Podcast with Donovan Schaefer, 28 November 2016 Interviewed by Christopher R. Cotter Transcribed by Catrin J. Sawford Audio and transcript available at: https://religiousstudiesproject.com/ podcast/is-secularism-a-world-religion/
{"title":"Is Secularism a World Religion?","authors":"C. Cotter, D. Schaefer","doi":"10.1558/imre.40076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1558/imre.40076","url":null,"abstract":"Podcast with Donovan Schaefer, 28 November 2016 \u0000 \u0000Interviewed by Christopher R. Cotter \u0000 \u0000Transcribed by Catrin J. Sawford \u0000 \u0000Audio and transcript available at: https://religiousstudiesproject.com/ \u0000podcast/is-secularism-a-world-religion/","PeriodicalId":53963,"journal":{"name":"Implicit Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48687194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The author argues that “religion” as a term designating distinct phenomena or institutions is alien to the Bible, the text that supposedly anchors the concept in Western politics and imagination. She analyses excerpts from books and lectures by prominent scholars to show that even when they state outright that “religion” is non-existent in biblical times and thus is a misleading and inaccurate descriptor, each one then ignores this insight and proceeds to employ the fiction that “religion” is present in ancient cultures. Such habits of contradiction perpetuate an illusion. The author then discusses several specific texts from each testament to argue that the subject of biblical literature is governance. She contends that biblical depictions of God and His representatives are narratives about sovereignty, authoritative jurisdiction and communal allegiance.
{"title":"There is No Religion in the Bible","authors":"N. Goldenberg","doi":"10.1558/imre.39758","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1558/imre.39758","url":null,"abstract":"The author argues that “religion” as a term designating distinct phenomena or institutions is alien to the Bible, the text that supposedly anchors the concept in Western politics and imagination. She analyses excerpts from books and lectures by prominent scholars to show that even when they state outright that “religion” is non-existent in biblical times and thus is a misleading and inaccurate descriptor, each one then ignores this insight and proceeds to employ the fiction that “religion” is present in ancient cultures. Such habits of contradiction perpetuate an illusion. The author then discusses several specific texts from each testament to argue that the subject of biblical literature is governance. She contends that biblical depictions of God and His representatives are narratives about sovereignty, authoritative jurisdiction and communal allegiance.","PeriodicalId":53963,"journal":{"name":"Implicit Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46284679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bailey’s notion of implicit religion suggests that in contemporary societies the functions served by formal or explicit religions may be assumed by other systems of beliefs. The present paper tests this thesis in respect of the effect of an exaggerated, uncritical, and unqualified belief in the inerrancy of science, which we label “scientific fundamentalism,” among a sample of 11,809 thirteen- to fifteen-year-old students drawn from the four nations of the UK. Previously established research has shown that, after controlling for personal and psychological factors, explicit religion has a positive effect on both self-esteem and empathy. These established findings have been confirmed in the present study employing the Astley- Francis Scale of Attitude toward Theistic Faith as a measure of explicit religion. Moreover, the new data also demonstrate that scientific fundamentalism conceptualised as implicit religion has a positive effect on both self-esteem and empathy, although this effect is somewhat smaller. These new data provide some support for Bailey’s conceptualisation of implicit religion by indicating that scientific fundamentalism is functioning in relation to self-esteem and empathy in a similar way as explicit religion.
