Chapter Eight. Types Of Religiosity

Abstract

Errors of judgement often occur when a single term carries multiple meanings or a single meaning goes under different names. This chapter presents a categorization of different types of religiosity. The three types of religiosity are: 1. Pragmatic/Instrumental religiosity; 2. Discursive/Reflective religiosity; and 3. Experiential religiosity. Pragmatic religiosity is mundane, causal, hereditary, deterministic, emotional, dogmatic, ritualistic, ideological, identity-bound, concerned with outward superficies, collective-communal, legalistic-juristic, mythic, imitative, obedient, traditional and habitual. The frequency of communal prayers, mourning ceremonies, Qurʾanic recitations, retreats, Friday prayers, gatherings and preaching sessions, crowds of believers at shrines and mosques, hordes of fi ghters in the arenas of jihad amount to the glorifi cation and splendour of this type of religiosity and serve as a source of pride to it. Experiencing the encounter with the Transcendence is the norm and religious individualism unavoidable.Keywords: experiential religiosity; pragmatic religiosity; Qurʾanic recitations; reflective religiosity