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Back-Pocket God: Religion and Spirituality in the Lives of Emerging Adults

Hardcover |English |0190064781 | 9780190064785

Back-Pocket God: Religion and Spirituality in the Lives of Emerging Adults

Hardcover |English |0190064781 | 9780190064785
Overview

"What do the religious and spiritual lives of American young people look like as they reach their mid-to-late twenties, enter the full-time job market, and start families? In Back Pocket God, Melinda Lundquist Denton and Richard Flory provide a look beyond conflicting stories that argue that emerging adults are either overwhelmingly leaving religion, or that they are earnest spiritual seekers maintaining a significant place in their lives for religion. Denton and Flory show that while the dominant trend among young people is a move away from religious beliefs and institutions, there is also a parallel trend in which a small, religiously committed group of emerging adults claim faith as an important fixture in their lives. Yet, whether religiously committed or not, emerging adults are increasingly personalizing, customizing and compartmentalizing religion in ways that suit their idiosyncratic desires. For emerging adults, God has become increasingly remote yet is highly personalized to meet their particular needs. In the process, they have transformed their conception of God from a powerful being or force that exists "out there" to their own personal Pocket God--a God that they can carry around with them, but that exerts little power or influence in their daily lives. God functions, in a sense, like a smartphone app-readily accessible, easy to control, and useful but only for limited purposes. Back Pocket God shows the changing relationship between emerging adults and religion, providing a window into the future of religion and more broadly, American culture"--
ISBN: 0190064781
ISBN13: 9780190064785
Author: Melinda Lundquist Denton, Richard Flory
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Format: Hardcover
PublicationDate: 2020-04-01
Language: English
PageCount: 288
Dimensions: 9.4 x 1.1 x 6.2 inches
Weight: 19.84 ounces
More than a decade ago, a group of researchers began to study the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. They tracked these young people over the course of a decade, revisiting them periodically to check in on the state -and future- of religion in America, and reporting on theirfindings in a series of books, beginning with Soul Searching (2005). Now, with Back-Pocket God, this mammoth research project comes to its conclusion. What have we learned about the changing shape of religion in America? Back-Pocket God explores continuity and change among young people from their teenage years through the latter stages of emerging adulthood. Melinda Lundquist Denton and Richard Flory find that the story of young adult religion is one of an overall decline in commitment and affiliation, and ingeneral, a moving away from organized religion. Yet, there is also a parallel trend in which a small, religiously committed group of emerging adults claim faith as an important fixture in their lives. Emerging adults don't seem so much opposed to religion or to religious organizations, at least inthe abstract, as they are uninterested in religion, at least as they have experienced it. Religion is like an app on the ubiquitous smartphones in our back pockets: readily accessible, easy to control, and useful-but only for limited purposes. Denton and Flory show that some of the popular assumptions about young people and religion are not as clear as what many people seem to believe. The authors challenge the characterizations of religiously unaffiliated emerging adults -sometimes called religious nones- as undercover atheists. At theother end of the spectrum, they question the assumption that those who are not religious will return to religion once they marry and have children.
Editorial Reviews



The authors excelled and produced a work that will surely be referenced for years to come. -- George M. Hayward,
Review of Religious Research



Back-Pocket God: Religion and Spirituality in the Lives of Emerging Adults, provides a more complex, honest and hopeful view that resists tired narratives of generational warfare.... a refreshing view of the so-called 'millennial' spiritual mindset. --
National Catholic Reporter


Denton and Flory draw on rich survey and interview data to weave a compellingly nuanced collection of storylines that showcase whether, how, and why religion matters in the lives of emerging adults.... All told,
Back-Pocket God provides foundational insight at the same time that it catalyzes

fruitful new directions for scholars and religious practitioners. --
Sociology of Religion


An indispensable resource for anyone interested in what religion looks like among today's emerging adults. -- Daniel L. Allen,
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion


there are some bright spots in chapters on Transitions to Adult Life and Making Sense of It All where Denton and Flory conclude that these Emergent Adults have turned away from organized religion and traditional churches. A smaller contingent, the Religiously Committed, cling to their faith in

hard times. -- Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat,
Spirituality & Practice






Melinda Lundquist Denton is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research examines the intersection of religion and family life in the United States. Her publications include
A Faith of Their Own: Stability and Change in the Religiosity of America's


Adolescents with Lisa D. Pearce and
Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers with Christian Smith.

