Contemporary Religion Research Articles

Guru Nanak and The Jogis Tradition: A Historical Context

Guru Nanak’s attitude to contemporary religion is informed by ideas and values which induce him not to identify himself with any of the existing forms of established religion. Infact, he applies those ideas consistently to evaluate all contemporary belief and practice. The closest he comes to an explicit appreciation for any kind of individuals, it is for the sadhs and sants.[i] Guru Nanak came in the line of the great saints, who emphasized only personal experience of the Divine is what the philosopher calls “mystic experience” as the core of true religion. [ii] There are many references to siddhas, yogins (jogis), nathas and avadhutas, not only in the Japu and the Sidh-gosthi but also in many other hymns and devotional songs by Guru Nanak and preserved in Guru Granth Sahib, said to have been complied in 1604A.D.[iii] Guru Nanak’s encounters with jogis have remained a favourite theme of Sikh literature for nearly four centuries. This tradition was well established in the time of Bhai Gurdas in whose Vars we have one of the earliest interpretations of Guru Nanak’s attitude towards the jogis.[iv] The present paper seeks to highlights the Guru Nanak ideas associated with the siddhas, yogi and nathas of medieval India.

Religion and lived space: A geographical reading of La Religion de près

Spatial approaches to religion have grown significantly in recent years and offer original perspectives for understanding new religious realities in the context of secularized countries. This article is an opportunity to show the richness of this “spatial turn” through an analysis of the theoretical tools developed by the French anthropologist Albert Piette in his work La religion de près: l’activité religieuse en train de se faire. Although this work, which has a connection to actor-network theory, does not deal directly with space, it exhibits a geographical sensibility that we will reveal. We show that these tools can be used to demonstrate a complex geography of contemporary religion—in particular the existence of a socio-spatial dialectic—and illustrate their fruitfulness with the case of an ethnographic study of two Quebec evangelical churches.

The Strength of Ibn Rushd's Integration of Religion and Philosophy: An Islamic Historical Discourse

Ibn Rushd’s thoughts on the integration of religion and philosophy exerted a major influence on Medieval Jewish, Christian and Islamic philosophy. However, a study that writes the full concept of Ibn Rushd’s integration and its advantages has yet to be found. This study aims to thoroughly analyze Ibn Rushd’s concept of the integration of religion and philosophy, discover the strengths of the integration, and identify its logical consequences. This study uses the content analysis method with primary sources as the main data. The results of the study indicate that (1) Ibn Rushd integrates religion and philosophy by combining three things from religion and philosophy: sources, methods, and goals. (2) The strength of Ibn Rushd’s integration lies in the integrity of the aspects involved, the placement of ratios at a very high position, the principle that philosophical thinking is part of religious order, and the use of allegorical interpretation (ta’wil) of the holy verses. The implication shows that religion and philosophy become inseparable, and the movement for integration must be a movement towards each other, between religion and philosophy. Ibn Rushd’s thoughts on integration can be the basis of the efforts to integrate contemporary religion and science.

Theorising place and scale in the geography of religion for the 21st century: Reflections on a burgeoning field

This paper explores the contested nature of scared places as a starting point for developing a research agenda for geographers of religion in the 21st century. Following a discussion of the contested nature of scared places, the paper theorises place and scale in the study of religion. It is argued that by conjugating these two crucial concepts, geographers of religion (and surely other disciplines as well) would be better able to engage with the rich socio-political-spatial meanings of contemporary religions. Sacred places, as one of the key features of religion, serve as an entry point into the current discussion. The empirical context and case studies are drawn from over two decades of research in the contested region of Israel/Palestine. They serve to illustrate my main argument that sacred places and their contested nature are central to understanding broader socio-political processes. I will therefore briefly engage in a scalar analysis of sacred places from the body to the global scale.

