Religion in cultural evolution: Robert N. Bellah and the comparative sociology of religion and modernity.

This article focuses on the legacy and final essays of Robert N. Bellah, a prominent Western sociologist of religion, as presented in the volume *Challenging Modernity*, edited by his colleagues Richard Madsen, William M. Sullivan, Ann Swidler, and Steven M. Tipton. Bellah's work is characterized by a comparative and cultural-evolutionary approach to religion, emphasizing the role of Axial Age religions and their ethical legacies in shaping modernity, capitalism, politics, and civil religion. The book includes Bellah's reflections on the political, economic, and ecological crises of the modern world, particularly the environmental challenges linked to unchecked industrial growth, and explores the potential of religious and ethical traditions to address these crises. Contributions from scholars in history, sociology, anthropology, and philosophy critically engage with Bellah's insights, extending discussions on themes such as autonomy, pluralism, and the evolving role of religion in contemporary societies. The editors conclude that while Bellah's work highlights the enduring tensions between transcendent ethical ideals and immanent power structures, it offers no definitive solution to modernity's crises, underscoring the need for new ethical and political alternatives grounded in shared human values.