Penn State Professor To Discuss Nation's Religion And Influence On Morality
Does the religious context of a nation influence morality of its residents, regardless of their personal beliefs? A noted scholar in sociology of religion will attempt to answer that question and others by discussing recent international surveys that document a wide variation in religious beliefs and actions across nations.
Dr. Roger Finke, professor of sociology and religious studies at Pennsylvania State University, will lecture on "Explaining Morality: The Influence of National Religious Context" at 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, in room 116 at the Draper Academic Building on the Baylor University campus.
Finke's lecture, which is free and open to the public, is part of the Vice Provost for Research Colloquium Series and is hosted by Baylor's department of sociology and anthropology.
With a doctorate from the University of Washington, Finke is the founder of the American Religion Data Archive and continues as its director. He is the co-author (with Baylor's Rodney Stark) of two award-winning books, The Churching of America 1776-1990 and Acts of Faith: Explaining the Human Side of Religion. He has published articles in leading journals such as the American Sociological Review, Journal for the Study of Religion, Review of Religious Research and Sociology of Religion. Additionally, he serves as chair of the American Sociological Association's Sociology of Religion section.
For more information on Finke's lecture, call 710-1165.