Religion in the contemporary west is undergoing rapid change. In Predicting Religion twenty experts in the study of religion present their predictions about the future of religion in the 21st century - predictions based on careful analysis of the contemporary religious scene from traditional forms of Christianity to new spiritualities. The range of predictions is broad. A number predict further secularization - with religion in the west seen as being in a state of terminal decline. Others question this approach and suggest that we are witnessing not decline but transformation understood in different ways: a shift from theism to pantheism, from outer to inner authority, from God to self-as-god, and above all from religion to spirituality. This accessible book on the contemporary religious scene offers students and scholars of the sociology of religion and theology, as well as interested general readers, fresh insights into the future of religion and spirituality in the west. Published in association with the British Sociological Association Study of Religion group, in the Ashgate Religion and Theology in Interdisciplinary Perspective series.

Religion in the contemporary west is undergoing rapid change. In Predicting Religion twenty experts in the study of religion present their predictions about the future of religion in the 21st century - predictions based on careful analysis of the contemporary religious scene from traditional forms of Christianity to new spiritualities. The range of predictions is broad. A number predict further secularization - with religion in the west seen as being in a state of terminal decline. Others question this approach and suggest that we are witnessing not decline but transformation understood in different ways: a shift from theism to pantheism, from outer to inner authority, from God to self-as-god, and above all from religion to spirituality. This accessible book on the contemporary religious scene offers students and scholars of the sociology of religion and theology, as well as interested general readers, fresh insights into the future of religion and spirituality in the west. Published in association with the British Sociological Association Study of Religion group, in the Ashgate Religion and Theology in Interdisciplinary Perspective series.

Millennials and progressive Christians are continuing their work of creating alternative spaces for spiritual and religious expressions in North America. The practices and beliefs of progressive Christian movements like the emerging church and millennials, who tend toward spirituality over and against religion, have been the targets of much criticism. Yet millennials and progressive Christians continue to both curate spaces for self- and collective expression while also engaging within contexts often critical or hostile. This collection analyzes these movements from theological, religious-studies, and social-scientific perspectives to provide a more holistic view of what is taking shape in religious and spiritual trends, and it ventures to project what may lie ahead for the progressive Christianity that is emerging and enduring.

Why is religion still important? Can we be fully modern and fully religious? In this new edition, Davie follows up her discussion of the meaning of religion in modern society and considers how best to research and understand this relationship. Exploring the rapid movements within the sociology of religion today, this revised and updated book: • Describes the origins of the sociology of religion • Demystifies secularization as a process and a theory • Relates religion to modern social theory • Unpacks the meaning of religion in relation to modernity and globalization • Grasps the methodological challenges in the field • Provides a comparative perspective for religions in the west • Introduces questions of minorities and margins • Sets out a critical agenda for debate and research The Sociology of Religion has already proved itself as one of the most important titles within the field; this edition will ensure that it remains an indispensable resource for students and researchers alike.

Issues concerning religion in the public sphere are rarely far from the headlines. As a result, scholars have paid increasing attention to religion. These scholars, however, have generally stayed within the confines of their own respective disciplines. To date there has been little contact between lawyers and sociologists. Religion, Law and Society explores whether, how and why law and religion should interact with the sociology of religion. It examines sociological and legal materials concerning religion in order to find out what lawyers and sociologists can learn from each other. A groundbreaking, provocative and thought-provoking book, it is essential reading for lawyers, sociologists and all who are interested in the relationship between religion, law and society in the twenty-first century.

As a book about emergent spirituality in the contemporary West, it focuses on the nature, evolution and significance of new forms of religion and alternative spiritualities. Part One of the book provides the theoretical background and guides the reader through some of the principal debates. After an overview of the secularization thesis, which argues that the West is becoming increasingly disenchanted, the second chapter turns to the sociological analysis of new religions and alternative spiritualities. Particular attention is given to the ideas of the sociologist of religion Ernst Troeltsch, especially his enigmatic analysis of the emergence mystical religion, which presciently provides helpful insights into understanding the contemporary alternative religious milieu. Against sociologists such as Bryan Wilson and Steve Bruce, this and the subsequent chapter argues that, rather than being insignificant, new forms of spirituality are actually proving to be a significant part of Western re-enchantment. Chapter 3 constructs a general theory of the re-enchantment of the West. 'Chris Partridge argues that Western Society is permeated by a broad "occulture" by which he means a reservoir of ideas, beliefs, theories and practices to which new religions, unorthodox spiritualities, film and popular music all draw attention. This re-enchantment of the West should not be seen as a superficial secondary development in the shadow of Christianity. In many ways it is a religious phenomenom in its own right. Partridge's arguments in this regard are well put and I warmly welcome this timely book.' Mikhael Rothstein, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Late modern pluralistic societies are characterised by an infinitely multi-coloured individuality of their citizens and a wealth of associations and groups. This "plurality", which is difficult to grasp, is welcomed by many people as a source of freedom, but feared by some people inside and many observers outside as a social chaos. However, this plurality is countered by a limited number of so-called "social systems", which are to a large extent characterised by organisational, institutional and normative structures and weight. The overwhelming majority of the contributions in this volume deal with the Christian religion, as pluralistic societies today thrive substantially in Christian environments. Contributions by Peter Carnley, Gregor Etzelmüller, Johannes Eurich, Jennifer Herdt, Admiel Kosman, Piet Naudé, Waihan Ng, Friederike Nüssel, Bernd Oberdorfer, Martin Percy, Stephen Pickard, Raja Sakrani, William Schweiker, Philipp Stoellger, Milton Wan, Renee Ip, and Michael Welker. [Der Einfluss der Religion auf Charakterbildung, ethische Erziehung und Kommunikation von Werten in spätmodernen pluralistischen Gesellschaften] Spätmoderne pluralistische Gesellschaften sind von einer unendlich vielfarbigen Individualität ihrer Bürgerinnen und Bürger und einer Fülle von Zusammenschlüssen und Gruppierungen geprägt. Diese schwer zu fassende "Pluralität" wird von vielen Menschen als Quellgrund der Freiheit begrüßt, von manchen Innenstehenden und vielen Außenstehenden aber auch als soziales Chaos gefürchtet. Doch dieser Pluralität steht eine begrenzte Zahl von sogenannten "sozialen Systemen" gegenüber, die in hohem Maße organisatorisch, institutionell und normativ geprägt sind. Die überwältigende Mehrzahl der Beiträge diese Bandes behandeln die christliche Religion, da pluralistische Gesellschaften heute wesentlich in christlichen Umgebungen gedeihen. This book on the influence of religion on the ethos of pluralistic societies is part of a series of ten international research projects with contributions from all continents. The influences of the market, law, science, politics, media, family, education, medicine and defense will also be examined.