Ranking Faiths: Religious Stratification in America discusses how religion shapes access to power, privilege, and prestige in the U.S., both historically and today. James D. Davidson and Ralph E. Pyle dispel the idea that the U.S. was founded on the principle of religious equality for all, documenting how religion has been a factor in the allocation of power from the colonial period through the present. From the time of the earliest settlements in America through today, the book demonstrates that some religious groups have had more access to economic, political, and social rewards than others, and they have benefited from laws and customs that have maintained religious inequality over time. While a few religious groups, such as Catholics and Jews, have experienced significant upward mobility over time, the social status of most has remained remarkably static over time. The book shows how religious inequalities developed, highlight where they remain in society today, and discuss what Americans can and should do about it.

"This work, in its introduction of religion as a formal category of stratification, should be regarded as an important contribution to the fields of religion and sociology." - Publishers Weekly

"Davidson (emer., Purdue) and Pyle (Michigan State Univ.) have written a sociological study of religious stratification in the US, employing a conflict perspective on social inequality to identify religious in-groups and out-groups, prejudice, and competition for resources. They explore the origins, persistence, and change of religious inequality by identifying power relations, laws, ideologies, customs, and stratification from the colonial period to the present…. Recommended. General and undergraduate libraries." - CHOICE

"Religious 'stratification' reveals a lot about religious power blocs and the shifting political and cultural influences wielded by religious groups in the U.S. This fascinating book explores both the continuities and changes in religious stratification over the centuries and considers whether it is a good or bad thing for democracy. . . This book is outstanding. . ." - Voice of Reason

"As someone who takes seriously the relationship between religion and social inequality, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It contains a wealth of information that has continued relevance for our own day. These authors are to be commended for providing this excellent analysis of religious stratification." - Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion

"“Ranking Faiths: Religious Stratification in America covers all the bases. Davidson and Pyle present a work that is, first, a solid piece of scholarship on the sociology of religion and social stratification. Second, it is a comprehensive teaching tool on religion, social class and the theory and methods used to study their interplay. Third, it calls forth continued research by setting up an agenda that advances scholarship linking the sociology of religion and social stratification. This book is innovative scholarship” Their work examines religion in ways that go far beyond how it has been used to exploit women and other minorities. They argue persuasively that religion has shaped American society and culture from its origins; religion continues to carry resources for those who already have them; religion has been, and remains, a force for social change. Ranking Faiths is good teaching. It would be a useful primary or secondary textbook for courses in the sociology of religion, and the study of social stratification. Davidson and Pyle use religion to teach stratification; they use stratification to teach the study of religion. And their triangulation of methods is a useful primer on the practice of research. Ranking Faiths is a gift to scholars and teachers. It is also a primer for politicians, business leaders and their constituents and customers. The book offers a greater understanding of how religion in society has shaped, and continues to shape, our values and serves our interests." - Oxford Journals

"“Ranking Faiths: Religious Stratification in America covers all the bases. Davidson and Pyle present a work that is, first, a solid piece of scholarship on the sociology of religion and social stratification. Second, it is a comprehensive teaching tool on religion, social class and the theory and methods used to study their interplay. Third, it calls forth continued research by setting up an agenda that advances scholarship linking the sociology of religion and social stratification.” “Ranking Faiths is good teaching. It would be a useful primary or secondary textbook for courses in the sociology of religion, and the study of social stratification.”" - Social Forces