Filling gaps in experiences religious understanding of people living with cancer in palliative care: a phenomenological qualitative study

BackgroundAccording to a phenomenology of contemporary religion, the analysis of religious experiences finds that they are part of an individual’s search for something powerful that overcomes him seeking not only a need, but the meaning of all existence. The present study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the religious experiences of people living with cancer in palliative care (PC) and fill gaps in access to experience, with regard to how it was properly lived.MethodsA qualitative, phenomenological, cross-sectional study was conducted with 14 people living with cancer undergoing PC at two outpatient clinics of a public hospital. The experiences were accessed through in-depth interviews and the results were analysed according to the principles of classical phenomenology.ResultsThe patients confidently surrendered to the divine, attributing to it the power of continuity of life or not, which sustained them and launched them into horizons of hope, directing them to possibilities of achieving meaning in life, which it fed back their faith and to continue living, opening them up to an intense perception of the value of life.ConclusionsThe religious positions of confident surrender to the divine, to his will and a belief in his intervention, regardless of the outcome, opened possibilities to patients for the belief in the continuity of life by the power of faith. This position allowed the patients in this study to visualize achievements in the present and in the future, opening a horizon of hope, meaning and value of living. This study showed how this elements are presented and sustained, providing subsidies to health professionals seeking to provide more holistic care.

The Invisible Religion (1967) by Thomas Luckmann: Still an Inspiring Program for the Study of Contemporary Religion

The Invisible Religion (1967) by Thomas Luckmann: Still an Inspiring Program for the Study of Contemporary Religion

Cultural religion: patterns of contemporary majority religion in Denmark

ABSTRACT Denmark offers a unique context for exploring patterns of religion among the majority population. In the research of contemporary religion in Europe, many concepts have been developed in the attempt to capture a complex pattern of affiliation, practices, and beliefs among the majority populations in Western Europe. In a Scandinavian setting, however, one such concept, ‘cultural religion’, has appeared in several situations with various foci and emphases. This article analyses the use of ‘cultural religion’ and, more specifically, cultural Christianity through three different inquiries. We examine data from a qualitative method (focus group interviews). Building upon this study, we then analyse quantitative data from a survey, which is followed by an analysis of the concept in the public discourse. On the basis of the three case studies, we argue that, in the Danish sense of ‘cultural religion’, this is a term denoting national identity, shared values, emotions, and traditions. We raise the question how to use the terminology of ‘cultural religion’ in research on contemporary religion.

What are we talking about when we talk about the (post)secular? Recentering mutual participation and a commitment to communicability in scholarly discussions of contemporary religions

AbstractWhat are we talking about when we talk about the postsecular? This article looks at the ways articulations of the secular often presuppose the presence – not the absence – of religion and religious plurality. This can be observed even in the work of early theorists of secularism as well as of the first sociologists who observed secularizing tendencies in society and sought to conduct social‐scientific inquiry in a way that aimed to be analytically agnostic. At the same time, the return or renewed visibility of religion does not imply a decrease in individualization of religious expression, the disappearance of secularist attitudes, or that challenges of negotiating religious pluralism have been overcome. This more complicated orientation toward relating secularity and religious pluralism shifts the focus away from debates over the truth or rationality of religious beliefs and practices to the need for mutual, voluntary, open, and ongoing communication among them. On the one hand, a commitment is necessary to the creation and maintenance of meaningful participation opportunities in the self‐presentation of religious self‐understandings in relation to issues of common concern (the mutuality requirement); on the other hand, a steadfast commitment is needed from religious persons and groups themselves to persistent participation in presentation of one's own views or those of one's constituencies in ways that are clear and accessible to all other participants (the voluntariness requirement).

Abby Day, Sociology of Religion: Overview and Analysis of Contemporary Religion

Abby Day, Sociology of Religion: Overview and Analysis of Contemporary Religion

Catholic youth and nationalist identity in Java, Indonesia

ABSTRACT With a focus on contemporary religion, this article considers Catholic youth in Muslim-majority Indonesia who are active in the public sphere and committed to the cause of nationalist unity. A current push by Islamist extremists threatens and excludes those of other faiths. Young Catholics are sometimes made to feel as though they do not belong in the modern imaginings of caliphate and enforced Shari’a law. They find the marginalisation deeply disturbing since they feel strong loyalty to the nation. Some turn inward, focusing on Catholic orthopraxy and service to the diocese. Others direct their energies to interfaith dialogue and alliance, seeking political influence through solidarity with moderate Muslims. A lived religion approach based on the work of Ammerman (2014) and Laksana and Wood (2019) allows us to understand the imbrication of Catholic and nationalist identities through the analysis of interview data.

