Faithful Measures

Roger Finke is Distinguished Professor of Sociology, Religious Studies and International Affairs at the Pennsylvania State University and is Director of the Association of Religion Data Archives (www.theARDA.com), funded by the John Templeton Foundation and the Lilly Endowment Inc.Christopher D. Bader is Professor of Sociology at Chapman University and affiliated with the Institute for Religion, Economics and Culture (IRES). He is Associate Director of the Association of Religion Data Archives (www.theARDA.com) and principal investigator on the Chapman University Survey of American Fears, as well as coauthor of Paranormal America: Ghost Encounters, UFO Sightings, Bigfoot Hunts, and Other Curiosities in Religion and Culture, second edition (also available from NYU Press).

"This volume stands by itself as a unique social scientists guide to researching religion. An additional virtue of this volume is it provides many examples of how creativity can be deployed new methods for studying religion. Perhaps the most valuable thing readers may take from this volume is inspiration for the new and creative methods they might develop in their own areas of inquiry." (Sociology of Religion) "The editors have brought together a useful collection of original chapters addressing various methodological matters that prompt its readers to think more carefully and innovatively about the measures we use to study religion and the means by which we do so." - Review of Religious Research "While seeming simple at first glance, measuring religion well in social science is exceedingly difficult, especially when comparing different societies and religious traditions. Serious efforts to improve and diversify measures of religion have, with few exceptions, been woefully lacking. Faithful Measures offers a decisive intervention in that situation, which both contributes and points the way to further advances. It is well worth the read for all scholars in the field." - Christian Smith,Wm. R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology, University of Notre Dame "Few scholars have done more than Finke and Bader to teach us how to measure religion. In Faithful Measures they and their collaborators show readers the best surveys on religion have to offer as well as the newest innovations for understanding religion. Their book should be read by anyone concerned about how religion is changing across the globe and how we might better measure those changes." - Elaine Howard Ecklund,Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences, Rice University "With contributions from established and emerging scholars and practitioners across the social sciences as well as data and computer scientists, Faithful Measures aims to bring the study of religion into step with the technological advances of the twenty-first century." (Religious Studies Review)