Abstract
Focused interviews with Catholics in four parishes in England in the mid1970s revealed that Catholics exhibited a variety of heterodox beliefs and practices. The conceptualization of such heterodoxy in terms of "common religion," a term introduced by Towler, proved unsatisfactory. The term "customary religion " is proposed to cover those beliefs and practices derived from "official religion" without being under its control. It is suggested that the beliefs and practices that make up customary religion are the product offormal religious socialization but subject to trivialization, conventionality, apathy, convenience and self-interest. Customary religion therefore tends to be unstructured and heterodox. The notion of "common religion" should be restricted to noninstitutionally contexted religious beliefs and practices which often have the character ofmagic and superstition. The term "official religion" should be restricted to the orthodox beliefs and practices of functionaries and activists within a religious institution.
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