An Alliance for Progress: The Early Years of the Sociology of Religion in the United States

Abstract

This paper examines the sociology of religion in this country from 1895 to 1929. Data based on a content analyses of all articles dealing with religion in sociology journals during this period are presented to confirm the domination of the specialty by religionists. The majority of those writing in this area during this period were infused with the social gospel and saw sociology asa means for furthering their religious ideals. In their estimation, sociology was to be a practical discipline geared to social engineering rather than to the objective analysis of society. They were aided in their pursuits by secular sociologists with fervent moral concerns who, through ambivalent towards "christian sociologist," saw them as allies in the struggle against conservative forces within the outside of academia.The recorded history of a science tends to be episodic. Periods in which intellectual life flowers are remembered and discussed in detail, but eras from which few lasting contributions emerge tend to be forgotten. So it is with the sociology of religion. Accounts of the development of the field linger lovingly on the golden age in Europe ofDurkheim, Weber, and Marx, then move quickly to recent developments in this country. Few individuals seem acquainted with the early wanderings of the speciality in America. The purpose of this work is to provide such a history.The data are derived from a long term project designed to analyze the underdevelopment of the sociology of religion in this country and to chart its course from 1895 to 1970. The thrust ofthis research has been to demonstrate that the sociology of religion has been dominated by religionists throughout its history, that certain measurable biases have been evident in the field asa result of this domination, and that these biases, at least, partia!ly account for the underdevelopment of the fiel& Data to confirm these effects are the subject of future articles. The focus here is narrower. Data are presented which establish the domination by religionists from 1895 to 1929 and historical information is provided which, along with future articles, will provide the background necessary for understanding general trends to be reported later. Method

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