Contemporary Spiritualities

Contemporary Spiritualities

Author: Clive Erricker

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2001-08-01

Total Pages: 273

ISBN-13: 0826484379

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Spirituality can be understood within both a religious and secular context. Fuelled by the controversy that surrounds different understandings of human identity and notions of progress, knowledge and truth in modernist and postmodernist contexts, the concept of spirituality is a hotly contested topic of debate as to its relevance within contemporary culture and its meaning within religious traditions. This book aims to inform readers on this debate and contextualize it within these different frames of reference. It approaches the topic of spirituality with an identification of the major influences on contemporary thinking and presents a coherent framework of understanding that links divergent thinking into a common goal. Writings range across different thinkers and practitioners within established religious tradition, contemporary movements and those who operate within psychological and 'secular' understandings. Focusing on the question 'what does it mean to be human?' this engaging study attempts to overcome the divide between secular and religious understandings of spirituality.


Book Synopsis Contemporary Spiritualities by : Clive Erricker

Download or read book Contemporary Spiritualities written by Clive Erricker and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2001-08-01 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spirituality can be understood within both a religious and secular context. Fuelled by the controversy that surrounds different understandings of human identity and notions of progress, knowledge and truth in modernist and postmodernist contexts, the concept of spirituality is a hotly contested topic of debate as to its relevance within contemporary culture and its meaning within religious traditions. This book aims to inform readers on this debate and contextualize it within these different frames of reference. It approaches the topic of spirituality with an identification of the major influences on contemporary thinking and presents a coherent framework of understanding that links divergent thinking into a common goal. Writings range across different thinkers and practitioners within established religious tradition, contemporary movements and those who operate within psychological and 'secular' understandings. Focusing on the question 'what does it mean to be human?' this engaging study attempts to overcome the divide between secular and religious understandings of spirituality.

Contemporary Spiritualities

Contemporary Spiritualities

Author: Stefania Palmisano

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2020-11-01

Total Pages: 172

ISBN-13: 0429672578

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Contemporary alternative spirituality, as studied by sociologists, is usually seen as a recent phenomenon dating from the 1960s and 1970s. However, when viewed from a longer-term perspective this form of religious expression is actually seen to reintroduce concepts that recur throughout Western cultural history. This book argues, therefore, that spirituality in the 21st Century actually shares many of the same characteristics as Classical, Mediaeval, Renaissance and Modern spiritualities. It is neither entirely new, nor is it clearly alternative to more established religions. The book is divided into two parts. The first sets out the context in which contemporary alternative spirituality has formed, charting its development as an academic term and a social phenomenon. The second part looks at how these two elements have developed in countries that are historically Catholic, focussing on specific examples in contemporary Italy: spiritualities based on the sacralisation of nature; those concerned with health and wellbeing; and those which are fascinated by mystery.Catholic majority countries are particularly interesting in this instance, as the Catholic Church has a unique cultural hegemony with which to compare alternative spiritual practices. It concludes that spirituality, if framed in a longer historical perspective, is a way of acting and seeing the world which was built, and continues to be built upon complex relations with various contradictory sources of authority, such as religion, magic thinking, secularism, rationalism, various spheres of lay culture. This is a bold take on the spirituality milieu and as such will be of great interest to scholars of Religious Studies working on the sociology of religion, contemporary spirituality and the rise of the "spiritual but not religious".


Book Synopsis Contemporary Spiritualities by : Stefania Palmisano

Download or read book Contemporary Spiritualities written by Stefania Palmisano and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-11-01 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contemporary alternative spirituality, as studied by sociologists, is usually seen as a recent phenomenon dating from the 1960s and 1970s. However, when viewed from a longer-term perspective this form of religious expression is actually seen to reintroduce concepts that recur throughout Western cultural history. This book argues, therefore, that spirituality in the 21st Century actually shares many of the same characteristics as Classical, Mediaeval, Renaissance and Modern spiritualities. It is neither entirely new, nor is it clearly alternative to more established religions. The book is divided into two parts. The first sets out the context in which contemporary alternative spirituality has formed, charting its development as an academic term and a social phenomenon. The second part looks at how these two elements have developed in countries that are historically Catholic, focussing on specific examples in contemporary Italy: spiritualities based on the sacralisation of nature; those concerned with health and wellbeing; and those which are fascinated by mystery.Catholic majority countries are particularly interesting in this instance, as the Catholic Church has a unique cultural hegemony with which to compare alternative spiritual practices. It concludes that spirituality, if framed in a longer historical perspective, is a way of acting and seeing the world which was built, and continues to be built upon complex relations with various contradictory sources of authority, such as religion, magic thinking, secularism, rationalism, various spheres of lay culture. This is a bold take on the spirituality milieu and as such will be of great interest to scholars of Religious Studies working on the sociology of religion, contemporary spirituality and the rise of the "spiritual but not religious".

