This thesis is explored and disputed in this book in ways that mark important critical divisions. This is the first collection of essays to assess the significance of spirituality in the sociology of religion.

" Dick Houtman, Erasmus University, The Netherlands "This is an engaging and lively discussion about the nature of spirituality in contemporary society. It shows Heelas at his best - original, creative, imaginative.

Many aspects of religion are puzzling these days. This 2003 book looks at ways of improving our understanding of religious change by strengthening the links between social theory and the social scientific study of religion.

Meredith McGuire points the way forward toward a new way of understanding religion. She argues that scholars must study religion not as it is defined by religious organizations, but as it is actually lived in people's everyday lives.

This book, first published in 1989, demonstrates that sociologists have much to gain from a strengthening of the connections between general theories about the changing character of modern western societies and specific studies of religion.

Beyer explores some of the key issues in understanding the shape of religion today, including religion as culture and as social system, pure and applied religion, privatized and publicly influential religion, and liberal versus conservative ...

This book presents the first full-length study of the relationship between religion and the controversial concept of civil society.

The book focuses on the world's three major missionary religions - Buddhism, Christianity and Islam.

"The New Spirituality" is one of the first books to give a comprehensive and authoritative account of this burgeoning progressive religious movement.