Religious Convergence in the Age of Globalization
Point of Departure: Globalization & religious convergence
In his influential book “Religions in global society” Peter Beyer has proposed the idea
of a global religious field or system emerging in the course of general processes of
globalization. According to Beyer, the emergence of a global religious field can best be
understood as the result of intra- as well as interreligious convergence (99). Such
convergence may occur in terms of organization or social structure (108) or as a
“convergence of vision” or semantics (216). In spite of his emphasis on the significance
of convergence for the globalization of religion, Beyer has not offered a systematic
conceptual framework to grasp the ever shifting tension between convergence and
divergence in a dynamic longitudinal perspective. In RF IV we want to take Beyer´s
ideas as a point of departure and to explore how far the theory of a converging
religious field can carry us, as which new insights may be gained by pursuing it to its
limits. To this end, we will attempt to systematize phenomena of religious convergence
by distinguishing between general types of convergence (delta- and sigmaconvergence), conditions/mechanisms of convergence (e. g. colonization, mission and
migration), and forms or results of convergence, and relating these different aspects of
convergence to each other.
Types of Convergence: Delta- and Sigma-Convergence
In social scientific debates about convergence and divergence it has become common
to distinguish between sigma- and delta-convergence. Sigma-convergence refers to the
algebraic notion for variance: In its classic form, a decreasing coefficient of variance
indicates convergence. For more qualitative studies sigma-convergence may indicate
the general degree of mutual approximation or "growing together". However, sigmaconvergence does not necessarily imply a particular direction of convergence in a
teleological sense. This fact is better captured by a second measurement of
convergence, the so-called delta-convergence. Delta-convergence is based on the
decreasing distance of units of analysis towards an exemplary model.
Conditions, Mechanisms & Forms of Convergence
While Beyer has examined the global religious field as a prominent result of religious
convergence, ThF IV aims at exploring the process of converging (and diverging) of
religious traditions in the age of globalization. To do so, we will elaborate a typology of
both conditions or mechanisms and forms or results of religious convergence.
Following Beyer, we regard phenomena of migration, mission and renewal as
important conditions and mechanisms of convergence. While issues of religious
encounter and renewal were crucial in the first working period of the thematic field,
we will focus on the impact of mission and migration on religious encounter and
convergence in the second working period. Besides from these mechanisms, religious
convergence may also be triggered by political or juridical action, e.g. by laws of
religious freedom or association or by overall processes of rationalization or
bureaucratization. Apart from the question whether a global religious field is being
formed at all, it seems fruitful from a cultural and religious studies point of view to
examine how such convergence actually takes place. Hence, we will explore and
systematize the variety of forms or results of convergence, such as spiritualization ,
commodification,
universalization,
hybridization,
folklorization
and
transnationalization. The following table consists of two lists that are of course not
meant to be exhaustive; no causal relationships between neighboring categories is
implied. Terms in the right column are always to be understood as „... of religion“.
Conditions & Mechanisms of
convergence
Forms & Results of convergence
Migration
Spiritualization
Mission
Commodification
Renewal
Universalization
Political Action
Hybridization
Rationalization (of life)
Folklorization
…
Transnationalization
Outline ThF IV Workshop on Migration and religious convergence
Processes of migration may foster religious convergence in several ways:

Classical narrations of “Diaspora” have often been designed as “tale of woe”,
i.e. a religious minority is held captive far from its homeland and feels unable to
follow its religious customs. In this case, a process of forced migration leads to
a folklorization or folkloristic invention of the ‘original’ religious tradition as a
resource of collective identity.

In contrast, migration may also trigger situation of religious encounter and
exchange. Hence, both migrant groups and members of the country of arrival
may adapt their religious world views in the sense of universalization (e.g. the
Abrahamitic Union).

Moreover, migration and religious pluralization may contribute to the
formation of hybrid religious identities, not only on the side of the religious
minority (Vertovec: diaspora as a mode consciousness; Tamil Hindus ‘Catholic’
pilgrimage to Kevelaer), but also in the country of arrival (modern youth culture
using Muslim phrases)

Fourth, diaspora is not restricted to asymmetrical communication between the
deprived diaspora community and the authoritative homeland. Instead
migrants may strive for trans- and even supranational forms of organization to
cope with intrareligious diversity. E.g. the European Council for Fatwa and
Research aims at systematizing (and streamlining) diaspora Islam and to
develop a “fikh of minorities” (Qaradawi)

Finally, processes of migration may contribute to the commodification of
religion in a broader sense, e.g. in the realm of social ethics. In the US we find
Hindu communities virtually inventing an ethics of solidarity in order to apply
for public social service grants.
Timetable of Workshop
Time
Topic
10:15-10:25
Introduction: Migration & Religious
Convergence
10:25-11:10
Stefan Reichmuth: Yemen?
11:10-12:00
Marion Eggert: Reisebericht
12:00-12:45
Kollmar-Paulenz?
12:45-14:00
Mittagspause
14:00-14:40
Alexander Nagel: Transnational religious
self-assurance in the diaspora: The
European Council for Fatwa and Research
14:40-15:20
15:20-16:00
16:15-17:45
Sabrina Weiß (angefragt):
Korean Christians in Germany
Brigitte Luchesi (angefragt):
Hindu Tamils in Kevelaer
ThF IV: concluding discussion