In The Power of the Sacred, Hans Joas develops a new sociological theory of religion by reconstructing existing scientific theories of religion, from the eighteenth century to the present. Through a critical reading and reasssessment of key texts, Joas proposes an alternative to the narratives of disenchantment and secularization which have dominated debates on the topic. He further offers the most thorough reconstruction of the meaning of this concept, demonstrates how problematic it is for an appropriate understanding of religion in modernity, and presents the basic features of an alternative.
Biografie (Hans Joas)
Hans Joas ist Max-Weber-Professor und Leiter des Max-Weber-Kollegs für kultur- und sozialwissenschaftliche Studien an der Universität Erfurt sowie Professor für Soziologie und Social Thought an der University of Chicago.