Enjoying religion : pleasure and fun in established and new religious movements / edited by Frans Jespers, Karin van Nieuwkerk, and Paul van der Velde.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Jespers, F. P. M., 1951- editor.

Nieuwkerk, Karin van, 1960- editor.

Velde, Paul van der, editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Religious life.

Leisure--Religious aspects.

Leisure.

Genre:

Case studies.

Physical Description:

xxiii, 188 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Maryland : Lexington Books, [2018]

Summary:

"'Enjoying religion' seems to be a contradiction because religion is generally perceived as a serious or even suppressive phenomenon. This volume is the first to study the increase of enjoying religion systematically by presenting eleven new case studies, occurring on four continents. This volume concludes that in our late modern secular societies, the enjoyment of religion or of its loose elements is growing. In particular, when scholars concentrate on 'lived religion' of ordinary people, cheerful experiences appear to prevail. Many people use pleasant (elements of) religion to add meaning to their lives, to find spiritual fulfillment or a way to salvation, and to experience belonging to a larger unity. At the same time, diverse cultural dynamics of late modern society such as popular culture, commercialization, re-enchantment, and feminization influence this trend of enjoying religion. In spite of secularization, playing with religion appears to be attractive"--Back cover.

Contents:

Introduction: Investigations in enjoying religion / Frans Jespers

Enjoying Islam: trajectories of star performers in the Egyptian piety movement / Karin van Nieuwkerk

Fun and faith in the Ganges: the bodily and spiritual pleasures of river bathing / Catrien Notermans

Fun-damentalism: "as-if" experiences at a creationist theme park / James S. Bielo

Tantra: ecstatic enjoyment way beyond boundaries / Paul van der Velde

Merry Christmas!: religion in Norway / Ingvild Sælid Gilhus, Lisbeth Mikaelsson

"Our play pleases the man, the spirits of the desert, and whatever": enjoying religion at Burning Man / François Gauthier

Happinez, zen, and wealth / Frans Jespers

Celebrating with the church of the subgenius: X-Day rituals of bad taste, Burning "Bob," and the end of the world (not) / Carole M. Cusack

Beyond morality: on religion in aesthetic form / Jean-Pierre Wils.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781498555012

1498555012

OCLC:

1032029660