{"title":"Belief in God, Belief in Science: Exploring the Psychological Correlates of Scientific Fundamentalism as Implicit Religion","authors":"L. Francis, J. Astley, Ursula Mckenna","doi":"10.1558/IMRE.36862","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1558/IMRE.36862","url":null,"abstract":"Bailey’s notion of implicit religion suggests that in contemporary societies the functions served by formal or explicit religions may be assumed by other systems of beliefs. The present paper tests this thesis in respect of the effect of an exaggerated, uncritical, and unqualified belief in the inerrancy of science, which we label “scientific fundamentalism,” among a sample of 11,809 thirteen- to fifteen-year-old students drawn from the four nations of the UK. Previously established research has shown that, after controlling for personal and psychological factors, explicit religion has a positive effect on both self-esteem and empathy. These established findings have been confirmed in the present study employing the Astley- Francis Scale of Attitude toward Theistic Faith as a measure of explicit religion. Moreover, the new data also demonstrate that scientific fundamentalism conceptualised as implicit religion has a positive effect on both self-esteem and empathy, although this effect is somewhat smaller. These new data provide some support for Bailey’s conceptualisation of implicit religion by indicating that scientific fundamentalism is functioning in relation to self-esteem and empathy in a similar way as explicit religion.","PeriodicalId":53963,"journal":{"name":"Implicit Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45282887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In a particular view, John Rawls’ theory has two components. First is “Political Liberalism” which applies to western societies that over the past centuries have established a democratic structure and adhere to the rule of law. However, this theory is not a “comprehensive conception” and not for every society, but it is associated with them in the second component of Rawls’ theory. This is presented in The Law of Peoples. In this book Rawls elaborates his theory regarding societies which lack a democratic heritage, yet are regarded as “Decent Societies” and have the potential to become liberal societies. In his view, by accepting a non-liberal societies into the Society of People, the non-liberal society will be encouraged to become liberal. In this article we consider the theory proposed in The Law of Peoples with reference to Iranian society.
{"title":"Should a Decent Society become Liberal?","authors":"S. Mousavi","doi":"10.1558/IMRE.32605","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1558/IMRE.32605","url":null,"abstract":"In a particular view, John Rawls’ theory has two components. First is “Political Liberalism” which applies to western societies that over the past centuries have established a democratic structure and adhere to the rule of law. However, this theory is not a “comprehensive conception” and not for every society, but it is associated with them in the second component of Rawls’ theory. This is presented in The Law of Peoples. In this book Rawls elaborates his theory regarding societies which lack a democratic heritage, yet are regarded as “Decent Societies” and have the potential to become liberal societies. In his view, by accepting a non-liberal societies into the Society of People, the non-liberal society will be encouraged to become liberal. In this article we consider the theory proposed in The Law of Peoples with reference to Iranian society.","PeriodicalId":53963,"journal":{"name":"Implicit Religion","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41319266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This article critically examines the production of party-political discourses of “extremism” and “British values” in response to the so-called “Trojan Horse affair.” This “affair,” which first hit UK media headlines in 2014, relates to allegations of an organised Islamic plot aiming to infiltrate schools in Birmingham to radicalise schoolchildren. Though these allegations remain unproven, they have been used to justify changes in educational policies, practices and government guidance for schools, registered childcare providers, universities and colleges in the UK. This article explores the context that has shaped party-political discourses of “extremism” and “British values” employed in connection with the Trojan Horse affair. It investigates political agendas these discourses have been tied to and considers the impact they have had.
{"title":"Discourses of Extremism and British Values: The Politics of the Trojan Horse","authors":"S. Sinclair","doi":"10.1558/IMRE.38965","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1558/IMRE.38965","url":null,"abstract":"This article critically examines the production of party-political discourses of “extremism” and “British values” in response to the so-called “Trojan Horse affair.” This “affair,” which first hit UK media headlines in 2014, relates to allegations of an organised Islamic plot aiming to infiltrate schools in Birmingham to radicalise schoolchildren. Though these allegations remain unproven, they have been used to justify changes in educational policies, practices and government guidance for schools, registered childcare providers, universities and colleges in the UK. This article explores the context that has shaped party-political discourses of “extremism” and “British values” employed in connection with the Trojan Horse affair. It investigates political agendas these discourses have been tied to and considers the impact they have had.","PeriodicalId":53963,"journal":{"name":"Implicit Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46053881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Charity registration is one means by which a group can claim religious status in England and Wales. As groups must also prove their "religious" activities are for public benefit, it domesticates religion by forcing groups to conform to liberal Protestant Christian values. Examining how groups negotiate criteria for religion as defined by public bodies highlights both the problems with defining religion and how the state marginalizes groups that do not fit their criteria by denying them access to certain benefits. The problem for Pagans is they generally set out to challenge norms, not conform to them, which leaves them in a quandary when seeking registration as a religion. When the Pagan Federation failed in its applications to register as a "religion," it was because it did not conform to the Protestant Christian model informing how religion is defined in Charity Law.
