Economic models of church life: three ‘nudges’ towards better behaviour

Economic ideas have long shed light on diverse spheres of social and cultural life. Religion is no exception and has spawned a large and thriving subfield. However, whereas recent decades have famously witnessed a ‘behavioural’ turn in economics – with Nobel prizes going to two pioneers of the field...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Bullivant, Stephen 1984- (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2022
In: Theology
Year: 2022, Volume: 125, Issue: 1, Pages: 27-34
IxTheo Classification:CH Christianity and Society
RB Church office; congregation
ZB Sociology
Further subjects:B behavioural economics
B economics of religion
B nudge theory
B Framing effects
B Mission (international law
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:Economic ideas have long shed light on diverse spheres of social and cultural life. Religion is no exception and has spawned a large and thriving subfield. However, whereas recent decades have famously witnessed a ‘behavioural’ turn in economics – with Nobel prizes going to two pioneers of the field, Daniel Kahneman in 2002 and Richard Thaler in 2017 – there has yet to be significant work done in the ‘behavioural economics of religion’. This is a shame; there are good reasons for thinking that behavioural-economic theories and findings might be particularly well suited to illumine several areas of practical church life. In what is hopefully a light and quasi-entertaining way, this article offers (wildly speculative!) applications of behavioural economic ideas to three live topics within the sociology of religion and/or pastoral theology: the ‘empty’ church, the success of US megachurches, and church planting.
ISSN:2044-2696
Contains:Enthalten in: Theology
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0040571X211068157