William Sims Bainbridge

William Sims Bainbridge ( born October 12, 1940) is an American sociologist, communications scholar and sociologist of religion. Bainbridge is co-director of Human - Centered Computing Division of the National Science Foundation ( NSF) in Arlington, Virginia, and Assistant Professor ( Adjunct Professor ) at George Mason University, Virginia.

Bainbridge earned his doctorate in sociology at Harvard University. He then worked in the field of sociology of religion, where he dealt in particular with religious sects. Bainbridge has published numerous books and scientific articles on the sociology of religion. His most famous book Satan 's Power ( published in 1978 ) describes the years he observed and infiltrated a satanic cult be operated sect Process Church - a splinter group from Scientology. Together with the sociologist Rodney Stark published the Bainbridge fundamental works The Future of Religion ( 1985) and A Theory of Religion ( 1987). It is also known that in 2002 published book The Endtime Family: Children of God, in the Bainbridge dealing with the sect of the children of God.

Recently, Bainbridge has moved its main focus on the sociology of computer games.