{"title":"The Problem with Paganism in Charity Registration in England and Wales","authors":"Suzanne Owen","doi":"10.1558/IMRE.38296","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1558/IMRE.38296","url":null,"abstract":"Charity registration is one means by which a group can claim religious status in England and Wales. As groups must also prove their \"religious\" activities are for public benefit, it domesticates religion by forcing groups to conform to liberal Protestant Christian values. Examining how groups negotiate criteria for religion as defined by public bodies highlights both the problems with defining religion and how the state marginalizes groups that do not fit their criteria by denying them access to certain benefits. The problem for Pagans is they generally set out to challenge norms, not conform to them, which leaves them in a quandary when seeking registration as a religion. When the Pagan Federation failed in its applications to register as a \"religion,\" it was because it did not conform to the Protestant Christian model informing how religion is defined in Charity Law.","PeriodicalId":53963,"journal":{"name":"Implicit Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44559135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Since the 1940s, atheists have played an essential role in re-defining American religion. They have been directly responsible for abolishing sectarian religious education from American public schools. For removing prayer from public schools. For restricting the use of belief affirmations by Americans elected or appointed to federal office. For amending the federal government's definition of "religious training and belief " so that they too might excuse themselves from military service. They have also challenged the theological language of the Pledge of Allegiance, federal funding for faith-based social service programs, and prayer invocations at official legislative meetings. And even on their own, these seven examples tell an exceptional story about American Atheism. But they tell another one as well. Across the sixty-six years in which they were considered by the United States Supreme Court, the Court itself underwent an ideological turn. From "equal justice under law," to justice according to political principles. And from enforcing the separation of church and state, to defending religious establishments in the name of "tradition." By using the first to gauge the progress of the second, this article will tell these two stories.
{"title":"Frog in a Pot: American Atheism and the Thermometry of Supreme Court Ideology","authors":"E. Quillen","doi":"10.1558/IMRE.37956","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1558/IMRE.37956","url":null,"abstract":"Since the 1940s, atheists have played an essential role in re-defining American religion. They have been directly responsible for abolishing sectarian religious education from American public schools. For removing prayer from public schools. For restricting the use of belief affirmations by Americans elected or appointed to federal office. For amending the federal government's definition of \"religious training and belief \" so that they too might excuse themselves from military service. They have also challenged the theological language of the Pledge of Allegiance, federal funding for faith-based social service programs, and prayer invocations at official legislative meetings. And even on their own, these seven examples tell an exceptional story about American Atheism. But they tell another one as well. Across the sixty-six years in which they were considered by the United States Supreme Court, the Court itself underwent an ideological turn. From \"equal justice under law,\" to justice according to political principles. And from enforcing the separation of church and state, to defending religious establishments in the name of \"tradition.\" By using the first to gauge the progress of the second, this article will tell these two stories.","PeriodicalId":53963,"journal":{"name":"Implicit Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44526046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Deconstructing the definitional boundaries between religion and non-religion is recognised as a fruitful area of investigation for scholars of religion. Taking a critical perspective in understanding the gatekeeping practices of legal institutions, norms and practices in shaping the boundary between religion and non-religion is an important aspect of this methodological approach. Investigating legal gatekeeping practices can prompt critical exploration of how they impact on category formation and facilitate analysis of whose interests are served by legally mandated acts of inclusion or exclusion. This discussion will identify recent instances, where the courts have been active in shaping the boundary between religion and non-religion. Firstly, it will consider recent developments in the definitional approach of domestic UK law. Secondly, it will discuss legal responses to the registration of religious groups in Europe and, thirdly, it will explore attempts to extend freedom of religion protections to commercial corporations. Finally, it will offer some concluding remarks on how this survey of recent developments highlights the contemporary configuration of the legal boundaries between religion and non-religion.
