Why do some religions expand without diluting their doctrine? While most explanations of religious growth have focused on market competition, conversion and pronatalist theology, these factors are neither necessary nor sufficient for religious expansion. Instead, religions with both pronatalist...

The study of religion holds great promise for the study of identity, institutional origins, the state, and the strategies of institutional actors in comparative politics. Doctrinal differences translate into distinct patterns of state institutions, economic performance, and policy preferences....