Journal of Sociology and Christianity
type: channel
description: 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.
publisher: Omega Graduate School
language: en
publication name: Journal of Sociology and Christianity
issn: 2572-4088
items: "Why Religion Went Obsolete: The Demise of Traditional Faith in America" by Christian Smith
items: "Redemptive Service: Loving Our Neighbors Well" by Lisa P. Stephenson and Ruthie Wienk
items: "Passion Plays: How Religion Shaped Sports in North America" by Randall Balmer
items: "Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of America's Political Crisis" by James Davison Hunter
items: Paganism and Anti-Christian Violence During the Chilean Revolts of 2019
items: A Tale of the Tension between Social Justice and Utilitarianism
items: The Role of Christianity in Reinforcing Racial Hierarchies in the United States
items: Rock Concerts and Gin Tasting: The Ethics of Transforming Sacred Space Into Entertainment Space
items: Care Providers are People Too! Reassessing the Rhetoric and Practice of Person-Centered Dementia Care
items: The Ever Evolving and Evasive Nature of Knowledge
items: "The Raceless Antiracist: Why Ending Race is the Future of Antiracism" by Sheena Michele Mason
items: Pondering Truth and Love in Christian Life
items: Creating and Redeeming Institutions: A Christian Approach
items: Public Sociology and Anthropology: Moving Toward Things that Smell
items: Satan and Social Regulation: Exploring Socio-Political and Economic Dimensions in Jewish-Christian Thought
items: Having None of It: A Rebuttal to "Rape, Suicide, and the Rise of Religious Nones"
items: Sharing Christian Faith Through Social Media: Influence on Young Adults Who Do Not Identify as Christian
items: Culture and Community: De-colonizing Social Science
items: The Conundrum of Social Distancing and the Benefits of Physical Touching
items: "Democracy Needs Religion" by Harmut Rosa
items: "Touch the Wounds: On Suffering, Trust, and Transformation" by Tomáš Halik
items: Review Essay: "The Spiritual Turn: The Religion of the Heart and the Making of Romantic Liberal Modernity"
items: Agency, Identity, and Community: Performativity Versus Deliberation
items: Rape, Suicide, and the Rise of Religious Nones
items: A Gospel-Centered Approach to Race and Ethnicity
items: Language as Power: A Labeling Theory Perspective on Adult Clergy Sexual Abuse Discourse
items: Non-Random Calls for Kindness
items: "Public Sociology: Between Utopia and Anti-Utopia" by Michael Burawoy
items: "An Anthropology of Anthropology: Is It Time to Shift Paradigms?" by Robert Borofsky
items: When Inter-Group Conflict Becomes War

"Why Religion Went Obsolete: The Demise of Traditional Faith in America" by Christian Smith
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
subject: Religious Institutions
  topic: keywords
subject: Interpretive Sociology
  topic: keywords
subject: Deinstitutionalization
  topic: keywords
subject: Postmaterialist Culture
  topic: keywords
subject: Neoliberal Capitalism
  topic: keywords
subject: Religion's Obsolescence
  topic: keywords
subject: Quasi-Religious Importance
  topic: keywords
subject: Denominational Culture Wars
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Philosophy
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religious Studies
  topic: disciplines
creator: Dennis Hiebert
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-10-19
publication date: 2025-10-19
starting page: 107
ending page: 113

"Redemptive Service: Loving Our Neighbors Well" by Lisa P. Stephenson and Ruthie Wienk
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
subject: Community Development
  topic: keywords
subject: Imagination
  topic: keywords
subject: Calling
  topic: keywords
subject: Neighbors
  topic: keywords
subject: Redemptive Service
  topic: keywords
subject: Mission
  topic: keywords
subject: Marginality
  topic: keywords
subject: Poverty
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
subject: Community Development
  topic: disciplines
subject: Social Work
  topic: disciplines
creator: Matthew S. Vos
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-10-19
publication date: 2025-10-19
starting page: 99
ending page: 106