Review: Religion and the Technological Future: An Introduction to Biohacking, Artificial Intelligence and Transhumanism, by Calvin Mercer and Tracy J. Trothen

Religion and the Technological Future is an introductory textbook that relates newer scientific and technology developments for transforming human life with their religious and ethical implications. The authors write as religious and ethics educators, not as scientists, but appear fluent with the technologies they discuss. Calvin Mercer is founding chair of the American Academy of Religion’s Human Enhancement and Transhumanism Unit, while Tracy Trothen co-chairs the AAR’s Artificial Intelligence Seminar. Mercer and Trothen introduce various technologies as potentially civilization-changing means for transcending current human capacities (transhumanism), even possibly leading to a posthuman culture.The book is divided into 3 major sections. The first section presents the vocabulary of transhumanism, posthuman, biohacking, and questions of ethics. The second section contains five categories of enhancements—from super longevity and physical augmentations to cognitive, moral, affective, and spiritual improvements. The third section includes special topics like cryonics, mind-uploading, and raises the possibility of digital immortality and superintelligence. The chapters include references and there are questions for specific chapters, a glossary of key words and concepts, and a useful index.The authors provide helpful definitions. Biohacking, for example, means the radical enhancement of human beings with therapies and technologies now available or anticipated in the future. Artificial Intelligence refers to the application of computer technology to replicate or advance intelligent human activities. Narrow AI performs specific functions, like playing chess or autonomous car driving, whereas general, or strong AI, seeks to replicate human intelligence more broadly, such as creating humanoids. Transhumanism is used to characterize an intellectual and cultural movement that advocates the use of a variety of emerging technologies for transforming humans and societies. The convergence of such technologies may make it possible to take control of human evolution.Religion and the Technological Future interrelates the topics of religion and ethics with these technologies and asks ethical questions about their use. The authors also raise the question of whether technology may supplant traditional and contemporary religion. They begin and end their book with a short survey to help readers assess their own level of acceptance or rejection of the application of these technologies on humans. The scale runs from “totally skeptical and opposed” to “open to the possibilities…” to “an eager transhumanist,” with a category of “unsure” at the end (8).The authors point out that humans already replace certain body parts and use restorative techniques for others. Current newer technologies include further pharmaceutical boosts, the application of stem cell research, cloning, genetic engineering such as CRISPR-associated technologies, the use of robotics, artificial intelligence, neural enhancement, nanotechnology, and 3-D printing. CRISPR-Cas9 allows for precise and inexpensive editing of DNA, and its implications include not just disease control but human-controlled selection and self-enhancement. Neural implants will not only remedy disability, but also provide augmented human abilities with potential far superseding current human capabilities.Transhumanism encourages the use of such technology not just to heal disease and allay suffering but to generate a better, more capable and durable human being. Technology used this way may be viewed as a type of religious or philosophical self-transcendence, the purpose of which is to control human evolution, and to enhance or transcend current human experience. This raises religious and ethical questions, but the hope is that it would lead to the benefit of humanity and the world. Transhumanism in this sense would remain relatedly human.The authors raise the possibility, however, that using such technology may lead to digital immortality with personal duplicate imprints of our memories or persons, and even a posthuman species where technology replaces the need for religion. They don’t argue that this is inevitable, but nevertheless a real possibility. Some of this sounds like science fiction. But it also raises many questions, including whether these technologies can and will be used wisely, and whether humanity will need even more religion and better ethics to survive its own technology.

