ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to William Edward Burghardt DuBois sociology of religion in the hopes of generating more attention to and appreciation of his work. It summarizes his contributions and illustrates their continued relevance for the sociological study of religion. Du Bois's treatment of religion is typified by three characteristics: reliance upon standard sociological methods in generating data; a focus on the religious life of African Americans; and special attention paid to this-worldly, communal, specifically social rewards which religious affiliation provides. Du Bois's sociology of religion bases itself firmly upon standard sociological research methods. In The souls of black folk, Du Bois chastises the "car window sociologist" who draws conclusions about people without engaging in hands-on research. Du Bois provides a rich social history of African American religious development, and his analysis is essentially one of syncretism: how the enslaved Africans fused their traditional spirituality and practice with the Protestant Christianity of the South.
