This article sorts recent approaches in the sociology of religion into six groups, each of which tells a different story about what is happening to religion in the late-modern world. One, the secularization narrative, sees religion in decline. A second narrative tracks a rise of «fundamentalisms» worldwide. A third notes that religion in becoming local, especially in the United States. A fourth argues that religion is becoming individualized, both in Europe and worldwide. A fifth narrative claims that religion is alive and well, but only in competitive religious «markets». And a sixth explores the changes religion undergoes in the process of globalization. Each of these narratives reads evidence through different lenses.
Pages 13–29
 

OBJECTIVE: a) to analyse the relationship between dimensions of a religious faith, self-rated health and lifestyle. DESIGN: A population-based survey conducted in 2000/2001 inviting all citizens in Oslo born in different age groups, 18, 770 participants. RESULTS: Christians with what the authors define as an extrinsic (attending a religious meeting at least once a month) or an intrinsic religiosity (finding strength and comfort in a religious faith) had more friends (p<0.001), consumed significantly less alcohol and had a lower rate of daily smoking (p<0.001 and p<0.05) than respondents with non/little religiosity. Religious oriented respondents did not report better self-rated health than the non-religious. There was a significant association between sick benefit (certified as being ill) and intrinsic religiosity for both Christians and Muslims (p<0.01 and p 0.05). CONCLUSION: Religiously oriented respondents did not report better self-rated health than the non-religious despite a significantly lower percentage using tobacco and alcohol and indications of a healthier diet. More research is warranted to look at religious faith as an incitement for a healthy lifestyle combined with being a source of strength and comfort when illness occurs.
Keywords: religiosity, self-rated health, lifestyle and health indicators
Pages 31–47
 

A Reply to Jan-Olav Henriksen
Pages 49–61