Richard Flory is senior director of research and evaluation at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California. He is a sociologist whose research focuses on religious and cultural change, religion and urban life, and the religious and spiritual lives of youth and

young adults. He has published several books, most recently,
The Rise of Network Christianity: How Independent Leaders are Changing the Religious Landscape.

is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research examines the intersection of religion and family life in the United States. Her publications include
A Faith of Their Own: Stability and Change in the Religiosity of America's


Adolescents with Lisa D. Pearce and
Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers with Christian Smith.

Richard Flory is senior director of research and evaluation at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California. He is a sociologist whose research focuses on religious and cultural change, religion and urban life, and the religious and spiritual lives of youth and

young adults. He has published several books, most recently,
The Rise of Network Christianity: How Independent Leaders are Changing the Religious Landscape.

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  • Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.

Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.

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The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.

Estimated delivery times:

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  • Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days

Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.  

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All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times. 

Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.). 

If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.

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Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.

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  • Gift cards
  • Downloadable software products
  • Some health and personal care items

To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
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  • Book with obvious signs of use
  • CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
  • Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
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Overview

"What do the religious and spiritual lives of American young people look like as they reach their mid-to-late twenties, enter the full-time job market, and start families? In Back Pocket God, Melinda Lundquist Denton and Richard Flory provide a look beyond conflicting stories that argue that emerging adults are either overwhelmingly leaving religion, or that they are earnest spiritual seekers maintaining a significant place in their lives for religion. Denton and Flory show that while the dominant trend among young people is a move away from religious beliefs and institutions, there is also a parallel trend in which a small, religiously committed group of emerging adults claim faith as an important fixture in their lives. Yet, whether religiously committed or not, emerging adults are increasingly personalizing, customizing and compartmentalizing religion in ways that suit their idiosyncratic desires. For emerging adults, God has become increasingly remote yet is highly personalized to meet their particular needs. In the process, they have transformed their conception of God from a powerful being or force that exists "out there" to their own personal Pocket God--a God that they can carry around with them, but that exerts little power or influence in their daily lives. God functions, in a sense, like a smartphone app-readily accessible, easy to control, and useful but only for limited purposes. Back Pocket God shows the changing relationship between emerging adults and religion, providing a window into the future of religion and more broadly, American culture"--
ISBN: 0190064781
ISBN13: 9780190064785
Author: Melinda Lundquist Denton, Richard Flory
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Format: Hardcover
PublicationDate: 2020-04-01
Language: English
PageCount: 288
Dimensions: 9.4 x 1.1 x 6.2 inches
Weight: 19.84 ounces
More than a decade ago, a group of researchers began to study the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers. They tracked these young people over the course of a decade, revisiting them periodically to check in on the state -and future- of religion in America, and reporting on theirfindings in a series of books, beginning with Soul Searching (2005). Now, with Back-Pocket God, this mammoth research project comes to its conclusion. What have we learned about the changing shape of religion in America? Back-Pocket God explores continuity and change among young people from their teenage years through the latter stages of emerging adulthood. Melinda Lundquist Denton and Richard Flory find that the story of young adult religion is one of an overall decline in commitment and affiliation, and ingeneral, a moving away from organized religion. Yet, there is also a parallel trend in which a small, religiously committed group of emerging adults claim faith as an important fixture in their lives. Emerging adults don't seem so much opposed to religion or to religious organizations, at least inthe abstract, as they are uninterested in religion, at least as they have experienced it. Religion is like an app on the ubiquitous smartphones in our back pockets: readily accessible, easy to control, and useful-but only for limited purposes. Denton and Flory show that some of the popular assumptions about young people and religion are not as clear as what many people seem to believe. The authors challenge the characterizations of religiously unaffiliated emerging adults -sometimes called religious nones- as undercover atheists. At theother end of the spectrum, they question the assumption that those who are not religious will return to religion once they marry and have children.
Editorial Reviews



The authors excelled and produced a work that will surely be referenced for years to come. -- George M. Hayward,
Review of Religious Research



Back-Pocket God: Religion and Spirituality in the Lives of Emerging Adults, provides a more complex, honest and hopeful view that resists tired narratives of generational warfare.... a refreshing view of the so-called 'millennial' spiritual mindset. --
National Catholic Reporter


Denton and Flory draw on rich survey and interview data to weave a compellingly nuanced collection of storylines that showcase whether, how, and why religion matters in the lives of emerging adults.... All told,
Back-Pocket God provides foundational insight at the same time that it catalyzes

fruitful new directions for scholars and religious practitioners. --
Sociology of Religion


An indispensable resource for anyone interested in what religion looks like among today's emerging adults. -- Daniel L. Allen,
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion


there are some bright spots in chapters on Transitions to Adult Life and Making Sense of It All where Denton and Flory conclude that these Emergent Adults have turned away from organized religion and traditional churches. A smaller contingent, the Religiously Committed, cling to their faith in

hard times. -- Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat,
Spirituality & Practice






Melinda Lundquist Denton is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research examines the intersection of religion and family life in the United States. Her publications include
A Faith of Their Own: Stability and Change in the Religiosity of America's


Adolescents with Lisa D. Pearce and
Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers with Christian Smith.

