The limits of sociology in the work of David Martin

INTRODUCTION Within sociological literature, David Martin's `Can the Church Survive?' 1 is an ingenious and probably unique essay . Its uniqueness lies in the subject matter which links the concept of secularization with the phenomenon of ecstatic experience . Its ingenuity lies in the surprisingly optimistic prognosis for the Church in a world where most sociologists seem to accept secularization as a fact of life and not something seriously to be doubted . It is the contention here that Martin's argument fails as the result of a logical flaw. This flaw, however, is obscured, not merely by the presentation of the essay but also by the established theoretical framework of mainstream sociology. Shiner, for instance, points to six types of concept used to study secularization on an empirical basis . 2 Whereas there is no need for elaboration here, each of these concepts tacitly operates in conjunction with a working concept of religion . In each case, the sociologist works within a framework which is based on the two polar opposites of religion and secularity. The understandable assumption is, therefore, that whatever framework is being used, once secularity has been refuted religion has necessarily been secured. `Can the Church Survive?' is a convincing refutation of secularity but the failure of the argument hinges on the unusual . point that, in this particular case, religion and secularity are not in fact opposites at all . Indeed, on closer examination, there only seems to be a slight conflict of interests . This, however, is not intended merely to be a logic chopping critique of a single essay . `Can the Church Survive?' provides us, in many senses, with a cameo of Martin's sociology of religion . A close examination of the essay, as a starting point, raises a series of questions which reveal shortcomings, not

Argument (complex analysis) · Epistemology · Secularity · Secularization · Sociology · Subject (documents) · American Constitutional Law and Politics · Philosophy · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Society, and Development · Religious studies

• In praise of ambiguity

  David W Smith•Religion•1988

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• The Penguin survey of the social sciences, 1965

  Julius Gould•The Penguin survey of the social…•1965

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• A general theory of secularization

  David Martin•A general theory of secularization•1978

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• Religious Experience

  Open Access•T R Miles, Tim Miles•Religious Experience•1972

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• The Positivist dispute in German sociology

  Theodor W Adorno•The Positivist dispute in German…•1976

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• The Religious and the Secular

  Robert J Moore, Robert Moore et al.•British Journal of Sociology•1970

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• Ecstasy, a Study of Some Secular and Religious Experiences

  Geoffrey Parrinder, Marghanita Laski•British Journal of Sociology•1962

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• A Sociology of English Religion

  Arnold S Nash, David Martins et al.•American Sociological Review•1969

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• A Sociology of English Religion

  Joseph H Fichter, David Martins et al.•Review of Religious Research•1968

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• Reason or Revolution

  Open Access•Karl R Popper•European Journal of Sociology•1970

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• The Concept of Secularization in Empirical Research

  Larry Shiner•Journal for the Scientific Study…•1967

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