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Rodney Stark Sociology of Religion, Volume 57, Issue 2, 1 July 1996, Pages 163–173,https://doi.org/10.2307/3711948 Published: 01 July 1996 Abstract More than 10 years ago the author proposed a contextual-interactional explanation of the fact that research done on the West Coast fails to find a relationship between religious commitment and delinquency, while studies done elsewhere invariably find a strong negative correlation. Unfortunately, because of various deficiencies, subsequent studies that claimed to test the contextual explanation have not done so — leaving the literature more confused than ever. In an effort to clarify matters, this paper carefully restates the contextual theory and then tests it on data from a very large survey of higfr school seniors. The results demonstrate the existence of a very potent contextual effect. https://academic.oup.com/socrel/article-abstract/57/2/163/1624794?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Secularization, R.I.P. Rodney Stark Author Notes Sociology of Religion, Volume 60, Issue 3, 1 October 1999, Pages 249–273,https://doi.org/10.2307/3711936 Published: 01 October 1999 Volume 60 Issue 3 Fall 1999 Abstract From the beginning, social scientists have celebrated the secularization thesis despite the fact that it never was consistent with empirical reality. More than 150 years ago Tocqueville pointed out that “the facts by no means accord with [the secularization] theory,” and this lack of accord has grown far worse since then. Indeed, the only shred of credibility for the notion that secularization has been taking place has depended on contrasts between now and a bygone Age of Faith. In this essay I assemble the work of many recent historians who are unanimous that the Age of Faith is pure nostalgia — that lack of religious participation was, if anything, even more widespread in medieval times than now. Next, I demonstrate that there have been no recent religious changes in Christendom that are consistent with the secularization thesis — not even among scientists. I also expand assessment of the secularization doctrine to non-Christian societies showing that not even the highly magical “folk religions” in Asia have shown the slightest declines in response to quite rapid modernization. Final words are offered as secularization is laid to rest. https://academic.oup.com/socrel/article/60/3/249/1658084