Contemporary American Religion : An Ethnographic Reader

Contemporary American Religion collects qualitative, on-the-ground studies of local congregations by up-and-coming religious scholars.

Ethnography combined with more traditional sociological methods, help make sense of complex religious communities - from Messianic Jews to evangelical feminists, from Gospel Hour at a gay bar to exurban megachurches.

This collection covers a wide span of the religious landscape, always trying to uncover new theoretical insights.

Essential reading for classes in sociology of religion, contemporary American religion, and anthropology of religion.