Sociology Of Religion Research Articles

The Faculty of Sociology in the Russian sociological education system: 35 years of leadership.

This article reflects the achievements of the Sociology Faculty of Moscow State University, which has been a recognized leader in the Russian sociological education system for over 35 years and trains professional sociologists who are in great demand in the modern labor market. Over the past 5 years, 1,287 Russian students (816 bachelors and 471 masters), as well as 368 foreign students, whose influx is constantly growing, have received a start in professional life. The author notes that the feature of learning is a harmonious combination of fundamental and applied knowledge, theoretical and empirical skills, which is typical for classical university education. In its educational and scientific activities, the Faculty of Sociology of Moscow State University relies on a combination of fundamental scientific knowledge and empirical skills that allow students to be not only practitioners capable of processing and analyzing data, but also theorists who understand deep social processes. The education system of the Faculty of Sociology is constantly being modernized to meet the challenges and requirements of modernity. In this regard, special attention is paid at the Faculty of Sociology to the introduction of new educational technologies, including the network form of educational programs, project-based learning, distance learning technologies, and e-learning. The article presents in a systematic form the achievements of the departments of the Faculty of Sociology, as well as the results of the scientific activities of the entire faculty, which are reflected in numerous monographic publications, publications of articles, as well as in reports at international and all-Russian conferences. Many monographs published by faculty members have become bestsellers. Among them: a monograph by N.G. Osipova and S.O. Elishev “Revolutions and coups d’etat: theory, history and practice”, a monograph by N.G. Osipova and S.O. Elishev “Historical Russia: territories and prospects”, monographs by S.O. Elisheva “Sociology of Religion in Imperial Russia” and “Imperial Statehood — the fate and mission of Russia”, a collective monograph by the staff of the Department of Modern Sociology “Social inequality in the modern world: new forms and features of their manifestation in Russia”, collective monographs of the Department of Economic Sociology and Management “The older generation in post-industrial realities” and “Artifacts of organizational culture”. The Faculty of Sociology of Lomonosov Moscow State University takes an active part in the joint development of the Innovative Scientific and Technological Center of Moscow State University “Vorobyovy Gory”, contributed to the launch of negotiations between the INTC of Moscow State University and major representatives of the real sector of the economy. He pays great attention to the preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of Russia, the popularization of traditional values for the Russian mentality. A landmark platform for the implementation of this direction was the Vvedensky Stavropol Monastery “Optina Pustyn”, in the spiritual and educational center of which professors of the faculty N.G. Osipova and S.O. Elishev gave public lectures. The author highlights in detail the directions of international cooperation of the Faculty of Sociology and activities that help attract applicants.

Bulletin of the Sociology of Religion

Bulletin of the Sociology of Religion

Islamic Education of Civil Society in the Perspective of Sociology

This research aims to explore the role of Islamic religious education in shaping civil society through the perspective of religious sociology. Islamic religious education aims to make humans the caliph on earth and integrate religious teachings with the social system that prevails in society. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method with a literature approach, and data analysis is carried out using the content analysis method. The study results show that Islamic religious education facilitates understanding social concepts because Islam has a social purpose. In addition, the sociological approach plays an important role in understanding the meanings of the Qur'an as it relates to social life. Sociology, from the perspective of religion, is a view of life that is considered important in people's lives and has a close relationship with each other. Religion also plays a role in shaping the social structure of society. In the study of the sociology of religion, the focus is on social phenomena in religious societies, not only on religious teachings themselves. This study concludes that Islamic religious education is important in shaping the character of a civilized and common welfare-oriented society. For further research, it is recommended to conduct an empirical study on implementing Islamic religious education in a multicultural society and its impact on social harmony.

Religion from a sociological perspective – implications for pedagogical research

The sociology of religion is the part of sociology as the science of society. From the beginning of this discipline, interest in the phenomenon of religion has been very lively. Both the founders of sociology themselves and its most important representatives devoted their theoretical and empirical interests to it. Religion and society, religious experience, functionalism theory and religion - these are the main problems discussed in this article. The analysis covers the phenomenon of religion in general, and the sources of this interpretation are primarily studies important for this discipline, old, often classic, and contemporary. The research perspective is aimed at trying to articulate some elements that are also conducive to pedagogical research, especially regarding the problem of upbringing. The analysis often suggested educational, shaping and socializing aspects of religion.

Measuring Religious Evil: Examining the Use of Single-Item Measures in Religious Research

Multiple-item indexes are ubiquitous within the sociology of religion. However, there are a growing number of articles in other disciplines that have advocated the use of single-item measures in specific circumstances. Using quantitative survey data taken from the United Kingdom, this paper contributes to this literature by exploring the impact of single and multiple item measures of religious evil on a series of social and political attitudes. The findings suggest that belief in the devil is the most consistent predictor within a multiple-item measure of religious evil and the multiple-item measure does not significantly outperform single-item measures. Indeed, the item “most evil in the world is caused by the devil” could be a more efficient measure of religious evil, particularly where it is combined with religious attendance. While further cross-cultural research on the impact of belief in religious evil remains necessary, the paper also finds some evidence to suggest that exploration of more secular beliefs in evil might be advantageous.

