This book offers a sociological exploration of the state of religions in the contemporary world, concentrating on religions in the Western and Arab world. Bringing together a range of expert contributors, it showcases the latest sociological research applied to religious phenomena and contemporary trends. The chapters focus on Europe and America as well as countries in the Near and Middle East, with coverage of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The volume pays attention to changes in religious experiences, including digital religion, newly emerging spirituality and the impact of secularization processes. It seeks to revitalize international debates and is valuable reading for sociologists of religion.
Roberto Cipriani is Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Roma Tre University, Italy.Philippe Portier is director of studies at the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (PSL) in France where he holds the chair ‘History and Sociology of Secularism’.
Preface Introduction: Towards a Kaleidoscopic Mapping of the Sociology of Religion(s) within Glocal Religious Studies at a Time of Climate Crisis JUDAISM 1. Contemporary Judaism and the Jews. Continuity and Change 2. The Rabbinate and the Relationship of Religion and State in Israel: Implications for Judaism 3. Global Christianities: Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox 4. Contemporary Forces Affecting Christianity 5. Continuities and Discontinuities in Global Christianity 6. Christianity and Global Processes: Trends and Pitfalls ISLAM 7. Sunni and Shi’i Islam 8. The Helmet, the Crown, and the Turban 9. Changes and Challenges outside Muslim Societies NEW SPIRITUALITY 10. New Spirituality as Sustainable Religion. The Relationship with the Sacred from Duty to Right 11. New Spirituality: Insight Gleaned from Giuseppe Giordan’s Lecture and from Etty Hillesum’s “Thinking Heart” 12. The New Age’s Harmony with Nature 13. New Spiritualities and Diffused Religion DIGITAL RELIGION 14. Digital Religion: A Socio-Semiotic Appraisal 15. Digital Religion and Catholicism: Some Remarks on the Impact of Covid on the Experience of Spirituality and a Look at the Artificial Intelligence Scenario 16. Digital Religion: Narrative Investigations 17. Read, Click and Pray. Bridging Sociology and Semiotics in the Study of Religions Online ATHEISM 18. Atheism and Non-religious Worldviews 19. Nonreligion, Irreligion and Atheism from a Sociological Perspective. Some Reflections in Response to Lois Lee’s Perspective 20. A Contribution to the “Positive” Approach to the Non-religious NEW PERSPECTIVES 21. How Gender Arrived and Why it Remains in the Sociology of Religion 22. Pentecostalism in Latin America 23. Epistemic Transformations from the South: Rethinking Religion through a Brazilian perspective POSTFACE Recommendations for Sociologists of Religion.