SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION

SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION FINAL TOPIC: RELIGION “OUTSIDE THE BOX” 018 CARSWELL | 19 NOVEMBER 08 Overview This final section of the class looks at religion “outside the box.” Religion in places that we might perhaps not think of as particularly religious locales: on the internet, in popular culture (The Simpsons), in sports, and art. Recall: what seems like the decline of religion could just be its transformation, displacement, or redefinition. Outside the Box Much – maybe most? – religious activity for Americans still takes place “in the box”: in churches, temples, mosques, and other congregations. We studied these in the previous section, especially with respect to worship. But we have also considered arguments which suggest the increasing importance of religion outside the box. Wuthnow: dwelling gives way to seeking Flory and Miller: post-boomer approaches Youth and Religion I’ve also tried to focus, when possible, on what is happening generationally in American religion, especially with respect to youth. How do young people today relate to religion (Smith)? What might be attractive to young people in terms of religion today (Flory and Miller)? Do changes in church organization (megachurches) and worship style (Chaves, Wolfe) reflect an effort to be attractive to young people, and are they successful? Paper Finale Everything we have discussed and will discuss in class so far – what is religion? (how) are your religious? religion in the box and religion out of the box – will come together in the final paper for class. The parameters for this paper are quite wide, so please be in touch with me if you have any questions on how to proceed. Paper Assignment (from Syllabus) Design Your Own Religion Reflection Paper (15 points): In this 1,000 word (maximum) individual paper, you will reflect back on and analyze the religion you designed in the first weeks of class in terms of the course materials that you have considered since. What does the particular religion you designed tell you about the current state and future prospects of religion in America? Which authors are most helpful in understanding why you designed your religion the way you did? Knowing what you know now, what, if anything would you change about the religion you designed? What are its strengths and weaknesses? Paper Grading Criteria Note that the expectations in terms of grading are the same (see paper grading rubric on course website). Common weaknesses in the sociological autobiographies, to be avoided this time around, include: -Weak thesis -Vague use of readings (including w/r/to thesis) -Poor proofreading Religion on the Internet Nannette Hill Religion on the Internet Questions 1. In regards to the reading and your own personal feelings what is the future of online religion? Is it possible in 50, 100, or even 200 years from now, online religions will replace those of offline religions? Is this good, bad, or neutral? 2. Cowan doesn’t offer a profile or description of participants who use cyber religion. In your opinion, what sorts of people, based on age, socioeconomic, race, gender, educational attainment would online religion be most appealing to? Maybe first to help answer the above question we should discuss what is appealing and what is not appealing about cyber religion? Religion on the Internet Questions (2) 3. Many argue that the religious practices and rituals done online are not authentic religious experiences. Others argue that its authenticity cannot be questioned because in order to determine whether or not a religious experience is authentic or not one must ask what the online experience means to those who are having it. How do you feel towards these arguments? How will these arguments change in the future? 4. How can we relate religion on the internet to a broader spectrum? How can we use Cowan’s article “Religion on the Internet” to find patterns and trends outside of online religion? For instance, online dating, AIM, Facebook, Myspace, cyber religions, ect. What are the above telling us about our society and how it has evolved and continuing to evolve? Helland’s Continuum Cowan highlights Helland’s conceptual continuum: RELIGION ------------------------- ONLINE ONLINE RELIGION (Information) (Practice) Comprehensive, fully online religion is called “cyberreligion” Major Approaches to the Question of Online Religion/Religion Online 1. 2. 3. 4. “Guide to” approach “How to” approach “Online community and identity” approach “Religious experience” approach Homer the Heretic Li and May Homer the Heretic Questions 1. Can you think of examples of other television shows that mimic or refute the ideas in the Simpsons? Do you believe that there are truly as many that leave it absent? Do you think the trend is still continuing towards secularized television? 2. In this age of seekers and Innovators, do you believe this to be an effective way to provoke people to reflect on their own religiosity? 3. This paper found religion to be an "invisible institution" in our society. What does that mean? To what extent have you found this to be true? 4. The authors make the claim on p. 241 that "comedy shades into satire” when it deals with what he calls "traditional and ever-present irritations which people know as evils but which they also find themselves powerless to eradicate." Do you find the Simpsons to be successful in this? Sports as Popular Religion DeGeare and McManus Sports as Popular Religion The question of sports as popular religion revolves around the idea that there are ways in which sports are “like” religion. Price identifies two ways in particular: 1. The Spirituality of Sports 2. Devotion to Sports What is the difference between these two perspectives on religion and sports? Which do you think provides a more fruitful approach to studying the connection between religion and sports? Questions 1. In 1985 Ronald Reagan's inauguration speech was moved because of the Super Bowl, in American today which has a stronger influence, sports or religion? 2. Do you think people find their identity more in their religious beliefs or more in the sports teams they pull for? 3. A struggle for scholars is to identify within sports a source of ultimate powers for evoking and inspiring radical transformation among participants and faithful spectators. Can you identify any of these possible powers?