Divine Purpose? Religion, Race, and Attitudes Toward Life Extension Technology

Abstract There is a growing sociological literature examining how religion shapes attitudes toward science and technology. However, sociologists have done little to explore how attitudes toward religion and science shape support for end-of-life and life extension technologies. Past research suggests that those most likely to be interested in life extension technologies are nonreligious and White. However, we draw on theories in sociology of religion to examine how race and religion might intersect to shape attitudes about life extension. We find that Black Americans are significantly more interested in life extension than White Americans, and while religiosity decreases interest in life extension among White Americans, religiosity increases interest for Black Americans. And we find that Black and Hispanic Americans are more likely than White Americans to cite other-oriented and religious reasons over self-oriented reasons for wanting to extend their lives, such as “divine purpose” and a desire to contribute more to society.

Riotous methodological and methodointuitive reflections on (non)religion, spirituality and the multispecies turn

The ‘multispecies turn’ in the social sciences and humanities is informing many disciplines including animal studies, anthropology, Indigenous studies and, more recently, sociology of religion. Scholars working on multispecies relations employ various methods and methodologies, many of which are challenging modern, Western, Christian paradigms and practices that are anthropocentric and focus on logos/words/texts/beliefs. This discussion examines new and multiple ways of conducting multispecies focused research, that is critical, reflexive, embodied, affective and intuitive. It begins with an overview of the methods applied by notable scholars – Kimmerer, Tsing and Beaman – researching multispecies relations, and then includes four personal ‘riotous’ reflections by this article’s co-authors, on their own positionality and experiences of conducting such research. The discussion concludes by identifying key challenges in research on diverse worldviews and multispecies relations, and aims to generate creative and scientific responses to further decenter anthropocentrism in academia.

The Dynamics of Javanese Weton Calculation in Wedding Planning

This study explores the practice of Weton calculation in Javanese marriages, focusing on cultural, social, and legal aspects. This cultural heritage is significant for the Javanese community, reflecting local wisdom and social norms respected in marriage. However, in the modern era, this tradition faces challenges that alter societal values and mindsets. The alignment of Weton is considered crucial for marital success, while mismatches can negatively impact family life. This research employs a transdisciplinary approach, involving anthropology, astrology, and the sociology of religion, to understand the role of Weton in social structure and religious interactions. Although Weton holds deep meaning in Javanese culture, the practice conflicts with Islamic teachings, which view it as heresy and magical manipulation. This qualitative study, based on library research, highlights the importance of religious context in understanding the Weton practice

Challenging Identity Conflict: How Queer, Trans, and Nonbinary Muslim Organizations Incite Activism

Abstract This article synthesizes new directions taken in the sociology of religion and social movement studies and examines Queer, Trans, and Nonbinary (QTN) Muslim activism in Toronto, Canada. The author argues that Queer Trans and Nonbinary Muslim Organizations (QTNMOs) do more than help reconcile their members’ conflicting identities. Instead, QTNMOs use intersectional frameworks to help QTN Muslims resist intracommunity marginalization in mainstream queer and religious organizations. Findings show that QTNMOs can be considered Social Movement Organizations in three ways: these groups defy culturally embedded institutional norms that are harmful to QTN Muslims, they aim to foster oppositional consciousness, and they incite collective action from their constituents. The article provides a case study of multi-institutional LGBTQ religious activism. The intersectional perspectives of QTN Muslims allow interested sociology of religion and social movements scholars to strengthen the insights gained from each of these fields.

Neither ‘underpinning’ nor ‘overarching’: explicating a critically reciprocal philosophy of religious studies

ABSTRACT One conception of philosophy’s role vis-à-vis religious studies is that of uncovering the ‘conditions of the possibility’ of approaches such as the history, psychology, or sociology of religion. Bernard Lonergan, for example, regarded philosophy of religion as ‘underpinning’ and ‘overarching’ other approaches; hence Jim Kanaris designated Lonergan’s conception of philosophy of religion a ‘philosophy of religious studies’. Without simply rejecting the latter conception, this article explicates an alternative, according to which philosophy of religion has much to learn from other approaches. Indeed, attentiveness to empirical studies is one means of overcoming a fixation on an abstract ‘theism’. Engaging critically though sympathetically with work by Kevin Schilbrack and Timothy Knepper, and expounding the notion of critical description in philosophy of religion, the article makes conceptual space for a critically reciprocal philosophy of religious studies; this downplays the evaluation of ‘religious reason-giving’ while emphasizing self-criticality and reflection upon interdisciplinary methods.

