Sociologist, Professor, Author
I am excited to announce my new affiliation with the University of Notre Dame's Center for the Study of Religion and Society, which is "dedicated to advancing social scientific understanding of religion in society through scholarly research, training, and publications." I am honored to join this vibrant community of scholars "engaged in empirical investigations, intellectual …
My chapter, "Cultural Catholics in the United States," has just been published in Volume 9 (2018) of the Annual Review of the Sociology of Religion: The Changing Faces of Catholicism, edited by Solange Lefebvre and Alfonso Pérèz-Agote Poveda! Book description: Catholicism is generally over-institutionalized and over-centralized in comparison to other religions. However, it finds itself in …
The journal Sociology of Religion has just published a review of my book Parish and Place: Making Room for Diversity in the American Catholic Church. Linda Kawentel (University of Notre Dame) writes that the book "is an excellent study that will be of interest not only to sociologists of religion, Catholic clergy, and diocesan administrators, but also to …
Continue reading Review of Parish and Place in Sociology of Religion journal
I'm honored by my nomination and selection as a finalist in YWCA-Knoxville's 2018 Tribute to Women. The award ceremony showcased inspiring area women working to reduce inequality, empower others, and promote dignity for all. I am committed to continuing this work, myself, as well as uplifting others working toward the same.
I enjoyed the opportunity to give a series of lectures at Tennessee Wesleyan in Athen, TN. The first, "The Place of Diversity in Contemporary U.S. Religion" drew from my award-winning book Parish and Place to understand the mutual role of generalist and specialist organizations as a way to achieve unity in diversity. The second, "Religious …
[Excerpt] "Bruce deftly manages multiple axes of inquiry and data across six chapters, probing how place and purpose—the two organizational principles shaping the experience of American Catholic life—interact...[...]...The work of Parish and Place opens up a door for important further pastoral and ecclesiological investigation. In these fragmented times, it is genuinely difficult to discern how …
My book, Parish and Place: Making Room for Diversity in the American Catholic Church, has received an honorable mention distinguished book award from the American Sociological Association's Religion Section! I was grateful to accept this award at the Annual Meetings of the American Sociological Association this weekend in Philadelphia. With 32 books nominated, it is an …
