American Parishes (Web PDF) von Gary J. Adler

Introduction: What Is a Parish? Why Look at Catholic Parishes?
Gary J. Adler Jr., Tricia C. Bruce, and Brian Starks | 1

Part I : Seeing Parishes Through a Sociological Lens

1. A Brief History of the Sociology of Parishes in the United States
Tricia C. Bruce | 25

2. Studying Parishes: Lessons and New Directions from the Study of Congregations
Nancy T. Ammerman | 47

Part II: Parish Trends

3. The Shifting Landscape of US Catholic Parishes, 1998–2012
Gary J. Adler Jr. | 69

4. Stable Transformation: Catholic Parishioners in the United States
Mark M. Gray | 95

Part III: Race, Class, and Diversity in Parish Life

5. Power in the Parish
Brett C. Hoover | 111

6. Liturgy as Identity Work in Predominantly African American Parishes
Tia Noelle Pratt | 132

7. A House Divided
Mary Jo Bane | 153

Part IV: Young Catholics In (and Out) of Parishes

8. Parishes as Homes and Hubs
Kathleen Garces-Foley | 173

9. Preparing to Say “I Do”
Courtney Ann Irby | 196

Part V : The Practice and Future of a Sociology of Catholic Parishes

10. A Sociologist Looks at His Own Parish: A Conversation with John A. Coleman, SJ
John A. Coleman, SJ, with editors Gary J. Adler Jr., Tricia C. Bruce, and Brian Starks | 217

Conclusion: Parishes as the Embedded Middle of American Catholicism
Gary J. Adler Jr., Tricia C. Bruce, and Brian Starks | 231

Acknowledgments | 247

List of Contributors | 249

Index | 253