Genealogy of Religion

Exploring the Origins, History and Future of Religion

Entries Tagged as 'Globalization and Religion'

An Unenthused Rinpoche

August 16th, 2010 · No Comments · Axial Age Religions, Daily Devolutions, Globalization and Religion, Ritual and Religion

As my readers know, there is no such thing as “Buddhism” — there are multiple kinds of buddhisms, some of which eschew spirits and deities while emphasizing consciousness and compassion, whereas others are highly ritualized and enthusiastically enjoin the supernatural realm of gods and souls.
I was reminded of this the other day while reading Electa [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:·············

Hipster Christianity & Imam Idol

August 14th, 2010 · No Comments · Cultural Evolution of Religion, Globalization and Religion, Philosophy of Religion

In a competitive religious marketplace, producers are becoming increasingly savvy and perhaps even post-modern.  Although some old-timey producers bemoan this commercial development, others are embracing it.
Over at Rupert Murdoch’s transformative Wall Street Journal, the 20-something Brett McCracken churlishly warns his cohort about the “Perils of Hipster Christianity,” and discusses some of the uncool ways in [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:························

Death of a Pastoral Salesman

August 10th, 2010 · No Comments · Cultural Evolution of Religion, Economy and Religion, Globalization and Religion, Recent and New Religions, Ritual and Religion

In a curiously titled (“Congregations Gone Wild“) op-ed piece for the New York Times, pastor Jeffrey MacDonald bemoans the pressures that now assail the American clergy.  What are these pressures?  Entertaining the flock.  Selling religion as a commodity for comfortable consumers-parishioners.
Despite the title tease alluding to a sophomoric video series in which college-aged women bare [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:··············

The Hydra Head of Islam

July 22nd, 2010 · No Comments · Axial Age Religions, Globalization and Religion, History of Religions, Philosophy of Religion

Over at HuffPo Religion, Cynthia Boaz has written an earnest piece that implores Americans to think harder about Islam and not simply demonize it.  I agree with much of what she says but the unfortunate fact is that her plea will fall on few or deaf ears.  Not many religious or political extremists are reading [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:································

Is “Hinduism” Science Friendly?

July 8th, 2010 · No Comments · Axial Age Religions, Classifications of Religion, Definitions of Religion, Globalization and Religion, History of Religions, Power and Religion, Recent and New Religions

In yesterday’s post, I discussed Philip Goldberg’s contention that “Eastern religions” (i.e., Hinduism and Buddhism) are science friendly.  To support his argument, Goldberg relies on a very specific — and Westernized — understanding of these traditions.  Yesterday’s post was devoted to the Western construction and consumption of Buddhism; today’s post will cover the highly problematic [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:·····················

Tea Party Metaphysics

June 19th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Civil Religion, Economy and Religion, Emotions and Religion, Globalization and Religion, Philosophy of Religion

Today, while examining the key word searches that have led people to this blog, I noticed this interesting query: “Are tea partiers psychotic?”  This Google search must have pulled up my post “Tea Parties and Monkey Gods,” in which I observed that Tea Partiers seem to be animated by a toxic combination of anger and [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:··························

Return of the Sacred — Ringing Daniel Bell

June 10th, 2010 · No Comments · Atheism and Religion, Axial Age Religions, Cultural Evolution of Religion, Economy and Religion, Globalization and Religion, History of Religions, Morality and Religion, Philosophy of Religion, Power and Religion

On rare occasion, one encounters a thinker and writer of extraordinary talent; the author, intellectual, and sociologist Daniel Bell is one such person.  Bell is perhaps most famous for his 1976 book, Cultural Contradictions of Capitalism.  It was with great interest, therefore, that I read his 1977 Hobhouse Memorial Lecture, “The Return of the Sacred? [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:·····························

Survey: Africa is Most Religious Part of World

April 16th, 2010 · No Comments · Ecology of Religion, Globalization and Religion

A recently released Pew Survey finds that Africa is the “most religious part of the world.”  As the HuffPo Religion section reports:
Islam and Christianity dominate as the most popular religions in the region–a stark reversal from a century ago when Muslims and Christians were outnumbered by followers of traditional indigenous religions.  But for the past [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:·

Buddhist-Hindu “Living Goddess” to Become Banker

April 7th, 2010 · No Comments · Economy and Religion, Globalization and Religion

There is a long and venerable tradition of “human deities” (i.e., rulers and priests) having many possessions, much money, and considerable power.  In a modern twist on that tradition, Nepal’s current “living goddess, Chanira Bajracharya, who serves both Buddhists and Hindus, has decided on a banking career.  As reported by Reuters:
Chanira Bajracharya, 15, has been [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:··

Korean Shamans and Kapital

February 27th, 2010 · No Comments · Economy and Religion, Globalization and Religion, Shamans and Shamanism

Most people associate shamans with small-scale societies and many scholars contend that shamanism was the first “religion,” practiced by hunter-gatherers during the Paleolithic.  These perspectives ignore the fact that shamans can be found in large-scale societies, and that shamanic practices are an important aspect of spiritual life in several first-world countries.
Laurel Kendall, an anthropologist at [...]

[Read more →]

Tags:····