Reading an Islamic epistemology into research: Muslim converts and contemporary religion in Britain

AbstractThis paper presents a tentative argument for the application of a unique methodological approach in researching convert Muslims in contemporary Britain. By throwing into relief some of the theoretical limitations of previous studies on the topic, a case is made for a dialectical model of thinking that foregrounds Islamic epistemology and places it into conversation with a critical posture. The article contributes to a wider discourse within academia about the ability of the contemporary study of religion to reflect the increasingly diverse world of religious and non-religious practice found in contemporary Britain. It is critical of the over enfranchisement of secular readings of Islamic conversion specifically, and orientalist framings of Islamic identity generally. I conclude by asserting insider positionality and the primacy of reflexivity as an approach to ensure intellectual rigour.

Ancestors, Goddesses, Ritual and Politics

This article will recount the author’s fieldwork in Bhaktapur, Nepal, between 2015 and 2016, during two separate stints, which coincided with the aftermath of an earthquake that occurred in April 2015. The author conducted his research with a family of dancer-mediums in Bhaktapur—known locally as the Banmalas—in an area known as Kamalvin?yak. Annually, from October to June, the Banmalas perform a series of ritual performances in and around Bhaktapur. During these rites, each medium embodies a member of a goddess-family (Navadurg?) whose respective shrines encircle Bhaktapur’s borders. Broadly, this article will introduce the family’s traditions, rituals and political affinities, whilst also highlighting the importance of combining group-centred fieldwork with a cross-sectional study for scholars of contemporary religion.

Hindu Worships in Bangladesh, A Critical Study

Many kinds of worships that spread in Hinduism and other religions have no value to Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, and there will be no reward in the Hereafter for whosoever engage with these rejected worships. Many Muslims in Bangladesh believe that worship does not exist in the Hindu religion except in Islam, so they participate in Hinduism in their feasts and celebrations in ignorance. The Muslims in Bangladesh were influenced by the Hindu religion, so their worship was affected by their worship. Herein lies the research problem. The research aims: that in Hinduism there are special worships as in Islam, but they are different in their ways, and that their worship is specific to the gods and not to The One and Only God, as well as to identify the way of worship in the Hindu religion and the position of Islam towards it. The research took the qualitative approach: based on induction and knowledge of the concept of man-made religions, and the analytical approach to clarify the reality of Hindu religious worship, and the extent of its impact on the Muslims of Bangladesh and its presence in Bangladesh. The result of the research: Hinduism is a pagan religion of the contemporary religions that a large number of people adhere to. And that the head of the Hindu deities in Bangladesh that they worship are idols. And that the worship of Hinduism is the fruits of the experiences of nations that played their role in the formation of Hindu thought.

Jonas Otterbeck: The Awakening of Islamic Pop Music. In the series Music and Performance in Muslim Contexts. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2021. 220 pages.

Something has happened to the Islamic music scene since the turn of the twenty-first century. A gradual change towards increased diversity seems to be underway: new forms of musical expressions, including instruments and popular musical tropes, and new kinds of musicians who are stylish and savvy perform their music to enthusiastic audiences, who dig their idols and share their concert experiences in social media as fans all over the world do, but with an added, faith-based flavour. This music is not merely intended to entertain and sell, even if it is orchestrated by the commercial laws of the global music industry – it also has “the goal of being perceived and accepted as Islamic” (p. 4). By experimenting with sounds, formats and styles of performance, the agents of Islamic pop or pop-nashid (nashid being an old, Arabic term for Islamic song) challenge conceptions of legitimate Islamic art, pushing the limits of what can be regarded as purposeful, ethical and authentic ways of expressing Islam in music. In his recent book, Jonas Otterbeck explores this dynamic musical context based on rich ethnographic data (interviews, participant fieldwork) and multi-media analyses, placed in dialogue with central concepts and analytical frameworks from classical Islamic theology and philosophy, ethnomusicology and various strands of the study of contemporary religion and culture.

