Riis, Ole

Ole Riis is a Danish sociologist of religion whose work has significantly contributed to understanding the emotional dimensions of religious experience and belief. His book "A Sociology of Religious Emotion" (2010), co-authored with Linda Woodhead, represents a groundbreaking synthesis of sociology of religion and sociology of emotions. The work challenges the traditional rationalist bias in religious studies by demonstrating how emotions are integral to religious life, belief formation, and practice. Riis argues that emotional experiences shape religious convictions and community bonds in ways that purely cognitive approaches cannot explain. His research has influenced contemporary debates about secularization, religious vitality, and the persistence of belief in modern societies. By integrating emotional sociology with religious studies, Riis has opened new avenues for understanding how people experience the sacred and maintain religious commitments in an increasingly secular age.