"Passion Plays: How Religion Shaped Sports in North America" by Randall Balmer
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
subject: Muscular Christianity
  topic: keywords
subject: Civil Religion
  topic: keywords
subject: Cultural Studies
  topic: keywords
subject: Team Sports
  topic: keywords
subject: Religious Institutions
  topic: keywords
subject: Faith
  topic: keywords
subject: Sport
  topic: disciplines
subject: Kinesiology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Nick J. Watson
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-10-19
publication date: 2025-10-19
starting page: 95
ending page: 98

"Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of America's Political Crisis" by James Davison Hunter
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
subject: Conflict
  topic: keywords
subject: Political Turmoil
  topic: keywords
subject: Surface Culture
  topic: keywords
subject: Implicit Culture
  topic: keywords
subject: American Democracy
  topic: keywords
subject: Individual Freedom
  topic: keywords
subject: Race
  topic: keywords
subject: Political History
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Political Science
  topic: disciplines
subject: Government
  topic: disciplines
creator: Dale DeWild
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-10-19
publication date: 2025-10-19
starting page: 90
ending page: 94

Paganism and Anti-Christian Violence During the Chilean Revolts of 2019
type: item
subject: Commentary Essays
  topic: section
subject: Revolutionary
  topic: keywords
subject: Riots
  topic: keywords
subject: Anti-Establishment
  topic: keywords
subject: Social Revolt
  topic: keywords
subject: Anti-Christian Sentiment
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Political Science
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
creator: J. Claudio Gutierrez
creator: Steven D. Holladay
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-10-19
publication date: 2025-10-19
starting page: 79
ending page: 89

A Tale of the Tension between Social Justice and Utilitarianism
type: item
subject: Commentary Essays
  topic: section
subject: utilitarianism
  topic: keywords
subject: philosophy
  topic: keywords
subject: social justice
  topic: keywords
subject: rights
  topic: keywords
subject: equal access
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Philosophy
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Mario J. Miranda
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-10-19
publication date: 2025-10-19
starting page: 71
ending page: 78

The Role of Christianity in Reinforcing Racial Hierarchies in the United States
type: item
description: 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.
subject: Research Articles
  topic: section
subject: Christianity
  topic: keywords
subject: White Supremacy
  topic: keywords
subject: Systemic Racism
  topic: keywords
subject: Institutional Power
  topic: keywords
subject: Theological Legitimization
  topic: keywords
subject: Race
  topic: keywords
subject: Religion
  topic: keywords
subject: Social Inequality
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
subject: Christianity
  topic: disciplines
subject: History
  topic: disciplines
subject: African American Studies
  topic: disciplines
creator: Darrell Walsh
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-10-19
publication date: 2025-10-19
starting page: 52
ending page: 70

Rock Concerts and Gin Tasting: The Ethics of Transforming Sacred Space Into Entertainment Space
type: item
description: 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.
subject: Research Articles
  topic: section
subject: cathedrals
  topic: keywords
subject: entertainment
  topic: keywords
subject: sacred space
  topic: keywords
subject: secularization
  topic: keywords
subject: business
  topic: keywords
subject: harm
  topic: keywords
subject: safeguarding
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Popular Culture
  topic: disciplines
subject: Christianity
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
creator: Val Flynn
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-10-19
publication date: 2025-10-19
starting page: 34
ending page: 51

Care Providers are People Too! Reassessing the Rhetoric and Practice of Person-Centered Dementia Care
type: item
description: 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.
subject: Research Articles
  topic: section
subject: dementia
  topic: keywords
subject: person-centered
  topic: keywords
subject: healthcare
  topic: keywords
subject: neoliberal
  topic: keywords
subject: long-term care
  topic: keywords
subject: nursing
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Psychology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Social Work
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
creator: Tim Epp
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-10-19
publication date: 2025-10-19
starting page: 10
ending page: 33

The Ever Evolving and Evasive Nature of Knowledge
type: item
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
subject: Sociology
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology of Knowledge
  topic: keywords
subject: Theology
  topic: keywords
subject: Philosophy
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
subject: Christianity
  topic: disciplines
creator: Dennis Hiebert
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-10-19
publication date: 2025-10-19
starting page: 1
ending page: 9

