North American Trends

Guy E. Swanson, a social psychologist, did not exercise a great influence on American sociology of religion. His scientific marginality, however, does not justify neglecting his intellectual contribution to the study of religion. Like Bellah, Swanson considered ultimate values as key concepts for the sociological interpretation of religious facts. Richard K. Fenn had been an Episcopalian priest and then the supporter of a new sociology of religion and a sui generis theoretician of secularization. Most of all, Fenn has had important discussions with North American sociologists, from Parsons to Bellah. All of this explains why Fenn appears in this section under "North American Trends" rather than in the "Secularization". Fenn observes that even the members of a church can give only extremely modest help to religious activities since other institutions require an active collaboration by the same subjects. In Fenn&s;s opinion religion does not disappear; it loses, however, its strategic role within society.

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