Richard Flory is senior director of research and evaluation at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California. He is a sociologist whose research focuses on religious and cultural change, religion and urban life, and the religious and spiritual lives of youth and

young adults. He has published several books, most recently,
The Rise of Network Christianity: How Independent Leaders are Changing the Religious Landscape.

is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research examines the intersection of religion and family life in the United States. Her publications include
A Faith of Their Own: Stability and Change in the Religiosity of America's


Adolescents with Lisa D. Pearce and
Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers with Christian Smith.

Richard Flory is senior director of research and evaluation at the Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the University of Southern California. He is a sociologist whose research focuses on religious and cultural change, religion and urban life, and the religious and spiritual lives of youth and

young adults. He has published several books, most recently,
The Rise of Network Christianity: How Independent Leaders are Changing the Religious Landscape.

Books - New and Used

The following guidelines apply to books:

  • New: A brand-new copy with cover and original protective wrapping intact. Books with markings of any kind on the cover or pages, books marked as "Bargain" or "Remainder," or with any other labels attached, may not be listed as New condition.
  • Used - Good: All pages and cover are intact (including the dust cover, if applicable). Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May include "From the library of" labels. Shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Item may be missing bundled media.
  • Used - Acceptable: All pages and the cover are intact, but shrink wrap, dust covers, or boxed set case may be missing. Pages may include limited notes, highlighting, or minor water damage but the text is readable. Item may but the dust cover may be missing. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting, but the text cannot be obscured or unreadable.

Note: Some electronic material access codes are valid only for one user. For this reason, used books, including books listed in the Used – Like New condition, may not come with functional electronic material access codes.

Shipping Fees

  • Stevens Books offers FREE SHIPPING everywhere in the United States for ALL non-book orders, and $3.99 for each book.
  • Packages are shipped from Monday to Friday.
  • No additional fees and charges.

Delivery Times

The usual time for processing an order is 24 hours (1 business day), but may vary depending on the availability of products ordered. This period excludes delivery times, which depend on your geographic location.

Estimated delivery times:

  • Standard Shipping: 5-8 business days
  • Expedited Shipping: 3-5 business days

Shipping method varies depending on what is being shipped.  

Tracking
All orders are shipped with a tracking number. Once your order has left our warehouse, a confirmation e-mail with a tracking number will be sent to you. You will be able to track your package at all times. 

Damaged Parcel
If your package has been delivered in a PO Box, please note that we are not responsible for any damage that may result (consequences of extreme temperatures, theft, etc.). 

If you have any questions regarding shipping or want to know about the status of an order, please contact us or email to support@stevensbooks.com.

You may return most items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund.

To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.

Several types of goods are exempt from being returned. Perishable goods such as food, flowers, newspapers or magazines cannot be returned. We also do not accept products that are intimate or sanitary goods, hazardous materials, or flammable liquids or gases.

Additional non-returnable items:

  • Gift cards
  • Downloadable software products
  • Some health and personal care items

To complete your return, we require a tracking number, which shows the items which you already returned to us.
There are certain situations where only partial refunds are granted (if applicable)

  • Book with obvious signs of use
  • CD, DVD, VHS tape, software, video game, cassette tape, or vinyl record that has been opened
  • Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error
  • Any item that is returned more than 30 days after delivery

Items returned to us as a result of our error will receive a full refund,some returns may be subject to a restocking fee of 7% of the total item price, please contact a customer care team member to see if your return is subject. Returns that arrived on time and were as described are subject to a restocking fee.

Items returned to us that were not the result of our error, including items returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address, will be refunded the original item price less our standard restocking fees.

If the item is returned to us for any of the following reasons, a 15% restocking fee will be applied to your refund total and you will be asked to pay for return shipping:

  • Item(s) no longer needed or wanted.
  • Item(s) returned to us due to an invalid or incomplete address.
  • Item(s) returned to us that were not a result of our error.

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, please Contact Us with your order number and details about the product you would like to return. We will respond quickly with instructions for how to return items from your order.


Shipping Cost


We'll pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.). In other cases, you will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.

Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.

If you are shipping an item over $75, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.

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