A Cult by Any Other Name: Is "High Demand Group" a Useful Category? (Perspectives Essay)

ABSTRACT: This essay evaluates the use of the term "high demand group" as a substitute for the term "cult." While "high demand group" seems more precise than the word "cult," a review of the literature suggests the two terms are synonymous. The term originated in the 1972 book Why Conservative Churches Are Growing: A Study in the Sociology of Religion , by Dean M. Kelley. Kelley used the phrase "high demand movements" as an ideal type for explaining sociological phenomena. By 1979, the term was being used by the anticult movement as a more persuasive substitute for the word "cult." With this shift, the term "high demand groups" was used to describe a putatively objective phenomenon rather than as a way of organizing the data. Because the term "high demand" emerged out of sociological and economic studies, it carries an air of authority and expertise. By using this term, it is possible to conceal the prejudice engendered in the word "cult" while simultaneously making an appeal to expertise.

Totem

Abstract Although the term “totem” constituted a key term in classical theories of religion, it has not played a notable role in the recent material turn in the study of religion. This essay offers a critical reconsideration of the term by comparing its function in Durkheim’s sociology of religion with David Chidester’s postcolonial analysis of its function in religion and Religious Studies from a South African location. The comparison not only highlights problematic uses of the term in its history, but also sheds light on the question whether the term might be rehabilitated for use in the study of material religion. In assessing the term’s genealogy as well as its possible use in the study of material religion, the ethical question is of paramount importance: informed by critical theories of race, class and gender, which values may serve in our assessment?

When mentally ill women become sexual preys in Zimbabwe: An African indigenous religio-cultural perspective

There is a phenomenal increase in the number of cases of women suffering from mental illness in our contemporary society, which is hard hit by pandemics. As scholarship reflects on this condition, there has been little attention paid to the impact of indigenous religion and cultural practices to the sexual and reproductive health of women with mental illness and indigenous entrepreneurs who seek economic fortunes in a post COVID-19 epoch. Largely, the Zimbabwean society detests mental illness and this has rendered mentally ill women to the social margins. However, cases of men from the mainstream society having illicit sexual intercourse with mentally ill women are rampant, both in urban and rural environments. So one can ask why men from the mainstream society are having sexual relations with the ostracised mentally ill women. Prioritizing ethical considerations, this qualitative study uses ritual theory as its theoretical framework, sociology of religion, phenomenology of religion and gendered cultural hermeneutics to explore the prevalence of these sexual practices. Data was gathered through interviews and desk research from January to December 2023. Findings of the study were that these sexual activities are ritualistic, done to enhance success in politics, business, farming and self-initiated churches. An analysis of the reasons behind the performance of these sex rituals showed that a mentally ill woman’s body is an entity which belongs to the spiritual world so the sexual relationship makes it possible for the male entrepreneur to access the spiritual world. Through these rituals, men with entrepreneurial wishes will be attempting to connect with and manipulate the spiritual world. The study concluded that mentally ill women have less choice over their sexual and reproductive lives. They are sexually exploited, yet they lack the capacity to disclose these heinous acts to the mainstream society. They are regarded by the patriarchal society as sexual preys where coercive sex and or rape are used for ritual purposes, with the intent of attaining socio-economic transformation.

«Постсекулярное»: возобновление дискуссии

The article outlines the idea of “postsecularity,” which has already become traditional in certain areas of religious studies and sociology of religion. On the one hand, it is contested within other research areas, and on the other hand, has not led to the creation of a clear and consistent theory, although it has become very popular in public discussion. In defending his position, the author refers both to his own works on the topic and to a large corpus of texts that to one degree or another touch upon the “post-secular thesis”, including studies devoted to the concepts of “secular” and “religion” in the aspect of their rethinking in modern times. Secularism, understood as an ideology and quasi-religion, and its fate in the modern world are discussed. It is argued that classical European secularization has now ended due to the fact that secularism as a global civilizational project has failed not only in non-Western contexts, but also in zones of active secularization, which took place in European contexts, albeit in different forms – both the ghettoization of religion (in the European West), and the atheism of the entire society (as in countries where the socialist project was being implemented). The new post-secular situation is characterized as the return of religion/religiosity not only to the public sphere, but also to the Lebenswelt of individuals who actualize various forms of religiosity, including the so-called spirituality. Thus, contrary to the standard thesis about secularization, which assumes a decline in people’s religiosity, the modern world demonstrates its new forms, not necessarily associated with long, dominant religious traditions and organizations. The author believes that the concept of a “true believer” as the most conscious, informed and religiously active individual, which has become standard in the science of religion, should be discarded, given that religiosity manifests itself in a variety of forms, far from such rigoristic interpretations. The author’s final thought is that in the current situation, the modern European description (understanding) of religion can no longer be a prescription for religion, that is, a requirement addressed to it, which is one of the aspects of the “post-secular turn”.

