Structure of the chapter
• The Vitality of Religion Today
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
• Postmodernism and Religion
Structure of the chapter.
• The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs:
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
3. Liberal Religiousness and Supernaturalism
4. The Growth of Expressive Individualism
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices
6. New Religious Movements and Cults
7. The Vitality of Non-Western Traditions
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
• Postmodernism and Religion
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory
“The social construction of
reality” theory (ch.7):
Society gradually constructs its
views of the world.
Peter L. Berger
THE SACRED
CANOPY
1969
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory
“The social construction of
reality” theory (ch.7):
Society constructs religion as a
source of clear rules, for
a) social order, and
b) individual identity.
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory
“The social construction of
reality” theory (ch.7):
Now that we are aware that we
construct religion, we will
cease to believe in it.
Result: “secularization” in the sense of
a decline of religion.
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory
“The social construction of
reality” theory (ch.7):
Now that we are aware that we
construct religion, we will
cease to believe in it.
Peter L. Berger
THE SACRED
CANOPY
1969
Structure of the chapter.
• The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs:
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
3. Liberal Religiousness and Supernaturalism
4. The Growth of Expressive Individualism
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices
6. New Religious Movements and Cults
7. The Vitality of Non-Western Traditions
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs.
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
over the long run:
From colonial times
to mid-2oth century
Most early immigrants were
not church-goers
[Unlike the Puritans at right]
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs.
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
over the long run:
From colonial times
to mid-2oth century
HOWEVER:
U.S. Weekly Church Attendance, 1999.
• National Opinion Research Center: 38 %
• Institute for Social Research: 44 %
• Barna Research Group:
41 %
• National Election Studies:
40 %
Jack Delano, 1940
U.S. Weekly Church Attendance, 1999.
• National Opinion Research Center: 38 %
• Institute for Social Research:
• Barna Research Group:
• National Election Studies:
44 %
41 %
40 %
In fact only about 20%
of Protestants and 24%
of Catholics attend
weekly services.
1993: Mark Chaves, University of Arizona,
Kirk Hadaway, United Church of Christ, and
Penny Marler of Samford University reported
On church attendance by Protestants in Ashtabula County,
Ohio, and in 18 Roman Catholic dioceses around the country.
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs.
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
3. Liberal Religion and Supernaturalism –
The supernaturalists are winning.
E.g. Pentecostals:
speaking in tongues
healings
casting out demons
prophecy
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs.
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
3. Liberal Religion and Supernaturalism –
The supernaturalists are winning.
E.g. Pentecostals:
speaking in tongues, healings
casting out demons, prophecy
-- all due to supernatural
interventions by God / Spirit.
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs.
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
3. Liberal Religion and Supernaturalism –
The supernaturalists are winning.
[Pentecostals: Assemblies of God
Church of God in Christ
International Pentecostal Holiness Church
United Pentecostal Church International
Apostolic World Christian Fellowship]
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs.
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
3. Liberal Religion and Supernaturalism –
4. The Growth of Expressive Individualism:
“Do your own thing” religion.
A la carte Christianity
Smorgasboord Catholicism
Personal spiritualism
Hip monasticism at Taize
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs.
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
3. Liberal Religion and Supernaturalism –
4. The Growth of Expressive Individualism:
“Do your own thing” religion.
Often called “spirituality”
to distinguish it from
adherence to institutional
religious beliefs and
practices.
Hip monasticism at Taize
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs.
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
3. Liberal Religion and Supernaturalism –
4. The Growth of Expressive Individualism:
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
A form of expressive individualism.
Amethyst crystals
The Vitality of Religion Today
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
A sub-category of expressive individualism?
1 in 4 believe in a non-traditional God, e.g.:
11% believe that God is "a state of higher
consciousness that a person may reach"
8% define God as "the total realization of
personal, human potential"
3% believe that each person is God
http://www.religioustolerance.org/newage.htm
The Vitality of Religion Today
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
A sub-category of expressive individualism?
Neo-Paganism: wicca, satanism.
Spiritualism: includes channeling.
Neo-gnosticism: we are all pure spirits
temporarily trapped in bodies.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/newage.htm
The Vitality of Religion Today
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
A form of expressive individualism
Two main types:
• Classical-Historic
• Primitive-archaic
The Vitality of Religion Today
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
A form of expressive individualism
Two main types:
• Classical-Historic
a) “soft apocalypticism” –
the Age of Aquarius.
All will be peace &
harmony and love.
The Vitality of Religion Today
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
A form of expressive individualism
Two main types:
• Classical-Historic
b) “holism” (wholism)
overcome dualisms:
male/female
body/soul
people/cosmos.
The Vitality of Religion Today
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
A form of expressive individualism
Two main types:
• Classical-Historic
c) experience divinity,
within oneself, or
as part of oneself.