"The Raceless Antiracist: Why Ending Race is the Future of Antiracism" by Sheena Michele Mason
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
subject: antiracism
  topic: keywords
subject: race
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Anthropology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Race
  topic: disciplines
subject: Cultural Studies
  topic: disciplines
creator: Cassidy Gossage
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-04-20
publication date: 2025-04-20
starting page: 89
ending page: 91

Pondering Truth and Love in Christian Life
type: item
subject: Commentary Essays
  topic: section
subject: truth
  topic: keywords
subject: love
  topic: keywords
subject: Christianity
  topic: keywords
subject: Christian life
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Philosophy
  topic: disciplines
subject: Logic
  topic: disciplines
creator: Dennis Hiebert
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-04-20
publication date: 2025-04-20
starting page: 78
ending page: 88

Creating and Redeeming Institutions: A Christian Approach
type: item
subject: Commentary Essays
  topic: section
subject: redeeming
  topic: keywords
subject: institutions
  topic: keywords
subject: Christianity
  topic: keywords
subject: theology
  topic: keywords
subject: Education
  topic: disciplines
subject: Higher Education
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Perry L. Glanzer
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-04-20
publication date: 2025-04-20
starting page: 73
ending page: 77

Public Sociology and Anthropology: Moving Toward Things that Smell
type: item
subject: Commentary Essays
  topic: section
subject: smell
  topic: keywords
subject: olfactory sense
  topic: keywords
subject: Jesus
  topic: keywords
subject: neighbor
  topic: keywords
subject: androcentric
  topic: keywords
subject: offense
  topic: keywords
subject: colonialization
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Anthropology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Community Development
  topic: disciplines
creator: Matthew S. Vos
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-04-20
publication date: 2025-04-20
starting page: 65
ending page: 72

Satan and Social Regulation: Exploring Socio-Political and Economic Dimensions in Jewish-Christian Thought
type: item
description: 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.
subject: Research Articles
  topic: section
subject: Satan concept
  topic: keywords
subject: Gospel of Mark
  topic: keywords
subject: Regulation Theory
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Economics
  topic: disciplines
subject: Political Science
  topic: disciplines
creator: Yohanes Hasiholan Tampubolon
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-04-20
publication date: 2025-04-20
starting page: 51
ending page: 64

Having None of It: A Rebuttal to "Rape, Suicide, and the Rise of Religious Nones"
type: item
description: 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.
subject: Research Articles
  topic: section
subject: Self-Control Theory
  topic: keywords
subject: correlation
  topic: keywords
subject: replication
  topic: keywords
subject: rape myth acceptance
  topic: keywords
subject: social bonds
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Gender
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
creator: David Speed
creator: Daniel Dacombe
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-04-20
publication date: 2025-04-20
starting page: 28
ending page: 50

Sharing Christian Faith Through Social Media: Influence on Young Adults Who Do Not Identify as Christian
type: item
description: 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.
subject: Research Articles
  topic: section
subject: behavior
  topic: keywords
subject: evangelism
  topic: keywords
subject: internet
  topic: keywords
subject: persuasion
  topic: keywords
subject: religion
  topic: keywords
subject: social change
  topic: keywords
subject: social learning theory
  topic: keywords
subject: social networking sites (SNS)
  topic: keywords
subject: sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: media
  topic: disciplines
creator: Glen A. Bowman
creator: Tyler J. Sheppard
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-04-20
publication date: 2025-04-20
starting page: 9
ending page: 27

Culture and Community: De-colonizing Social Science
type: item
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
subject: Community
  topic: keywords
subject: Culture
  topic: keywords
subject: Social Science
  topic: keywords
subject: De-colonizing
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Community Development
  topic: disciplines
subject: Anthropology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Dennis Hiebert
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2025-04-20
publication date: 2025-04-20
starting page: 1
ending page: 8

The Conundrum of Social Distancing and the Benefits of Physical Touching
type: item
subject: Commentary Essays
  topic: section
subject: social distance
  topic: keywords
subject: touch
  topic: keywords
subject: individualistic societies
  topic: keywords
subject: collectivist societies
  topic: keywords
subject: Christianity
  topic: keywords
subject: social distancing
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Psychology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Social Work
  topic: disciplines
subject: Social Psychology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
subject: Sociology of Religion
  topic: disciplines
creator: Mario J. Miranda
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-10-17
publication date: 2024-10-17
starting page: 66
ending page: 73