The Theory of Hypermediation: Anti-Gender Christian Groups and Digital Religion

ABSTRACT The article elaborates the theory of hypermediation to describe actions related to digital religion that involve various media platforms. According to this theory, media simultaneously hold material, institutional, and technological characteristics. Furthermore, hypermediation entails the creation of affective spaces between physical and digital actions. The theory of hypermediation draws upon literature on religion and media and is applied to case studies of anti-gender movements: Christian-inspired groups that oppose same-sex unions and promote traditional family values. The group Sentinelle in Piedi employs the Internet to organize silent protests at which people read books as an implicit criticism of media institutions and technologies. La Manif Pour Tous stages performances in physical settings to provoke emotional reactions, then it enhances their impact through online circulation. The article uses these examples to show how the concept of hypermediation can be a starting point to analyze the multimedia character of contemporary religion across material actions and digital spaces.

Experiencing Religion: Post-Colonial Views for Religious Education

Framed within religious historicism, the present study reviews, through historical and empirical insights, the lessons that Philippine RE can learn from the liberating function of religion and liberated religious undercurrents parallel to institutional religion in the Philippines. The liberating function of religion is often overlooked in post-colonial discourses while religious undercurrent views seem neglected due to pre-occupations with untangling power imbalances submerged in the voices of institutional religion in post-colonial analysis. Hence, in this presentation, I give particular attention to the liberating role of contemporary religion in contrast to the post-colonial thrust to rid institutional religion of power and control and secondly, the liberated religious views of young Filipino audiences from empirical findings I found from my previous studies. For religious undercurrents, I limit myself to current unorthodox religious interpretations of young Filipino audiences departing from conventional assumptions of religion and culture. My analysis of liberating religion and liberated religious views from empirical findings show epistemological shifts from the Christian interpretation in a post-colonial context. These shifts point to de-institutionalized but theocentric religious ideas inspired by moral and communal considerations, which form the basis of RE content.

Mary Linwood of Leicester's Pious Address of Violent Times

This article explores the role that contemporary religion and politics played in the subject matter of Mary Linwood's needlework paintings. Linwood was one of Britain's pioneering needlewomen of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Her approach to depicting famous narrative paintings in stitch has been largely overlooked by historians of art. The article is underpinned by use of primary source material, and draws on the most recent scholarship in the field of textile history, notably the work of Heidi Strobel and Rosika Desnoyers. Mary Linwood was an evangelical and a woman interested in the politics of the period. Her use of needlework was a means of both the expression of her piety and of the representation of her political views – especially attitudes to the brutality of the Napoleonic wars. The article also indicates that Linwood's views and medium were of remarkable interest to the wider public during the period.

Instead of Introduction: How Old Is Sacredness?

It is customary that references to history are used to legitimise one’s ideological and religious statements. This method is particularly visible in contemporary pagan and spiritual movements, in which history has a crucial position not only in justifications of religious claims but also in searching inspiration for contemporary beliefs and for providing a structural framework for (re)constructing past religions. The commonest explanation for using history in arguments and rhetoric in religion is to add credibility to one’s claims. Examples can be found in traditional institutional religious organisations, in contemporary spiritual movements, but also in the rhetoric of individual charismatic leaders. Such rhetorical manner is not common to contemporary religions only but can also be followed in historical folk religion (see, e.g., Johanson 2018). For instance, in a record of a heavily worn eighteenth-century copper coin, used for healing magic in the early twentieth century, the old age of the coin is specifically valued.

Making the cemetery work – the role of cemetery staff in grave plot choice

ABSTRACT This article analyses the role of cemetery staff in governing death culture based on a study of cemetery staff working for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (ELCD). The article analyses the values that guide the staff’s practices as they conduct their role as frontline employees and navigate between rules, regulations and values in their encounters with the cemetery users. There is a specific focus on the process of guiding the choice of grave plot and the role of cemetery staff as central agents in the shaping of mortuary culture as part of contemporary lived religion. In doing so, it argues for the inclusion of a broader range of official professionals in the study of the lived religion of religious institutions today.