Contemporary Spiritualities

Contemporary Spiritualities

Author: Clive Erricker

Publisher: A&C Black

Published: 2001-08-01

Total Pages: 278

ISBN-13: 9780826449474

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Spirituality can be understood within both a religious and secular context. Fuelled by the controversy that surrounds different understandings of human identity and notions of progress, knowledge and truth in modernist and postmodernist contexts, the concept of spirituality is a hotly contested topic of debate as to its relevance within contemporary culture and its meaning within religious traditions. This book aims to inform readers on this debate and contextualize it within these different frames of reference. It approaches the topic of spirituality with an identification of the major influences on contemporary thinking and presents a coherent framework of understanding that links divergent thinking into a common goal. Writings range across different thinkers and practitioners within established religious tradition, contemporary movements and those who operate within psychological and 'secular' understandings. Focusing on the question 'what does it mean to be human?' this engaging study attempts to overcome the divide between secular and religious understandings of spirituality.


Book Synopsis Contemporary Spiritualities by : Clive Erricker

Download or read book Contemporary Spiritualities written by Clive Erricker and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2001-08-01 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spirituality can be understood within both a religious and secular context. Fuelled by the controversy that surrounds different understandings of human identity and notions of progress, knowledge and truth in modernist and postmodernist contexts, the concept of spirituality is a hotly contested topic of debate as to its relevance within contemporary culture and its meaning within religious traditions. This book aims to inform readers on this debate and contextualize it within these different frames of reference. It approaches the topic of spirituality with an identification of the major influences on contemporary thinking and presents a coherent framework of understanding that links divergent thinking into a common goal. Writings range across different thinkers and practitioners within established religious tradition, contemporary movements and those who operate within psychological and 'secular' understandings. Focusing on the question 'what does it mean to be human?' this engaging study attempts to overcome the divide between secular and religious understandings of spirituality.

Spiritualities of Life

Spiritualities of Life

Author: Paul Heelas

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2008-04-28

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 1405139382

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This insightful and provocative journey through spiritual landscapes explores the ways in which spiritualities of life have been experienced and understood in Western society, and argues that today’s myriad forms of holistic spirituality are helping us to find balance in face of the stifling demands of twenty-first century living. An enlightening book which explores the ways in which spirituality has been experienced and valued in Western society Traces the development of modern spirituality, from the origins of Romanticism in the eighteenth century, through to the counter-cultural sixties and on to the wellbeing culture of today Explores the belief that modern spirituality is merely an extension of capitalism in which people consume spirituality without giving anything back Contends that much of the wide range of popular mind-body-spirit practices are really an ethically charged force for the ‘good life’, helping us to find balance in the demands of twenty-first century living Written by an acknowledged world-leader working in the field Completes a trilogy of books including The Spiritual Revolution (2005, with Linda Woodhead) and The New Age Movement (1996), charting the rise and influence of spirituality today.


Book Synopsis Spiritualities of Life by : Paul Heelas

Download or read book Spiritualities of Life written by Paul Heelas and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-04-28 with total page 296 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This insightful and provocative journey through spiritual landscapes explores the ways in which spiritualities of life have been experienced and understood in Western society, and argues that today’s myriad forms of holistic spirituality are helping us to find balance in face of the stifling demands of twenty-first century living. An enlightening book which explores the ways in which spirituality has been experienced and valued in Western society Traces the development of modern spirituality, from the origins of Romanticism in the eighteenth century, through to the counter-cultural sixties and on to the wellbeing culture of today Explores the belief that modern spirituality is merely an extension of capitalism in which people consume spirituality without giving anything back Contends that much of the wide range of popular mind-body-spirit practices are really an ethically charged force for the ‘good life’, helping us to find balance in the demands of twenty-first century living Written by an acknowledged world-leader working in the field Completes a trilogy of books including The Spiritual Revolution (2005, with Linda Woodhead) and The New Age Movement (1996), charting the rise and influence of spirituality today.

