory of Religious Economy (TRE) incorporates “libertarian” assumptions that presuppose rational choice by adherents and obscure the dynamics of manipulation and coercion in controversial religious settings. The critical analysis presented here draws on contributions from cognitive psychology, political theory, and the sociology of religion to show how RCT and TRE contribute to an ecosystem of “cult apologetics” that resists regulation under the banner of religious freedom and leads to a genuine exercise of soft power. Particular attention is paid to the network of transnational contacts and collaborations linking academic defenders of cults, libertarian think tanks, NGOs committed to the defense of religious freedom, anarcho-capitalist foundations, and non-governmental platforms, such as the International Religious Freedom Roundtable (IRF). They are thought to be working together to delegitimize criticism of high-demand religious groups and somehow redefine the hierarchy of rights. The analysis suggests that this alliance is not merely motivated by philosophical or ideological affinity but represents a deliberate political strategy to shield authoritarian religious groups from scrutiny. It thus raises urgent questions about the limits of religious freedom and the instrumentalization of human rights discourse for the purposes of deregulation.

This article presents a multilevel framework for understanding religion as operating simultaneously at individual, interactional, and institutional levels. Drawing on the multilevel theory of gender as a conceptual parallel, it synthesizes existing perspectives in the sociology of religion into a coherent analytical framework. While many sociological theories implicitly recognize multiple levels, empirical research has typically focused on individual religiosity, treating religion primarily through measures of personal belief, behavior, and belonging. The 3I framework—individual, interactional, and institutional—makes this implicit multilevel thinking explicit, providing conceptual scaffolding for both theoretical development and empirical practice. The framework is illustrated through application to contemporary American religious change, revealing how apparently contradictory patterns of religious decline and spiritual persistence reflect differential change across levels.

This article examines the conceptual boundary between terrorism and destructive cults as a critical precondition for effective risk management. While terrorism and cultic violence are commonly treated as analytically distinct phenomena, empirical evidence increasingly reveals overlapping organizational structures, leadership dynamics, and escalation pathways. Drawing on a comparative qualitative analysis of cases situated in the grey zone between terrorism and destructive cults, the study demonstrates that rigid classificatory distinctions obscure early warning signals and delay preventive intervention. The findings show that escalation toward outward-facing violence is driven less by ideological labels than by internal organizational dynamics, including charismatic authority, centralized decision-making, social isolation, and ideological absolutism. Destructive cults often generate high levels of latent risk despite limited external violence, while terrorist organizations with cultic characteristics exhibit intensified escalation potential. Hybrid organizations, in particular, demonstrate non-linear trajectories in which violence emerges abruptly without substantial organizational transformation. By reframing conceptual boundaries as tools of risk governance rather than static categories, the article advances a risk-oriented analytical framework capable of supporting early detection and proportionate intervention. The study contributes to debates in terrorism studies, sociology of religion, and security policy by demonstrating that conceptual clarity is not an abstract theoretical concern, but a necessary condition for preventive risk management and effective security governance.

ABSTRACT While religion is important to billions of people worldwide, research at its intersection with entrepreneurship is in its infancy. We add to this nascent stream through an abductive, qualitative study exploring how religious entrepreneurs address institutional voids to produce positive and/or negative outcomes through their ventures. Merging insights from structuration theory and religious agency from the literature on the sociology of religion, we explain how entrepreneurs with high levels of individual religiosity transfer such religiosity in more visible or less visible ways to their ventures. We further explain how, as their ventures face challenges stemming from institutional voids, they manifest their religious agency in different ways: entrepreneurs with more visible manifestations use mechanisms like confrontation, purposeful evasion, or remorseful acceptance; those with less visible manifestations use mechanisms such as rational evasion and pragmatic acceptance, eschewing confrontation altogether. This study contributes to the literature on entrepreneurship and religion by 1) integrating structuration theory and religious agency into entrepreneurship; 2) contextualizing theory at the intersection of religion, entrepreneurship, and institutional voids; and 3) inducing a grounded conceptual model that identifies distinct mechanisms and their implications at the organizational, community, and societal levels.

This chapter examines the intergenerational legacy of the Messelaar family within the socio-religious and leadership history of the Griqua people, with particular emphasis on the role of the Methodist Church in Southern Africa. Using a qualitative case study methodology grounded in indigenous studies, religious sociology, and historical analysis, the chapter explores how faith-based leadership traditions have shaped customary authority and contemporary advocacy. The case of Hendrik Jonathan Messelaar is analysed as a living expression of this legacy, demonstrating continuity between Methodist ethical formation and modern indigenous leadership. The chapter contributes to scholarship on African Christianity, indigenised leadership, Khoi–San customary governance, and constitutional recognition.

