Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences

Religious markets, similar to the other markets typically studied by economists, have both demand and supply sides and are significantly impacted by regulation. However, religious markets differ in that consumption is often tied to costly and exclusive participation with a specific religious group. I construct a game theoretic model that captures these and other characteristics of religious markets. Equilibrium analysis of this model generates new insights into our understanding of two hotly debated issues in the study of religion--the relationship between economic growth and religiosity and the relationship between religious pluralism and religious participation.