Martin Riesebrodt (April 22, 1948 – December 6, 2014) was a

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professor of

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and

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at the

Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, or the Geneva Graduate Institute (french: Institut de hautes études internationales et du développement), abbreviated IHEID, is a government-accredited postgraduate institution ...

, in Geneva, Switzerland. He was also emeritus professor at the

Divinity School A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

and the

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at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

. He earned his

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''l ...

Heidelberg University } Heidelberg University, officially the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, (german: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg; la, Universitas Ruperto Carola Heidelbergensis) is a public research university in Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, ...

, and his

habilitation Habilitation is the highest university degree, or the procedure by which it is achieved, in many European countries. The candidate fulfills a university's set criteria of excellence in research, teaching and further education, usually including a ...

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (simply University of Munich or LMU; german: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) is a public research university in Munich, Germany. It is Germany's sixth-oldest university in continuous operatio ...

. In his book ''Cultus und Heilsversprechen'', Riesebrodt examines the

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of religion and

fundamentalism Fundamentalism is a tendency among certain groups and individuals that is characterized by the application of a strict literal interpretation to scriptures, dogmas, or ideologies, along with a strong belief in the importance of distinguishing ...

in the modern world. The book has been positively reviewed, one critic arguing that it is among the most important contributions to the sociology of religion in recent years. It was translated to English under the title ''The Promise of Salvation: A Theory of Religion.''

Bibliography

*''The Promise of Salvation: A Theory of Religion'' (University of Chicago Press 2010) *''Die Rückkehr der Religionen. Fundamentalismus und der 'Kampf der Kulturen (C.H. Beck 2000) *''Pious Passion: The Emergence of Fundamentalism in the United States and Iran'' (University of California Press 1998)

Notes

References

*Alexander van der Haven: "Comparison, Practice, and Meaning: Martin Riesebrodt’s Theory of Religion" in ''Method and Theory in the Study of Religion: Working Papers from Hannover. Supplements to Method and Theory in the Study of Religion 8''. Ed. Steffen Führding. Leiden/Boston: Brill, 2017. 27–37. {{DEFAULTSORT:Riesebrodt, Martin 1948 births 2014 deaths American sociologists Academic staff of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies University of Chicago Divinity School faculty Heidelberg University alumni Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich alumni