Sociology of Religion

I approach the sociology of religion as both a rigorous academic discipline and a site of liberation-centered inquiry. Far from merely cataloguing religious beliefs and practices, my work explores how power, discourse, and social structures shape religious experience while examining religion’s role in both perpetuating and challenging systems of domination. Drawing on my doctoral research at Western Michigan University, my extensive background in theological studies, and my commitment to critical theory, I offer a sociology of religion that centers justice, interrogates authority, and amplifies marginalized voices within religious communities and institutions.

Foundations: Beyond Traditional Paradigms

My approach builds on the classical sociological tradition while pushing beyond its limitations. While Émile Durkheim’s understanding of religion as a “unified system of beliefs and practices relative to sacred things” provides important insights into social cohesion, my work examines how such unity often masks internal power struggles and marginalized voices.

Power, Discourse, and Religious Authority

Central to my research is the analysis of how power operates through religious discourse. Drawing on critical discourse analysis frameworks, I examine how religious language creates “hegemonic understandings” that normalize certain power relations while marginalizing alternatives. This includes studying what I term “weasel words” in fundamentalist rhetoric — terms that appear neutral but function to obscure coercive practices and maintain authority structures.

My work on SOGICE or Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Change Efforts, such as conversion therapy, exemplifies this approach. Rather than simply documenting the psychological harms of these practices, I analyze how religious institutions deploy euphemistic language—”healing,” “guidance,” “spiritual care”—to legitimize what amounts to systematic efforts to undermine LGBTQ+ identity and agency.

High-Control Groups and Coercive Religious Environments

My specialization in coercive control within faith-based organizations and high-control groups represents a crucial intersection of sociology of religion with studies of power and abuse. Unlike traditional approaches that treat religious communities as inherently beneficial, my research examines how certain religious environments systematically undermine individual autonomy through what I analyze as patterns of spiritual abuse.

Secular Moral Formation and Post-Religious Identity

Another key area of my research examines secular and non-religious moral formation among individuals who have left high-control religious environments. This work addresses a significant gap in traditional sociology of religion, which often assumes continued religious identity or treats “secularization” as a simple loss of faith. Instead, I study how former believers reconstruct ethical frameworks, build community, and create meaning outside religious institutions.

Critical Theory and Religious Studies

My work consistently applies insights from the Frankfurt School, particularly Max Horkheimer’s critical theory of religion, which understands religious expression as both a cry of anguish against oppressive conditions and a longing for transcendence. This dialectical understanding allows me to simultaneously critique religion’s oppressive functions while honoring its emancipatory potential.

Drawing on Judith Butler’s work on performativity, I examine how religious practices and discourses either reinforce or challenge dominant social arrangements. This includes studying how LGBTQ+ religious communities create counter-narratives that resist heteronormative religious teachings, and how liberation theology movements connect spiritual practice with social justice organizing.

Working Together: Applied Sociology of Religion

Whether you’re a religious organization seeking to understand your own power dynamics, a researcher interested in collaborative projects, or a community organization working with religious trauma survivors, my sociological expertise can support your goals. Through customized research partnerships, training programs, and consultation, I bring critical sociological analysis to bear on real-world challenges.

Ready to explore how sociological insights can inform your work with religious communities or religious trauma? Contact me to discuss research collaborations, organizational assessments, or training programs that apply sociology of religion to promote justice and healing.

Continue the Conversation

I regularly publish research and reflections on power, religion, and social change through both academic venues and public platforms. Subscribe below for insights that connect rigorous sociology with practical strategies for transformation.