{"title":"Pushing the Boundaries: Legal Approaches to the Definition of Religion","authors":"Hugh McFaul","doi":"10.1558/IMRE.38268","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1558/IMRE.38268","url":null,"abstract":"Deconstructing the definitional boundaries between religion and non-religion is recognised as a fruitful area of investigation for scholars of religion. Taking a critical perspective in understanding the gatekeeping practices of legal institutions, norms and practices in shaping the boundary between religion and non-religion is an important aspect of this methodological approach. Investigating legal gatekeeping practices can prompt critical exploration of how they impact on category formation and facilitate analysis of whose interests are served by legally mandated acts of inclusion or exclusion. This discussion will identify recent instances, where the courts have been active in shaping the boundary between religion and non-religion. \u0000 \u0000Firstly, it will consider recent developments in the definitional approach of domestic UK law. Secondly, it will discuss legal responses to the registration of religious groups in Europe and, thirdly, it will explore attempts to extend freedom of religion protections to commercial corporations. Finally, it will offer some concluding remarks on how this survey of recent developments highlights the contemporary configuration of the legal boundaries between religion and non-religion.","PeriodicalId":53963,"journal":{"name":"Implicit Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44714731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Masamune Shirow's manga, Ghost in the Shell, is a ‘cyberpunk' classic of the 1990's. It focuses on a fictional counter-cyberterrorist organisation led by Major Motoko Kusanagi known as Section-9. This classic manga was made into an anime by Mamoru Oshii and became a cult hit in the mid-90s. Its popularity fuelled the production of a number of feature length animated films as well as two anime series. It regained popularity in 2015 following the news that Scarlett Johansson signed to play the lead in a live-action version of the anime that was released in 2017. What is interesting about Ghost in the Shell is not only its ‘cyberpunk' motifs but the very transhumanist themes it conveys. Though considered a ‘cultural/intellectual' movement transhumanism has some interesting ‘religious' elements associated with it, albeit ones that may not fit the usual conventional understanding of ‘religion'. This is especially the case if ‘religion' is seen as the sui generis concept that it is popularly known as, rather than a cultural activity. One of the fundamental beliefs of this movement is that humans will advance physically, intellectually, and psychologically, not through the will of a divine creator, but through human ingenuity and technology. Another popular belief held by some transhumanists is one that suggests that in the 'not-so-distant future' humans will transcend their physical and mental imperfections by uploading themselves into a supercomputer. With transhumanist themes in mind this paper will focus on two main points. The first is that Japanese traditions can be used to strengthen the ‘transhumanism as religion' argument as proposed by Robert Geraci. The second will examine how-through the adoption of Japanese mythology and its articulation in Ghost in the Shell-cyborg technology can be used to enhance spirituality, thus introducing a new method for understanding the traditional science v religion debate.
{"title":"Through the Looking Glass: Ghost in the Shell, Transhumanism, and Transcendence through the Virtual","authors":"Dani Shalet","doi":"10.1558/IMRE.35338","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1558/IMRE.35338","url":null,"abstract":"Masamune Shirow's manga, Ghost in the Shell, is a ‘cyberpunk' classic of the 1990's. It focuses on a fictional counter-cyberterrorist organisation led by Major Motoko Kusanagi known as Section-9. This classic manga was made into an anime by Mamoru Oshii and became a cult hit in the mid-90s. Its popularity fuelled the production of a number of feature length animated films as well as two anime series. It regained popularity in 2015 following the news that Scarlett Johansson signed to play the lead in a live-action version of the anime that was released in 2017. What is interesting about Ghost in the Shell is not only its ‘cyberpunk' motifs but the very transhumanist themes it conveys. Though considered a ‘cultural/intellectual' movement transhumanism has some interesting ‘religious' elements associated with it, albeit ones that may not fit the usual conventional understanding of ‘religion'. This is especially the case if ‘religion' is seen as the sui generis concept that it is popularly known as, rather than a cultural activity. One of the fundamental beliefs of this movement is that humans will advance physically, intellectually, and psychologically, not through the will of a divine creator, but through human ingenuity and technology. Another popular belief held by some transhumanists is one that suggests that in the 'not-so-distant future' humans will transcend their physical and mental imperfections by uploading themselves into a supercomputer. With transhumanist themes in mind this paper will focus on two main points. The first is that Japanese traditions can be used to strengthen the ‘transhumanism as religion' argument as proposed by Robert Geraci. The second will examine how-through the adoption of Japanese mythology and its articulation in Ghost in the Shell-cyborg technology can be used to enhance spirituality, thus introducing a new method for understanding the traditional science v religion debate.","PeriodicalId":53963,"journal":{"name":"Implicit Religion","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43237410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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