Posted by kelnersj on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 in Research, Reviews.

Review of Gregory Stanczak’s Engaged Spirituality: Social Change and American Religion (Rutgers University Press, 2006)

2008. International Review of Modern Sociology 34(1):144-6

From the review: “When a book subtitled How Religion Poisons Everything nears the top of the best-seller lists, as Christopher Hitchens’ God is Not Great has, it is but one more indication that the state of public discourse on religion has devolved to the level of American professional wrestling – visceral, entertaining, and as subtle as a chair crashing down on someone’s head. Thus, when Gregory Stanczak slips into the arena to suggest politely that religion could sometimes, possibly, maybe be a force for good in the world, he starts by repeatedly apologizing for daring to raise the suggestion, as if bracing to receive a hail of blows from a crowd that wants only to watch Chris ‘The God-Slayer’ Hitchens body slam Mother Teresa.”

Tags: religion, reviews