Mission, Vision, and History: The Journal of Sociology and Christianity (ISSN 2572-4088) is a peer-reviewed, academic publication designed to provide a forum for the latest research and commentary relative to the intersection of Christianity and society. Founded in 2011 and published bi-annually, it was originally entitled the Journal or the Sociological Integration of Religion and Society (JSIRS) until Volume 6, Number 2 (October 2016). Call for Papers: The Journal of Sociology and Christianity invites submission of articles for the next issue. All articles will be anonymously peer-reviewed. Please see the Submission Guidelines for details.
"Racial Justice for the Long Haul" by Christine Jeske
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
"Unholy Catholic Ireland: Religious Hypocrisy, Secular Morality, and Irish Irreligion" by Hugh Turpin
Longing for Transcendence: Olympic Gold and Christian Virtue
The Urgent Need for Clergy Power Awareness: Impact from Individuals to Society
The Two Faces of the Americas: A Theoretical Interpretation of the Influence of Theology in the Societal Development of American Countries
Mainstream sociological theory and development studies have long marginalized spirituality as a variable in explaining societal development, and inter-denominational Christian discourse has similarly overlooked the role of individual spiritual practice in the social construction of reality. This article addresses that gap by examining how individual spiritual practice, particularly patterns of obedience and disobedience to biblical commandments, may inform divergent sociological outcomes observed between Latin America and the United States of America. Drawing on classical sociological concepts, the study analyzes biblical intersections with hedonism, asceticism, orthodox worship, and iconodulism, using the tension between pursuit of pleasure and self-denial as primary analytical lenses. Through this comparative framework, the article argues that the distinct social realities characterizing Latin America and the United States are not reducible to political economy or secular development paradigms alone, but may be meaningfully traced to patterns of individual spiritual practice. A new theoretical framework grounded in biblical intersections is proposed to advance sociological inquiry into the relationship between religious behavior, cultural formation, and societal development in Latin America and the United States.
Faith, Strength, and Support: Exploring Resilience in Special Education
The U.S. Department of Education has estimated that about 7.3 million (or about 15%) public school students are currently enrolled in Special Education in the United States, and their enrollment has increased steadily over the past decade (U.S. Department of Education 2024). Students in Special Education can be labeled as ‘different’ and/or ‘disabled.’ These labels may be internalized by students, leading to lower self-esteem and experiencing symptoms of depression. My study aims to uncover the possible link between enrollment in Special Education and mental health in adolescence into emerging adulthood, and the differences for Black students and white students. I include resiliency factors (social support, religious attendance, and educational expectations), which may help to alleviate the stress that students experience from being labeled a ‘Sped kid’ in school. Although some school professionals working in the field of Special Education may use the term ‘Sped’ as a shortened way to refer to Special Education, the term ‘Sped’ can be especially offensive and demeaning when used referring to a person. Throughout this article, I use the term ‘Sped’ as a shortened version of Special Education programming in general and the term ‘Sped kid’ when used in reference to the negative labeling that some children in Special Education endure in school. Using national longitudinal data, my regression results suggest that enrollment in Special Education or having a learning disability is associated with lower self-esteem and higher levels of depressive symptoms in adolescence.
Good Stewards: Cosmovisions and 'Good Farmer' Moralities
Because of the impacts of agriculture for people and ecosystems in the Anthropocene, many have sought to understand farmer motivations and behaviors. In Western cultures, “stewardship” has been shown to be a foundational principle of farmers’ moral identities as “good farmers.” Because stewardship assumes a divine responsibility to care for the earth, exploring farmer “cosmovisions”–their interconnected spiritual, natural, and social worlds–can better illuminate the heterogeneity within and between groups that may not conform to normative scripts of religiosity, spirituality, or life philosophy. The authors take a process-relational approach to ethnographic interviewing to explore stewardship as a foundational value among farmers across a diversity of farms and cosmovisions in the Midwest United States. They identify varied meanings of “stewardship” among relatively distinct assemblages of farming principles and practices.
"Why Religion Went Obsolete: The Demise of Traditional Faith in America" by Christian Smith
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
"Redemptive Service: Loving Our Neighbors Well" by Lisa P. Stephenson and Ruthie Wienk
"Passion Plays: How Religion Shaped Sports in North America" by Randall Balmer
"Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of America's Political Crisis" by James Davison Hunter
Paganism and Anti-Christian Violence During the Chilean Revolts of 2019
A Tale of the Tension between Social Justice and Utilitarianism
The Role of Christianity in Reinforcing Racial Hierarchies in the United States
This article employs a sociological lens to critically examine the historical, institutional, and theological relationships between Christianity and White supremacy in the United States. Arguing that race is a socially constructed system embedded within American institutions, it explores how religion—specifically Christianity—has functioned as a key legitimizing institution in the maintenance of systemic racism. Christian theological frameworks have often reinforced racial hierarchies, moralized Whiteness, and sanctioned exclusionary social norms that marginalize non-White populations. This study is a literature review that serves as a reminder of the power of religion, and particularly Christianity, to establish and reinforce racial hierarchies. Today, this reminder is more warranted than ever. The study further investigates how institutional Christianity has actively participated in shaping and sustaining racialized structures within the housing system, especially homeownership. Simultaneously, the article juxtaposes these sociological insights with an exegetical analysis of biblical scriptures that affirm the inherent value, equality, and divine purpose of all human beings. Through scriptural texts, the study highlights a counter-narrative within Christianity that upholds human dignity and spiritual equality. Moreover, it reflects on the symbolic use of light and darkness in Genesis and the theological portrayal of Lucifer's fall and role as a deceiver to underscore the complexities of religious interpretation. The article seeks to reconcile the dissonance between Christianity’s foundational egalitarian ideals and its historical complicity in racial oppression, contributing to the broader sociological discourse on religion, race, and institutional power.