The Spiritual Way

The Spiritual Way

Author: Philip Sheldrake

Publisher: Liturgical Press

Published: 2019-08-08

Total Pages: 192

ISBN-13: 0814644821

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In The Spiritual Way: Classic Traditions and Contemporary Practice,Philip Sheldrake aims to make the wisdom of Christian spirituality better known to contemporary readers. After an introductory chapter on the foundations of Christian spirituality, Sheldrake describes its diverse riches through the centuries in terms of five distinctive types of Christian spiritual wisdom, illustrated by a rich selection of classical examples. The five types are “The Way of Discipline,” “The Contemplative-Mystical Way,” “The Way of Practical Action,” “The Way of Beauty,” and “The Prophetic Way.” This book also briefly explores the contemporary interest in spirituality within and beyond conventional religion and suggests how we might engage with these five types on our spiritual journeys in today’s world.


Book Synopsis The Spiritual Way by : Philip Sheldrake

Download or read book The Spiritual Way written by Philip Sheldrake and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 2019-08-08 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In The Spiritual Way: Classic Traditions and Contemporary Practice,Philip Sheldrake aims to make the wisdom of Christian spirituality better known to contemporary readers. After an introductory chapter on the foundations of Christian spirituality, Sheldrake describes its diverse riches through the centuries in terms of five distinctive types of Christian spiritual wisdom, illustrated by a rich selection of classical examples. The five types are “The Way of Discipline,” “The Contemplative-Mystical Way,” “The Way of Practical Action,” “The Way of Beauty,” and “The Prophetic Way.” This book also briefly explores the contemporary interest in spirituality within and beyond conventional religion and suggests how we might engage with these five types on our spiritual journeys in today’s world.

Spiritual Traditions for the Contemporary Church

Spiritual Traditions for the Contemporary Church

Author: Robin M. Van L. Maas

Publisher: Abingdon Press

Published: 1990-05-01

Total Pages: 466

ISBN-13: 1426775040

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This volume offers a comprehensive intellectual and experiential introduction to Christian spirituality. It embraces spiritual traditions from the Patristic period to the present day. Part I, "The Roots of Contemporary Western Spirituality," covers spiritual types that have been fundamental in shaping spiritual practice. Part II, "Distinctive Spiritual Traditions," offers major introductory essays on spiritual traditions formed by such notable figures as Luther, Wesley, Ignatius, and John of the Cross, as well as ecclesiastical traditions such as Anglicanism. Part III, "The Feminine Dimension in Christian Spirituality," is devoted to Marian Spirituality, holy women, and feminism. Each of the fourteen chapters is followed by a practicum which enables readers to assimilate the practice prescribed into their own devotional life .


Book Synopsis Spiritual Traditions for the Contemporary Church by : Robin M. Van L. Maas

Download or read book Spiritual Traditions for the Contemporary Church written by Robin M. Van L. Maas and published by Abingdon Press. This book was released on 1990-05-01 with total page 466 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume offers a comprehensive intellectual and experiential introduction to Christian spirituality. It embraces spiritual traditions from the Patristic period to the present day. Part I, "The Roots of Contemporary Western Spirituality," covers spiritual types that have been fundamental in shaping spiritual practice. Part II, "Distinctive Spiritual Traditions," offers major introductory essays on spiritual traditions formed by such notable figures as Luther, Wesley, Ignatius, and John of the Cross, as well as ecclesiastical traditions such as Anglicanism. Part III, "The Feminine Dimension in Christian Spirituality," is devoted to Marian Spirituality, holy women, and feminism. Each of the fourteen chapters is followed by a practicum which enables readers to assimilate the practice prescribed into their own devotional life .

Spiritualities

Spiritualities

Author: Nathan R. Kollar

Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub

Published: 2013-01-30

Total Pages: 394

ISBN-13: 9781478320326

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Spiritualities: Past, Present, and Future – An Introduction is a scholarly analysis of contemporary spiritualities written in everyday language. Aside from describing the history, feelings, signposts, and sources of spirituality in this liminal age, it offers descriptions of ten classical and twenty marginal spiritualties that influence current spiritual ways of life. How these past and present spiritualities respond to the ever present realities of suffering and death and the contemporary challenges of diversity, environmental degradation, and injustice, challenges readers as to how they will grow their future spiritualities.This is a primer for those interested in understanding spiritualities and helping others deepen their own spirituality. It provides condensed information and common sense categories that enable a reader to intelligently read, discuss, and choose among the forty three million offerings on the web. The short history of spirituality in the West enables one to understand how spirituality has developed over the centuries and, especially, its current fragile relationship with the Classical religions. Anyone who reads this book will have at their fingertips the print and web resources for updating their information about these spiritualities, a glossary of key terms for discussing spiritualities, a list of do's and don'ts for spiritual listening, and a spiritual compass for making a spiritual journey.


