Affect Theory, Religion, and Sport

Eric Bain-Selbo

doi:10.3390/rel10080457

Abstract

Affect theory has made important contributions recently to the study of religion, particularly drawing our attention away from ideas and practices to the emotional or affectual experience of religion. However, there is a danger that affect theory may become yet another “protective strategy” (to use a term from philosopher of religion Wayne Proudfoot) in academic wars about the nature of religion. As a consequence, there is a danger that affect theory will become too restrictive in its scope, limiting our ability to use it effectively in investigating “religious” or “spiritual” affects in otherwise secular practices and institutions (such as sport). If we can avoid turning affect theory into a protective strategy, it can become a useful tool to provide insights into the “spirituality” of sport.

Highlights

Affect theory has made important contributions recently to the study of religion, drawing our attention away from ideas and practices to the emotional or affectual experience of religion
Speaking, affect theory is still new in terms of its application to the study of religion, and its full benefits may not come to fruition for some time
I will argue that affect theory can be an effective tool in the study of religion and popular culture, but only if we understand and use it in a particular way

Summary

Affect Theory

Affect theorists often describe their object of study in negative terms—what affects are not or what they are not connected to. By elevating the role of affects vis-à-vis reason and knowledge, affect theorists deconstruct a powerful and persistent view of the hierarchical structure of the human being This hierarchy certainly dates back millennia and posits our rational nature as superior and controlling and our affectual or Schaefer, Religious, p. Affect theory draws us to these powerful elements in human beings—elements that are not activated by or determined by language and rationality but exist independently and prior to or outside of all language and reason. He states, “Affect theory in all its forms is designed to profile the operations of power outside of language and the autonomous, reasoning human subject” It will be helpful to look at the work of Wayne Proudfoot, a philosopher of religion who offers a powerful critique of the phenomenological approach—one that might serve as a warning to affect theorists

Wayne Proudfoot on Religious Experience and Protective Strategies

Critique of Affect Theory

Conclusions