Rock Concerts and Gin Tasting: The Ethics of Transforming Sacred Space Into Entertainment Space
In England and other liberal democracies, Protestant cathedrals are increasingly using rock concerts, drinks festivals, and “raves in the nave” to woo a secular population and pay the bills. Whether the ends justify the means, however, is a question that has received surprisingly little attention. Using English cathedrals as a case study, this article examines the ethics of hosting popular entertainments in Church and suggests that they trivialize the serious message of the Christian faith. The ideological rationale for entertainments is traced to cultural changes during the 1960s which accelerated secularization within society and the Church, and led to a growing emphasis on business and marketing strategies to maintain the Church estate. While this has brought material benefits, the article argues that misappropriating sacred space is harmful to both patrons and the Church. The nature of these harms, both tangible and intangible, is considered in detail, and it is suggested that Church entertainments may eventually lead to churches simply becoming “civic” institutions. There are important lessons to be drawn from this not only for churches in England but elsewhere where secular entertainments have gained or may gain a foothold.
Care Providers are People Too! Reassessing the Rhetoric and Practice of Person-Centered Dementia Care
Despite the current emphasis on relational care within dementia care literature and practice, long-term care centers continue to operate under a dominant reductionist logic which emphasizes “assembly-line” task completion and the individualization of care. This article explores the operationalization of Person-Centered Care (PPC) philosophy (Kitwood 1997) at two faith-based care centers in Alberta, Canada. While staff are versed in the PCC philosophy of care, and are often intent on delivering relational care, their efforts are often frustrated by systemic problems including chronic understaffing and lack of support by administration. It is argued that significant change needs to occur at the organizational and governmental levels of society in order to provide holistic care for persons with dementia, and that the concept of personhood needs to be extended to networks of care which also affirm the personhood of care providers and family members.
The Ever Evolving and Evasive Nature of Knowledge
"The Raceless Antiracist: Why Ending Race is the Future of Antiracism" by Sheena Michele Mason
Pondering Truth and Love in Christian Life
Creating and Redeeming Institutions: A Christian Approach
Public Sociology and Anthropology: Moving Toward Things that Smell
Satan and Social Regulation: Exploring Socio-Political and Economic Dimensions in Jewish-Christian Thought
This article explores the concept of Satan within Jewish-Christian society, arguing that it extends beyond mere metaphysical representation to reflect broader social, cultural, religious, and political dynamics. It highlights how the personification of Satan can shape societal organization and social structures, especially in the context of evolving economic production modes. This study posits that Satan functions as a regulatory tool within societies, helping to maintain social stability by providing a clear moral framework. This regulatory function of Satan influences behavior and the stability of the overall system. Belief in Satan can instill and perpetuate specific values, ideologies, and social structures, demonstrating its role not only as a metaphysical entity, but also as a mechanism for social regulation. Analyzing Satan’s role as a regulatory tool illustrates how societies manage and transform their social order, using belief in Satan to either sustain or challenge existing social structures.
Having None of It: A Rebuttal to "Rape, Suicide, and the Rise of Religious Nones"
In the previous issue of this journal, Phillip Truscott published an article entitled “Rape, Suicide, and the Rise of Religious Nones” (2024) which found that the crude proportion of nonreligious individuals correlated with the crude rates of rape and suicide in the USA. He concluded that increases in the number of nonreligious individuals were causally linked to higher rates of rape and suicide. We note, among other things, that in his introduction he provides no meaningful justification for his thesis, he selected an odd analytical period, he erroneously treated self-control as the sole predictor of rape and suicide, his argument structure is logically fallacious, and he ignored or mischaracterized the extant literature addressing religion and attitudes towards rape. With respect to his analyses, he used simple correlation to advance a causal argument, he failed to consider reverse causality, he used an objectively incorrect analytical approach in several of his figures, and he mislabeled, misdescribed, or mischaracterized the content of one of his tables. As for his discussion, he significantly overstated the actual meaning of his results, he poorly defended why a causal relationship exists, and he mischaracterized the existing literature on drug consumption and rape to advance his argument that drug consumption mediated his observed findings. While Truscott’s research question was excellent, his work addressing said question was uniformly deficient.
Sharing Christian Faith Through Social Media: Influence on Young Adults Who Do Not Identify as Christian
This qualitative descriptive study examines how young adults who do not identify as Christians describe the influence that encountering Christian faith sharing through social media exerts on their thoughts and behaviors. Four themes emerge: when they perceive faith sharing through social media positively, they typically regard the posts as encouraging, culturally relevant, helpful, clear, and/or passionate; when they perceive it negatively, they view the content as condescending, demanding, judgmental, dishonest, and/or hypocritical; when they do not seem opposed to Christianity, they nevertheless often dislike how faith sharers conduct themselves online; and when this faith sharing influences them toward Christianity, they typically report positive cognitive responses, but when it influences them away from Christianity, they often report negative emotional responses. Overall, three themes developed from the non-Christians’ behavioral data: they often exhibit a fight or flight response when they perceive Christian online faith sharing negatively by either challenging the faith sharers or avoiding them and their religion; when they experience faith sharers online positively, it often results in them practicing the teachings posted and imitating the faith sharers' Christianity; and they often seem unaware of the Christians’ online faith sharing influence or underestimate its magnitude.
Culture and Community: De-colonizing Social Science
The Conundrum of Social Distancing and the Benefits of Physical Touching
Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
"Democracy Needs Religion" by Harmut Rosa
"Touch the Wounds: On Suffering, Trust, and Transformation" by Tomáš Halik
Review Essay: "The Spiritual Turn: The Religion of the Heart and the Making of Romantic Liberal Modernity"