Book Synopsis Spiritualities by : Nathan R. Kollar

Download or read book Spiritualities written by Nathan R. Kollar and published by Createspace Independent Pub. This book was released on 2013-01-30 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spiritualities: Past, Present, and Future – An Introduction is a scholarly analysis of contemporary spiritualities written in everyday language. Aside from describing the history, feelings, signposts, and sources of spirituality in this liminal age, it offers descriptions of ten classical and twenty marginal spiritualties that influence current spiritual ways of life. How these past and present spiritualities respond to the ever present realities of suffering and death and the contemporary challenges of diversity, environmental degradation, and injustice, challenges readers as to how they will grow their future spiritualities.This is a primer for those interested in understanding spiritualities and helping others deepen their own spirituality. It provides condensed information and common sense categories that enable a reader to intelligently read, discuss, and choose among the forty three million offerings on the web. The short history of spirituality in the West enables one to understand how spirituality has developed over the centuries and, especially, its current fragile relationship with the Classical religions. Anyone who reads this book will have at their fingertips the print and web resources for updating their information about these spiritualities, a glossary of key terms for discussing spiritualities, a list of do's and don'ts for spiritual listening, and a spiritual compass for making a spiritual journey.

Gender and Power in Contemporary Spirituality

Gender and Power in Contemporary Spirituality

Author: Anna Fedele

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-03-05

Total Pages: 247

ISBN-13: 1135114528

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This book explores the entanglements of gender and power in spiritual practices and analyzes strategies used by spiritual practitioners to attain what to social scientists might seem an impossible goal: creating spiritual communities without creating gendered hierarchies. What strategies do people within these networks use to attain gender equality and gendered empowerment? How do they try to protect and develop individual freedom? How do gender and power nevertheless play a role? The chapters in this book together and separately demonstrate that, in order to understand contemporary spirituality, the analytical lenses of gender and power are essential. Furthermore, they show that it is not possible to make a clear distinction between established religions and contemporary spirituality: the two sometimes overlap, and at other times spirituality distances itself from religion while reproducing some of its underlying interpretative frameworks. This book does not take the discourses of spiritual practitioners for granted, yet recognizes the reflexivity of spiritual practitioners and the reciprocal relationship between spirituality and disciplines such as anthropology. The ethnographic descriptions of lived spirituality included in this volume span a wide range of countries, from Portugal, Italy, and the Netherlands to Mexico and Israel.


Book Synopsis Gender and Power in Contemporary Spirituality by : Anna Fedele

Download or read book Gender and Power in Contemporary Spirituality written by Anna Fedele and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-03-05 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the entanglements of gender and power in spiritual practices and analyzes strategies used by spiritual practitioners to attain what to social scientists might seem an impossible goal: creating spiritual communities without creating gendered hierarchies. What strategies do people within these networks use to attain gender equality and gendered empowerment? How do they try to protect and develop individual freedom? How do gender and power nevertheless play a role? The chapters in this book together and separately demonstrate that, in order to understand contemporary spirituality, the analytical lenses of gender and power are essential. Furthermore, they show that it is not possible to make a clear distinction between established religions and contemporary spirituality: the two sometimes overlap, and at other times spirituality distances itself from religion while reproducing some of its underlying interpretative frameworks. This book does not take the discourses of spiritual practitioners for granted, yet recognizes the reflexivity of spiritual practitioners and the reciprocal relationship between spirituality and disciplines such as anthropology. The ethnographic descriptions of lived spirituality included in this volume span a wide range of countries, from Portugal, Italy, and the Netherlands to Mexico and Israel.

Spiritualism's Impact on Contemporary Religion & Belief

Spiritualism's Impact on Contemporary Religion & Belief

Author: Cometan

Publisher: Astronist Institution

Published: 2020-05-06

Total Pages: 10

ISBN-13:

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With church attendance in the UK taking dramatic reductions over the last twenty years, the contemporary context for religiosity and spirituality would seem to be in a dire state. However, exploring beyond the surface level of church attendance, we come to discover a significant diversification of both religious practice and spiritual belief that is navigating a rapidly changing world and a world in which moral values have shifted in the opposite direction to Church dogma. Spiritualism, and its many facets, is a key player in this “spiritual shift” towards less organised forms of religion, the consequences of which will dramatically impact the British religious landscape of the 21st century. This “spiritual shift” is characterised by a wide set of alternative beliefs that hold long histories of persecution at the hands of the Church. Furthermore, demographers are challenged to try and quantify the deep complexities of people’s beliefs that are not accurately grasped through each decade’s general census. Despite how a person may identify themselves in the census, this tragically misses out the complexity of religious belief and attitudes regarding more specific questions and therefore tells demographers very little about the true religious landscape. Accepting these shortcomings of modern demographic data on religiosity, demonstrates that the data we have likely represents only a narrow understanding of the reality of religious and spiritual life. This understanding has not been helped by the diversification and individualisation of religious beliefs as well as the fast-changing nature of digital religion. In this essay, the historical background and present-day role of spiritualism in British society will be investigated with the central aim of taking an in-depth look at the social context of spiritualism’s presence in Britain, the commercialisation of spiritualism and how both technology and changes in social values are being navigated by spiritualists. This analysis will particularly focus on the role of women in spiritualism and the rise in acceptance of LGBTQ groups in society as important factors effecting not only the rise of spiritualism, but the British religious landscape as a whole. Firstly, it is important to consider where spiritualism originated in order to understand its contemporary presence.