The Vitality of Religion Today
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
A form of expressive individualism
Two main types:
• Classical-Historic
• Primitive-Archaic
The Vitality of Religion Today
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
Primitive-Archaic: In the U.S.
8% believe in astrology to foretell the future.
7% believe in crystals for healing
or energizing power.
9% believe Tarot Cards are a reliable base
for life decisions.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/newage.htm
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs.
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
3. Liberal Religion and Supernaturalism –
4. The Growth of Expressive Individualism:
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
6. New Religious Movement (NRMs)
and Cults
The Vitality of Religion Today
6. New Religious Movement (NRMs) and Cults
E.g. Falun Gong in China.
(variation on Buddhism)
The Vitality of Religion Today
1. The Secularization Theory – vs.
2. Increased Church Attendance in the U.S.
3. Liberal Religion and Supernaturalism –
4. The Growth of Expressive Individualism:
5. New Age Beliefs and Practices.
6. New Religious Movement (NRMs) and Cults
7. The Vitality of Non-WesternTraditions.
ISLAM! – Sunni, Shi’ite, Sufi
Buddhism! – Dalai Lama, Zen in S.F., etc., etc.
Hindu! – Bharata Janata Party
Structure of the chapter.
• The Vitality of Religion Today
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
• Postmodernism and Religion
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
parallels cultural stages,
roughly.
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of Faith
intuitive-projective (3-7)
primitive/archaic
mythic-literal (7-11)
primitive/archaic
synthetic-conventional (12+) late archaic
individuative-reflective (16+) historic
conjunctive (20+)
modern/postmod.
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
parallels cultural stages
There is no “law of history” making this happen.
In cultures, as in individuals,
simpler modes of thought come first.
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
• ages 3-7: “intuitive-projective” stage
imaginative; anthropomorphizing;
piecemeal beliefs
truth = imaginative ideas + parental authority
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
• ages 3-7: imaginative; anthropomorphizing;
piecemeal beliefs
truth = appealing ideas + parental authority.
• Compare to primitive folktales, animism,
magic
To get familiar with the comparison
do it in groups. Write down similarities.
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
• ages 3-7: “intuitive-projective” stage
Compare to primitive beliefs and thought-style.
WARNING:
It is inaccurate to think of primitive people
as too “childlike.” They are not restricted to a
“intuitive-projective” thought/belief style.
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
• ages 3-7: “intuitive-projective” stage
• ages 7-11 “mythic-literal” stage
• Better able to distinguish truth & fantasy
• Information and values need coherence
• “Conformist” to one’s family/group/tradition.
Compare this to aspects of archaic culture
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
• ages 3-7: “intuitive-projective” stage
• ages 7-11 “mythic-literal” stage
• ages 12- ? “synthetic-conventional” stage
• synthesizes sense of life through a grand
narrative, perhaps with role models
• seeks to fit in with the social context and its
tradition – to be “conventional.”
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
• ages 16 ? “individuative-reflective” stage
• sense of autonomous responsibility begins
• seeks individual selfhood beyond conformity
• learns to reflect critically on ideas/values
• Tends to overconfidence in one’s beliefs.
This style might not develop until one’s 30s +
(Compare to Historic thought style?)
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
• ages 3-7: “intuitive-projective” stage
• ages 7-11: “mythic-literal stages
• ages 12+: “synthetic-conventional” stage
• ages 16 ? “individuative-reflective” stage
• ages 20+? “conjunctive” stage.
• based on experience of limits and variety
• able to make commitments without certitude.
• appreciation of others’ different views
Structure of the chapter.
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
• ages 3-7: “intuitive-projective” stage
• ages 7-11: “mythic-literal stages
• ages 12+: “synthetic-conventional” stage
• ages 16 ? “individuative-reflective” stage
• ages 20+? “conjunctive” stage.
• based on experience of limits and variety
• able to make commitments without certitude.
• appreciation of others’ different views
James Fowler’s Stages of (individual) Faith
• ages 3-7: “intuitive-projective” stage
• ages 7-11: “mythic-literal stages
• ages 12+: “synthetic-conventional” stage
• ages 16 ? “individuative-reflective” stage
• ages 20+? “conjunctive” stage.
• based on experience of limits and variety
• able to make commitments without certitude.
• appreciation of others’ different views
(Does this remind you of William James at all?)
Structure of the chapter
• The Vitality of Religion Today
• Stages and Styles of Religion Today
• Postmodernism and Religion
[Postmodernism and Religion]
You are hereby invited to
read the rest of the chapter
on your own; and
to read the Epilogue also.
You may find these pages
informative, interesting, even intriguing –
BUT THEY WILL NOT BE ON THE EXAM.
Do well on your exams.
Have a good summer.