Religious America, Secular Europe? Renowned Sociologist Peter Berger to Lecture at Gordon

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 2, 2009

MEDIA CONTACT
Jo Kadlecek
Office Of College Communications
978.867.4752
[email protected]

WENHAM, MA – As part of the Faith Seeking Understanding lecture series, Gordon College welcomes Peter Berger, professor Emeritus of religion, sociology, and theology at Boston University, to discuss issues and topics from his most recent book, Religious America, Secular Europe? The free event will take place Monday, November 9, with a reception at 4 p.m. and conversation at 4:30 p.m. in the MacDonald Auditorium in the Ken Olsen Science Center.  

The program will be a conversation between Berger and Tal Howard, associate professor of history at Gordon College, as well as program director of the Jerusalem Athens Forum.  

“Berger is one of the most preeminent scholars of religion in the world today,” said Howard, who’s employed Berger’s works in a number of classes. “He’s a sociologist by training but very interdisciplinary and especially insightful in thinking about the relationship between religion and modernity.”

Berger, a native of Austria, holds a Ph.D. from the New School for Social Research and is the author of over 15 books pertaining to sociology, religion, and economic development. He has also held positions at Evangelical Academy in Germany, University of North Carolina, Hartford Theological Seminary, New School for Social Research, Rutgers University, Boston College, and is currently director of the Institute on Culture, Religion, and World Affairs at Boston University.

The conversation between Berger and Howard will explore issues raised in Berger’s latest co-authored book, Religious America, Secular Europe?  

“The book looks at why there are higher levels of religious affiliation in the US in comparison to European countries such as France and Germany, which have significantly lower rates of religious affiliation,” said Howard.  “I’m especially excited to be having this conversation since I’ve been working on a book on a similar topic called, God and the Atlantic: America, Europe and the Religious Divide.”

For more information please visit the event page.

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