Bio: (1922-2023) American sociologist. David Moberg got his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, taught for 20 years at Bethel College in Minnesota, and later became a professor at Marquette University, where he stayed until his retirement. He was the editor of several scientific journals: Review of Religious Research, Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation, and Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion. He played a major role in the founding of the Association for the Development of Religious Information Systems (ADRIS), which has a goal of creating a global network of religious information exchange. Moberg left a resounding impact on two scientific fields – gerontology and the sociology of religion.

Moberg’s book The Church As a Social Institution (1962, revised ed. 1984) was written as a textbook of sociology of religion. It offers a comprehensive sociological analysis of American religion and religion’s role in American society. Book sees the church as a social organization rather than a purely sacred entity and examines how religion both influences and is influenced by key social institutions such as the family, education, politics, and the economy. Drawing on extensive data and interdisciplinary methods, the book surveys the structure, functions, conflicts, and changing roles of the church in modern American society. Moberg begins by tracing the historical development of religion in the United States, from the colonial era to the modern period, before exploring the major religious traditions present in American life, including Protestantism, Catholicism, Judaism, and Islam. The book also examines topics such as religious demography, values and symbolism, church–sect typologies, and especially the social functions and dysfunctions of the church, including socialization, social control, solidarity, and moral guidance. It also explores conflict within and between religious groups, tensions between religion and science, and the church’s relationships with family, government, and social problems. He also investigates the interactions between religious organizations and other institutions, including the media, legal systems, and economic structures. Moberg argues that while the church’s social roles overlap with those of other institutions, its claim to uniqueness rests on faith rather than sociology. He stresses the importance of viewing religion as a social institution and argues that a sociological perspective is crucial for understanding its influence in American society.

Main works

The Church as a Social Institution: The Sociology of American Religion (1962, 1984); 

The Great Reversal: Evangelism Versus Social Concern (1972);

Spiritual Well-Being : Sociological Perspectives (1979);

The Church and the Older Person (1962);

Wholistic Christianity: An Appeal for a Dynamic, Balanced Faith (1985);

Aging and Spirituality: Spiritual Dimensions of Aging Theory, Research, Practice and Policy (2001);

Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, Vol. 15 (2005).