"Democracy Needs Religion" by Harmut Rosa
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
subject: polarization
  topic: keywords
subject: democracy
  topic: keywords
subject: Christianity
  topic: keywords
subject: naive optimism
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Politics
  topic: disciplines
subject: Anthropology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Joe Scimecca
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-10-17
publication date: 2024-10-17
starting page: 83
ending page: 84

"Touch the Wounds: On Suffering, Trust, and Transformation" by Tomáš Halik
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
subject: faith
  topic: keywords
subject: Thomas
  topic: keywords
subject: cross
  topic: keywords
subject: resurrection
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Anthropology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Roman Catholic
  topic: disciplines
creator: Chris Hausmann
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-10-17
publication date: 2024-10-17
starting page: 80
ending page: 82

Review Essay: "The Spiritual Turn: The Religion of the Heart and the Making of Romantic Liberal Modernity"
type: item
subject: Commentary Essays
  topic: section
subject: massive subjective turn
  topic: keywords
subject: romantic liberal modernity
  topic: keywords
subject: epistemology
  topic: keywords
subject: institutional analysis
  topic: keywords
subject: Social Science
  topic: disciplines
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Sociology of Religion
  topic: disciplines
subject: Cultural Sociology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Dennis Hiebert
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-10-17
publication date: 2024-10-17
starting page: 74
ending page: 79

Agency, Identity, and Community: Performativity Versus Deliberation
type: item
subject: Commentary Essays
  topic: section
subject: performativity
  topic: keywords
subject: agency
  topic: keywords
subject: identity
  topic: keywords
subject: prophetic voice
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Anthropology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Sociology of Religion
  topic: disciplines
creator: Jeff Wheeldon
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-10-17
publication date: 2024-10-17
starting page: 59
ending page: 65

Rape, Suicide, and the Rise of Religious Nones
type: item
description: One of the most widely quoted concepts in late twentieth century criminology was the general theory of crime which proposed that insufficiency of self-control is the most important predictor of criminal behavior. The presence or absence of social bonds promoting self-control is an important element of this theory. This article argues that the decline of one important societal bond, religious affiliation, is impacting the incidence of rape. Since the 2010s, there has been a positive correlation between the proportion of the population declaring no religious affiliation (the “None” rate) in the 50 USA states and the campus rape rate. This correlation was significant in the four years from 2016 (r=0.464, p. 0.001) to 2019 (r=0.393, p. 0.005). Beginning in 2018, the None rate in the 50 states also correlates with the rape rate in the general US population (r=.343, p. 0.015) identified by Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Was this due to a variation in actual crimes or in reporting rates? Recent data make the reporting rate explanation implausible. Furthermore, the UCR rape rate is directly correlated with another violence statistic that is not susceptible to reporting error: suicide rates published by the CDC. This research contends that suicide rates are a proxy indicator for male self-control, as three quarters of suicides are male. Rape perpetration is also overwhelmingly male. The correlation of rape rates and suicide rates in the USA rose from 2014 (r=.55, p. = 0.00001) to 2019 (r=.66, p. = 0.0000001). It is argued that declining religiosity is lowering self-control, and that this is a plausible mechanism driving both increased rape and suicide.
subject: Research Articles
  topic: section
subject: rape
  topic: keywords
subject: sexual assault
  topic: keywords
subject: suicide
  topic: keywords
subject: religiosity
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
subject: Social Work
  topic: disciplines
creator: Philip Truscott
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-10-17
publication date: 2024-10-17
starting page: 34
ending page: 58

