Robert Neelly Bellah (born February 23, 1927) is an American sociologist, now the Elliott Professor of Sociology, Emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. Bellah is best known for his work related to American civil religion (a term which he coined in a 1967 article). Bellah's magnum opus, Religion In Human Evolution, traces the biological and cultural origins of religion and the interplay between the two. Philosopher Jürgen Habermas wrote of Bellah's work: "This great book is the intellectual harvest of the rich academic life of a leading social theorist who has assimilated a vast range of biological, anthropological, and historical literature in the pursuit of a breathtaking project... In this field I do not know of an equally ambitious and comprehensive study." Bellah is also known for his 1985 book Habits of the Heart, how religion contributes to and detracts from America's common good; and as a sociologist who studies religious and moral issues and their connection to society.
Read more about Robert Neelly Bellah: Biography, Works, Awards and Honors
Famous quotes containing the words neelly bellah, robert neelly, neelly and/or bellah:
“However painful the process of leaving home, for parents and for children, the really frightening thing for both would be the prospect of the child never leaving home.”
—Robert Neelly Bellah (20th century)
“We have imagined ourselves a special creation, set apart from other humans. In the last twentieth century, we see that our poverty is as absolute as that of the poorest nations. We have attempted to deny the human condition in our quest for power after power. It would be well for us to rejoin the human race, to accept our essential poverty as a gift, and to share our material wealth with those in need.”
—Robert Neelly Bellah (20th century)
“However painful the process of leaving home, for parents and for children, the really frightening thing for both would be the prospect of the child never leaving home.”
—Robert Neelly Bellah (20th century)
“Women have entered the work force . . . partly to express their feelings of self-worth . . . partly because today many families would not survive without two incomes, partly because they are not at all sure their marriages will last. The day of the husband as permanent meal-ticket is over, a fact most women recognize, however they feel about “women’s liberation.””
—Robert Neelly Bellah (20th century)