Reimagining God and Resacralisation (Routledge Studies in Religion)

his book shows that widespread resacralisation has been taking place, which is producing new ways of perceiving God and the divine. The last century has seen unmistakable changes in religious practices and the concept of spirituality right across the world. There was a broad expectation for much of the twentieth century that religious worldviews would eventually succumb to the challenge of secularist materialism, but this process of secularisation has yet to occur as predicted. The book begins by contrasting theories of secularisation and resacralisation. Throughout the book, conceptual threads, or ‘new religious themes’, related to this resacralisation are discussed in terms of three main categories: reimagining God’s nature, substance and location; reimagining human value and purpose; and reimagining modes of redemption. Finally, the book considers how these threads are moving in various different directions, and what the religious future might hold. This is a bold examination of contemporary spirituality that will appeal to academics and scholars of religious studies, new religious movements and the sociology of religion. This book shows that widespread resacralisation has been taking place, which is producing new ways of perceiving God and the divine. The last century has seen unmistakable changes in religious practices and the concept of spirituality right across the world. There was a broad expectation for much of the twentieth century that religious worldviews would eventually succumb to the challenge of secularist materialism, but this process of secularisation has yet to occur as predicted. The book begins by contrasting theories of secularisation and resacralisation. Throughout the book, conceptual threads, or ‘new religious themes', related to this resacralisation are discussed in terms of three main categories: reimagining God's nature, substance and location; reimagining human value and purpose; and reimagining modes of redemption. Finally, the book considers how these threads are moving in various different directions, and what the religious future might hold.This is a bold examination of contemporary spirituality that will appeal to academics and scholars of religious studies, new religious movements and the sociology of religion. This book shows that widespread resacralisation has been taking place, which is producing new ways of perceiving God and the divine. The last century has seen unmistakable changes in religious practices and the concept of spirituality right across the world. There was a broad expectation for much of the twentieth century that religious worldviews would eventually succumb to the challenge of secularist materialism, but this process of secularisation has yet to occur as predicted. The book begins by contrasting theories of secularisation and resacralisation. Throughout the book, conceptual threads, or 'new religious themes', related to this resacralisation are discussed in terms of three main categories: reimagining God's nature, substance and location; reimagining human value and purpose; and reimagining modes of redemption. Finally, the book considers how these threads are moving in various different directions, and what the religious future might hold. This is a bold examination of contemporary spirituality that will appeal to academics and scholars of religious studies, new religious movements and the sociology of religion Cover Half Title Series Title Copyright Contents Preface 1 The changing face of religion 2 The great emergence in outline The great religious emergence Neo-Christian stream Metaphysical/New Age movement Neo-Eastern spiritualities New thought – human potential, therapeutic and prosperity groups ‘Return to nature’/‘creation-centred’ or eco-spiritual movements Summary 3 Reimagining God’s substance, nature and location De-anthropomorphised deity Reimagining God’s gender Immanence versus transcendence 4 Reimagining material value and purpose The new sacred Divine partnership or co-creation Dedifferentiation movements This-worldly utopianism Universalism Crossing the borders – syncretism 5 Reimagining redemption The turn to the individual Prosperity orientation Experientialism Enlightenment and self-actualisation versus saviours Personal gnosis and ‘tinkering’ Deconstruction Organisational deconstruction and democratisation Doctrinal deconstruction The new morality Supernaturalism and magicalisation 6 A new Sacred Canopy The awakenings – a second Axial Age? Future possibilities Concluding remarks Bibliography Index