Book Synopsis Spiritualism's Impact on Contemporary Religion & Belief by : Cometan

Download or read book Spiritualism's Impact on Contemporary Religion & Belief written by Cometan and published by Astronist Institution. This book was released on 2020-05-06 with total page 10 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With church attendance in the UK taking dramatic reductions over the last twenty years, the contemporary context for religiosity and spirituality would seem to be in a dire state. However, exploring beyond the surface level of church attendance, we come to discover a significant diversification of both religious practice and spiritual belief that is navigating a rapidly changing world and a world in which moral values have shifted in the opposite direction to Church dogma. Spiritualism, and its many facets, is a key player in this “spiritual shift” towards less organised forms of religion, the consequences of which will dramatically impact the British religious landscape of the 21st century. This “spiritual shift” is characterised by a wide set of alternative beliefs that hold long histories of persecution at the hands of the Church. Furthermore, demographers are challenged to try and quantify the deep complexities of people’s beliefs that are not accurately grasped through each decade’s general census. Despite how a person may identify themselves in the census, this tragically misses out the complexity of religious belief and attitudes regarding more specific questions and therefore tells demographers very little about the true religious landscape. Accepting these shortcomings of modern demographic data on religiosity, demonstrates that the data we have likely represents only a narrow understanding of the reality of religious and spiritual life. This understanding has not been helped by the diversification and individualisation of religious beliefs as well as the fast-changing nature of digital religion. In this essay, the historical background and present-day role of spiritualism in British society will be investigated with the central aim of taking an in-depth look at the social context of spiritualism’s presence in Britain, the commercialisation of spiritualism and how both technology and changes in social values are being navigated by spiritualists. This analysis will particularly focus on the role of women in spiritualism and the rise in acceptance of LGBTQ groups in society as important factors effecting not only the rise of spiritualism, but the British religious landscape as a whole. Firstly, it is important to consider where spiritualism originated in order to understand its contemporary presence.

Contemporary Alternative Spiritualities in Israel

Contemporary Alternative Spiritualities in Israel

Author: Shai Feraro

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-11-09

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1137539135

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This volume is the first English-language anthology to engage with the fascinating phenomena of recent surges in New Age and alternative spiritualties in Israel. Contributors investigate how these New Age religions and other spiritualties—produced in Western countries within predominantly Protestant or secular cultures–transform and adapt themselves in Israel. The volume focuses on a variety of groups and movements, such as Theosophy and Anthroposophy, Neopaganism, Channeling, Women’s Yoga, the New Age festival scene, and even Pentecostal churches among African labor migrants living in Tel Aviv. Chapters also explore more Jewish-oriented practices such as Neo-Kabballah, Neo-Hassidism, and alternative marriage ceremonies, as well as the use of spiritual care providers in Israeli hospitals. In addition, contributors take a close look at the state’s reaction to the recent activities and growth of new religious movements.


Book Synopsis Contemporary Alternative Spiritualities in Israel by : Shai Feraro

Download or read book Contemporary Alternative Spiritualities in Israel written by Shai Feraro and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-11-09 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume is the first English-language anthology to engage with the fascinating phenomena of recent surges in New Age and alternative spiritualties in Israel. Contributors investigate how these New Age religions and other spiritualties—produced in Western countries within predominantly Protestant or secular cultures–transform and adapt themselves in Israel. The volume focuses on a variety of groups and movements, such as Theosophy and Anthroposophy, Neopaganism, Channeling, Women’s Yoga, the New Age festival scene, and even Pentecostal churches among African labor migrants living in Tel Aviv. Chapters also explore more Jewish-oriented practices such as Neo-Kabballah, Neo-Hassidism, and alternative marriage ceremonies, as well as the use of spiritual care providers in Israeli hospitals. In addition, contributors take a close look at the state’s reaction to the recent activities and growth of new religious movements.