Christianity and Sociological Theory : Reclaiming the Promise / by Joseph A. Scimecca.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- 1. The Scholastics and the Christian Humanists -- 2. The Enlightenment and the Philosphes -- 3. Sociology in the Nineteenth Century: St. Simon and Comte -- 4. Marx and the German Influence -- 5. Durkheim and the Institutionalization of Sociology -- 6. Max Weber and Christianity -- 7. Christianity and Early American Sociology -- 8. Christianity and Scientific Sociology -- 9. Contemporary Sociological Theories -- 10. Reintroducing Christianity into Sociological Theory -- Bibliography -- Index

This book offers a history of sociological theory from a Christian perspective, tracing the origins of sociology from the beginnings of Western science as introduced by the Scholastics of the twelfth century, which, when combined with their emphasis on rationality, led to the Enlightenment "science of man"-an emphasis that eventually resulted in sociology, which combined empiricism and a Christian moral philosophy. With chapters focusing on the Scholastics, the Enlightenment, the rise of sociology in France, Germany, and the United States, and the legacy of Positivism, Christianity and Sociological Theory shows how the emphasis on moral philosophy was eventually lost as sociology rejected Christian underpinnings, resulting in what can only be described as an extremely limited sociology. A rigorous exploration of the trajectory of the discipline from its Christian origins, this volume reveals the potential that exists for sociology in an era of postmodern thought to reclaim its promise through a re-introduction of Christianity.

Also available in print format.