Living Religious Practices

Abstract

The practice of religion in the daily lives of migrant minorities goes beyond formal rituals in homes and temples, to include quotidian practices informed by religious beliefs, norms and values. The self-conscious adoption of new spiritual disciplines and participation in boundary-crossing practices, including interfaith and multicultural events, is also important, with all practices operating across different scales, from individual to global. Drawing on examples from South Africa, Malaysia and the UK, four processes are identified. Religious practices enable migrants to travel, arrive and settle. They contribute to the formation of persons and identities, and to the bonding of congregations and communities. When religious practices are directed to public audiences, they constitute tactical initiatives for increased visibility, claims for recognition and the temporary sacralization of public space. And some practitioners go further, crossing boundaries to move beyond established social divisions and conventional cultural categories.