The Transformation of American Religion

The Transformation of American Religion: How We Actually Live Our Faith is an anthropological view of contemporary American religion and how it has adapted to the modern world. Alan Wolfe, its author, is a non-believer who has studied religious practice for years, making him the ideal person to examine the subject.

The most striking aspect was the way religion satisfies people’s emotional and social needs. I turned away from my Jewish upbringing because the rituals, stories, and prayers never seemed relevant to my life. As Wolfe explains, the American churches that are growing most rapidly position themselves in a way that helps people handle and comprehend their day-by-day lives. I gained a deeper understanding on why so many Americans attend their religious institutions.

Wolfe also describes how churches have evolved over the last few decades, in order to respond to cultural changes and attract more congregants. For example, many churches play Christian rock music to make their services more appealing. Religion isn’t nearly as demanding as it used to be; sermons focus much more on rewards than on obligations. There’s often less focus on doctrinal differences. Many churches organize small-group activities, in which people start off discussing religious issues but end up taking about their personal concerns.

The book mainly focuses on Christianity, though there’s some discussion of Judaism and a little time spent on Buddhism and Islam. The Transformation of American Religion provides an insightful perspective on contemporary American religious practice. I had no idea how much modern culture had shaped religion. My only complaint, which is fairly minor, is that it was sometimes difficult to keep track of all the Christian denominations. Overall, it’s a well-written and accessible account of how the other (religious) half lives.

Abnormal Psychology

I finally got through Gerald Davison and John Neale’s Abnormal Psychology textbook. I hoped to learn something about schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, autism, and other conditions, beyond the fictional portrayals that appear in Law & Order episodes, and the textbook accomplishes that goal.

It starts with introductory material about psychological paradigms, DSM classifications, research methods, and so on. After that, the bulk of the book examines specific disorders. The last chapter, which is the most compelling, deals with legal and ethical issues such as committing people to mental institutions and the insanity defense.

The descriptions of people’s behavior when afflicted by those disorders, along with some representative case studies, are rather interesting. Theories regarding causes are less appealing, because current understanding is rather nebulous and statistical analyses get tiresome rather quickly. The discussions of how the major schools of psychological thought treat each disorder become monotonous.

Reading a textbook, instead of a book written for casual readers, has various pros and cons. The summaries and glossary made it easier to review the main points. However, the textbook is obligated to cover the full breadth of the subject, including some boring bits. Though it’s reasonably well written and educational, I’m not sure whether I’d recommend Abnormal Psychology as leisure reading.

Divorce not allowed

This is totally obnoxious (from Atrios).

A Spokane woman trying to divorce her estranged husband two years after he was jailed for beating her has been told by a judge she can't get out of the marriage while she's pregnant.

The case pits a first-year attorney who argues that state law allows any couple to divorce if neither spouse challenges it against a longtime family law judge who asserts that the rights of the unborn child in this type of case trump a woman's right to divorce.

"There's a lot of case law that says it is important in this state that children not be illegitamized," Spokane County Superior Court Judge Paul Bastine told The Spokesman-Review newspaper.

Further complicating things, Shawnna Hughes claims her husband is not the child's father.

A decision like that illegitamizes all of Bastine's judgements. At least he's stepping down soon.