Books like The Triumph of Christianity by Rodney Stark

"In her latest book, religion expert Diana Butler Bass offers a fresh interpretation of this transformation and identifies a new spiritual awakening taking place inside and outside the church. Based on new research and a careful reading of history, CHRISTIANITY AFTER RELIGION argues that traditional Christianity has focused on three prescriptions, in this order: - This is what to believe (theology) - This is how to behave (practice) - This is who you are (experience and community) However, as modern people began to increasingly question their basic beliefs about their faith, disillusionment ensued and Christians began leaving the church as national studies reveal. Spirituality, by contrast, works in the reverse: people experience a connection to the divine directly and through community, are moved to change and serve others, and eventually discover what they believe. CHRISTIANITY AFTER RELIGION shows how this new bottom-up approach represents the real mission and message of Jesus and explains the dramatic spiritual awakening we are witnessing today. Replete with both statistical analysis and the testimonies of grassroots movements around the country, Bass's latest book shows us how to approach our own faith with a newfound freedom that is both life-giving and service driven. CHRISTIANITY AFTER RELIGION will appeal to both the news media and the large audience that made her first Harper book, Christianity For the Rest of Us, a success"--

A captivating exploration of Christianity's growth and spread across the Roman Empire through quantitative data and groundbreaking insights from prominent historian Rodney Stark.

The idea that Christianity started as a clandestine movement among the poor is a widely accepted notion. Yet it is one of many myths that must be discarded if we are to understand just how a tiny messianic movement on the edge of the Roman Empire became the dominant faith of Western civilization. In a fast-paced, highly readable book that addresses beliefs as well as historical facts, Rodney Stark brings a sociologist's perspective to bear on the puzzle behind the success of early Christianity. He comes equipped not only with the logic and methods of social science but also with insights gathered firsthand into why people convert and how new religious groups recruit members. He digs deep into the historical evidence on many issues - such as the social background of converts, the mission to the Jews, the status of women in the church, the role of martyrdom - to provide a vivid and unconventional picture of early Christianity.

A reflective examination of the perils of a shallow Christian faith and its impact on personal devotion and communal renewal.

A sweeping social history of religion that explores the influence of the great monotheisms on the past and the modern world.