Peter Berger, a prominent religion sociologist who fought against the "God is Dead" movement of the 1960s, died Tuesday evening, according to Boston University where he founded the Institute of Culture, Religion and World Affairs.
Berger, 88, served as professor emeritus of sociology, religion, and theology at the university. A native of Austria, he immigrated to the United States after World War II, said Boston University.
"Professor Peter Berger was an eminent sociologist whose prolific writings on sociological theory, the sociology of religion, and Third World development have been translated in many languages," according to a university statement.
"His book 'The Social Construction of Reality' (1966) is considered a classic. The book is considered one of the most influential texts in its field and was named by the International Sociological Association as the fifth most influential book written in the field of sociology."
Southern Seminary president Al Mohler issued a Twitter post praising Berger and his decades of work in religion, calling him one of the most influential social thinker of our times."
Gregory Thornbury, president of The King's College, also praised Berger and scholar Rodney Stark on Twitter.
Hunter Baker, author of "The End of Secularism" and a professor of political science at Union University, recognized Berger for his independence.
"… In the face of the 'God is dead' movement of the 1960s, (Berger) argued that faith can indeed flourish in modern society if people learn to recognize the transcendent and supernatural in ordinary experiences …," said Joseph Berger in The New York Times.
"Some theologians seemed to reject traditional notions of theism, even arguing that Jesus should be seen more as a human role model than an actual deity. Professor Berger pushed back against that trend in his book 'A Rumor of Angels: Modern Society and the Rediscovery of the Supernatural,' published in 1969 and for many years required reading in college sociology and theology courses."
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