The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR) is a United States-based nonprofit organization founded in 1949 dedicated to advancing research on religion from a social scientific perspective. The organization focuses on empirical study and analysis of religious institutions, experiences, and phenomena through a multidisciplinary approach involving sociology, psychology, anthropology, and related fields.

History and Purpose

The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion was established to promote rigorous scientific research and dialogue concerning religious life and behavior. It seeks to provide a scholarly forum where researchers can present and disseminate empirical studies on various aspects of religion, including institutional dynamics, religious experiences, leadership, and social impacts.

Publications

A key contribution of the SSSR is its publication of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, a peer-reviewed academic journal that serves as a platform for empirical research in the sociology and social scientific study of religion. The journal publishes articles that contribute to the understanding of religious institutions and religious experience, encouraging the application of scientific methods to religious studies.

Activities and Impact

The Society organizes conferences, workshops, and meetings that bring together scholars, researchers, and practitioners interested in the scientific study of religion. These events foster academic exchange and collaboration, advancing knowledge about how religion influences and is influenced by social, cultural, and personal factors.

Recent research initiatives affiliated with the Society include studies on religious leadership, such as the "Sequential Rise of Female Religious Leadership," and extensive surveys on religious groups like American Catholics, examining attitudes toward church institutions, race, morality, and civic engagement.

Related Organizations

The SSSR is part of a broader community of scholarly associations devoted to religious studies, including the American Academy of Religion, the Association for the Social Scientific Study of Jewry, the Association for the Sociology of Religion, the Canadian Society for the Study of Religion, and the Religious Research Association. These organizations collectively aim to deepen understanding of religion through various academic lenses.

This article reflects the Society's commitment to fostering scientific inquiry into religion, illuminating complex religious phenomena through research, and contributing to academic and public understanding of religion's role in society[1][2][3][4].