" An engaging book, The Meaning of Sunday pulls together evidence from significant literature on secularization and rational choice theory. Thiessen' s arguments are persuasive and on point." Paul Bowlby, Saint Mary' s University " There is a striking theoretical thread running through these accounts: religious commitments are created and sustained by strong communal ties and lost in their absence. ... Read moreLife transitions break ties and habits, for instance, accounting for a primary point of religious departure. ... . The secularization Thiessen describes so well is not so much a matter of individuals choosing or not choosing to believe but a matter of communities that make not believing and not participating as plausible as the alternative. For these good empirical explorations, then, this is a valuable contribution to the literature." American Journal of Sociology " A needed and important contribution to our understanding of Christian religiosity in Canada. The book draws from a broad knowledge of sociological theory and research on Canadian religion. The responses of active and marginal affiliates and religious nones are handled evenly and fairly. It provides rich, qualitative data on the religious views of Canadians, something that is sorely needed. The book is highly recommended for scholars and practitioners of religion in Canada and beyond." Sociology of Religion Show Less