A Catalyst of Acculturation of Korean Pop Culture Towards Religious Attitude and Habits of BTS Army Indonesia: A Review of Communication Study

This research examines how Korean pop culture, especially through the music group BTS, functions as a catalyst in influencing the religious attitudes and habits of their fans (Army) in Indonesia. Using a communication science framework, this research explores the process of intercultural communication that occurs through social media, as well as how the messages conveyed by BTS are constructed, disseminated, and interpreted by their fans. The research method used is a qualitative approach, involving in-depth interviews and participatory observation of members of the Lampung Army. Media content analysis was also carried out to understand the influence of BTS content on fans' religious attitudes and habits. The research results show that the influence of BTS and Korean pop culture creates a complex dynamic between the adoption of new cultural elements and the maintenance of existing religious values. The findings of this research provide insight into the role of communication in cultural acculturation and its impact on non-secular aspects of fans' lives, also contributing to the understanding of how media and intercultural communication can influence religious identity and practice in the era of digital globalization. These findings are important for cross-cultural studies, the sociology of religion, and communication science, and provide practical guidance for researchers and practitioners in the fields of communication and culture.

Critical Religion and the Sociology of Religion

Abstract This article discusses the relevance of Critical Religion to the sociology of religion. Critical Religion argues that the category of “religion” is a Western concept that through colonialism and imperialism has been superimposed over non-Western societies. In contrast, it offers a critical theory of or critical sociology of religion, which evaluates the positive and negatives aspects of what we call religion. The article provides a summary of key proponents of critical religion then uses it to discuss the secularization debate which runs through the classics and the old and new paradigms in the sociology of religion. It discusses the lived religion methodology and problematizes that through its lack of distinction between the religious and the secular, it overemphasizes the role of religion. Finally, the article offers a more scientific and neutral redefinition of the category of religion as a solution to the problems with the category raised by critical religion.

What can women in classical sociology teach us about contemporary sociology of religion?

What can women in classical sociology teach us about contemporary sociology of religion?

Křivda a odpor : konstrukce alternativní modernity a mobilizace amerických konzervativních věřících

This article explores much debated contemporary development in the contestation of the dominant, liberal interpretation of modernity by conservative Christians in the United States through counter hegemonic discourse that is deployed in the political arena and facilitates broader cultural struggle. The examination combines the analysis of discourse from the extensive corpus of data produced by five elite actors in the American religious and political milieu and its interplay with the socioeconomic factors of their constituency on the one hand and the institutional and historical context of accounts. Following in the footsteps of critical sociology of religion, emphasis was placed on processes through which the actors establish a claim for power and legitimize the application of moral rationality as the different path to modern society. Employment of discursive instruments in form of myths, narratives, and negative representations tied to specific religious language, is not only showing the permeability of the church-state separation in supposedly secular political arrangements. More importantly, it is unrevealing the authoritative, mobilizational power of the religious matrix of emotionally motivating meanings and identity-making narratives in face of shortcomings and crises of the hegemonic socio-political constellation. In this manner, it serves as a tool to challenge established interpretations of commitments to freedom and equality, or in many instances reinterprets them to legitimize policy entailed in the notion of collective morality. However, this considerable engagement also creates points of contention in society and in religious formations, which leads to their fragmentation between different interpretations of such commitments.

Method for an historical political sociology of religion

Method for an historical political sociology of religion

The Problem of Denominational Identity of Churches in Modern Protestantism

This article examines the history of denominationalism – the division of Protestantism into a multitude of independent religious associations, freely competing with each other. This approach to typologising religious associations, initially adopted for Protestant communities within the United States, has become a global phenomenon. Since the early 1980s, there has been a vigorous debate in the sociology of religion about the contemporary meaning of denominations. There is a growing number of independent churches that do not wish to be associated with any of the Protestant denominations; megachurches are leaving denominations or trying not to emphasise their affiliation with any particular denomination; some megachurches and church organisations are growing into a transdenominational evangelical movement with worldwide influence. The article is based on an analysis of the work of sociologists of religion on the issue of denominationalism in Protestant organizations, ranging from Richard Niebuhr to researchers drawing on contemporary statistical data. The existing congregations that emphasize their denominational identity, none of them exist in a denominational isolated cocoon any more – worship practices and music, missional objectives and educational resources can be adopted from other non-denominational churches and trans-denominational evangelical movements. The very concepts of megachurch, independent church, and evangelical movement can be viewed as separate denominations. Using these terms, members of a congregation identify themselves as holding certain beliefs and engaging in certain practices in common with others around the world. The trend toward the emergence of independent churches is part of the new course of Protestantism – post-denominational Protestantism.