The review of Hubert Knoblauch's monograph "Sociology of Religion" offers a general description of the work, analyzes the structure of the monograph, evaluates the author's contribution to the development of the sociology of religion, and presents his view on current problems in this field of sociology. In his monograph, Hubert Knoblauch traces the path of the sociology of religion from its origins to its current state in an original way, paying special attention to the key concepts and theories of religion and to the methodological prerequisites for their formulation. The review identifies the main problem areas within which the author of the monograph conducts his research.

Religion in modern Indonesian society is not only understood as a spiritual belief system, but also as a complex arena where values, symbols, and identities negotiate with the demands of the times. Phenomena such as the commodification of religious symbols, celebrity preachers, and ritualism on social media mark a shift in the role of religion from the private and sacred sphere to the public and profane domain. In this context, Emile Durkheim's theory of the sacred-profane dichotomy becomes relevant in reinterpreting Indonesia’s socio-religious dynamics. Durkheim emphasizes that religion is a social institution that plays a crucial role in maintaining collective solidarity through symbols, rites, and shared values. This study aims to examine the extent to which his theory remains applicable in explaining contemporary realities, particularly in a society increasingly fragmented by secularization, individualism, and globalization. Using a qualitative-descriptive method through literature analysis, this article finds that sacred values in Indonesian society have undergone significant transformation. The results show that although religion continues to play a cohesive role in public life, sacred values are increasingly redefined—manifesting in identity-based tensions, symbolic commodification, and political instrumentalization. The study concludes that Durkheim’s theory remains valuable but requires contextual reinterpretation to address the plural, fragmented, and evolving nature of modern religiosity in Indonesia. The dichotomy between the sacred and the profane in Emile Durkheim’s theoretical framework remains highly relevant for understanding the religious dynamics of Indonesian society, which is becoming increasingly complex and plural. In a social context shaped by modernization, mediation, and globalization, the boundaries between the sacred and the profane are no longer fixed or rigid. Contemporary religiosity in Indonesia is characterized by the emergence of religious symbols and expressions beyond conventional spaces—ranging from billboards and social media to the realms of politics and the marketplace.

The increasing integration of artificial intelligence into religious institutions has generated extensive discussion concerning ethics, authority, and belief. However, comparatively little attention has been paid to the transformation of religious space itself. This article examines the intelligent transformation of temple space through the analytical lens of the sacred–profane distinction, arguing that the introduction of artificial intelligence represents not merely a technical modernization but a structural reconfiguration of religious spatiality. Drawing on classical theories of religion, particularly the works of Durkheim and Eliade, as well as contemporary discussions in the sociology of religion and philosophy of technology, the paper conceptualizes temples as symbolic, institutional, and experiential spaces constituted through boundaries, rituals, and normative orders. It then analyzes how algorithmic systems—such as surveillance technologies, data-driven management, and automated governance—reshape temple space by introducing system rationality oriented toward efficiency, visibility, and control. The study argues that this systematization tends to blur the distinction between sacred and profane, transform religious authority, and reconfigure the conditions of religious experience. Rather than rejecting technological mediation outright, the paper calls for a critical religious-studies perspective that recognizes both the adaptive possibilities and the risks of total system integration. It concludes that the future of temples as sacred spaces depends on their capacity to preserve symbolic density, ritual autonomy, and experiential transcendence within increasingly intelligent environments.

This study examines the lived experiences of Japanese Muslims, a minority within a minority, who occupy the unique position of being cultural insiders in Japan while adhering to a religion often perceived as foreign. Drawing on over two years of fieldwork in Tokyo (2016–2017 and 2019–2020), including participant observation and 62 semi-structured interviews with Japanese converts to Islam (32 women and 30 men, aged 19–81), the research explores how these individuals navigate the intersection of faith and national identity in everyday life. Employing a qualitative methodology that combines phenomenology and grounded theory, the study prioritizes participants’ subjective meanings while inductively developing concepts specific to the Japanese context. Findings reveal that Japanese Muslims face challenges that are subtle rather than overt. These include negotiating daily Islamic practices such as prayer, halal food, and modest dress in a society where visible religiosity is uncommon; dealing with misrecognition, often being perceived as foreigners despite their Japaneseness; and suppressing religious identity in workplaces that value uniformity and discourage personal differences. At the same time, participants reported tensions within the immigrant Muslim community, where adaptive strategies shaped by Japanese social norms were sometimes misinterpreted as weak faith. A further layer of difficulty is the burden of representation: as some of the few Muslims that Japanese people encounter, converts often feel compelled to embody idealized versions of Islam, a responsibility that brings both opportunities for interfaith understanding and significant psychological strain. The study contributes to the sociology of religion by highlighting how Japanese converts construct hybrid identities that are simultaneously fully Japanese and fully Muslim. Their experiences illustrate that conversion is not a one-time event but an ongoing negotiation of belonging, recognition, and adaptation in a context of cultural conformity.