A Gospel-Centered Approach to Race and Ethnicity
type: item
description: “I ask not only on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one” (John 17:20–21a, NRSV). This prayer by Jesus for his followers continues to ring in our ears as a dream, an “elusive dream” (Edwards 2021) we have yet to see fulfilled here on earth. There has been an awakening in the American church to the racial evils of the past, yet it seems evangelical Christians are farther apart than ever when it comes to discussing racial matters.
subject: Research Articles
  topic: section
subject: race
  topic: keywords
subject: ethnicity
  topic: keywords
subject: ethnocentrism
  topic: keywords
subject: gospel
  topic: keywords
subject: culture
  topic: keywords
subject: identity
  topic: keywords
subject: imago-dei
  topic: keywords
subject: Missions
  topic: disciplines
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Missiology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Cross-Cultural Ministry
  topic: disciplines
subject: Multi-Racial Churches
  topic: disciplines
creator: J. Christopher Hatch
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-10-17
publication date: 2024-10-17
starting page: 22
ending page: 33

Language as Power: A Labeling Theory Perspective on Adult Clergy Sexual Abuse Discourse
type: item
description: This article explores how labeling theory can aid victim-survivors, religious leaders, and the public in understanding the impact of language used in discourse addressing adult clergy sexual abuse (ACSA). The #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements have led to increased exposure of abuse of power, challenging prevailing narratives and language. While clergy sexual abuse of minors is widely recognized as egregious criminal behavior, less is understood about clergy sexual abuse of adults, which is currently illegal in 13 states and D.C. in the United States. This article highlights the adverse impacts of language that disguises abuse of adults by clergy as consensual “affairs,” causing further harm to survivors and disregarding power dynamics. Embracing labeling theory, the author suggests that sociologists, akin to prophets, who critically analyze the Church’s use and misuse of power, can aid religious leaders in establishing a unified language informed by existing multidisciplinary research that accurately represents the essence of ACSA. This article emphasizes the potential of labeling theory to empower religious leaders who act as agents of social control with the ability to define and apply labels of deviance with the critical insights needed to establish a cohesive language capturing the abusive nature of ACSA.
subject: Research Articles
  topic: section
subject: adult clergy sexual abuse
  topic: keywords
subject: sexual misconduct
  topic: keywords
subject: #churchtoo
  topic: keywords
subject: #metoo
  topic: keywords
subject: labeling theory
  topic: keywords
subject: institutional betrayal
  topic: keywords
subject: trauma-informed practices
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
subject: Gender
  topic: disciplines
subject: Sexuality
  topic: disciplines
subject: Theology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Social Work
  topic: disciplines
creator: Tiffany P. Zamora
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-10-17
publication date: 2024-10-17
starting page: 4
ending page: 21

Non-Random Calls for Kindness
type: item
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
subject: Random acts of kindness
  topic: keywords
subject: Sympathy
  topic: keywords
subject: Cruelty
  topic: keywords
subject: Sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: Religion
  topic: disciplines
subject: Anthropology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Dennis Hiebert
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-10-17
publication date: 2024-10-17
starting page: 1
ending page: 3

"Public Sociology: Between Utopia and Anti-Utopia" by Michael Burawoy
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
subject: public sociology
  topic: keywords
subject: public anthropology
  topic: keywords
subject: sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: anthropology
  topic: disciplines
subject: social science
  topic: disciplines
creator: Jason Martin
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-04-22
publication date: 2024-04-22
starting page: 47
ending page: 50

"An Anthropology of Anthropology: Is It Time to Shift Paradigms?" by Robert Borofsky
type: item
subject: Book Reviews
  topic: section
subject: public anthropology
  topic: keywords
subject: public sociology
  topic: keywords
subject: anthropology
  topic: disciplines
subject: sociology
  topic: disciplines
creator: Jenell Paris
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-04-22
publication date: 2024-04-22
starting page: 51
ending page: 53

When Inter-Group Conflict Becomes War
type: item
subject: Commentary Essays
  topic: section
subject: in-group
  topic: keywords
subject: out-group
  topic: keywords
subject: war
  topic: keywords
subject: terrorism
  topic: keywords
subject: sociology
  topic: disciplines
subject: political science
  topic: disciplines
creator: Dennis Hiebert
rights: Copyright (c) 2024 Journal of Sociology and Christianity
date: 2024-04-22
publication date: 2024-04-22
starting page: 44
ending page: 46