Description
Book SynopsisThe contemporary popular or new religious landscape in Sweden - arenas with religious elements outside the established churches - is large and multifaceted. Religion is today expressed in different localities, like retreat centers, health centers and gyms, and can manifest as for example healing, mindfulness, seances, coaching and body therapies. The boundaries between religious and secular arenas are becoming increasingly blurred. The popular or new religiosity is firmly rooted in older traditions, but also expresses creative innovation as a result of globalization, secularism, individualism and the impact of psychological and therapeutic orientations. The book is based on a local study of contemporary popular or new religiosity in the area of Dalarna, Sweden. Religious expression always reflects its time. One of the book's purposes is to explore how religion is perceived in our time and how Christianity has shaped our view of what belongs to the "religion" and what is seen as "superstition". To understand religion it is necessary to study its practical everyday expressions.
Table of Contents1. The Meditating Dala Horse Project: A Presentation 2. A Presentation of the Religious Landscape in Dalarna 3. Religion Anywhere: Structure and Content 4. Comparing Dalarna with Other Areas 5. Contemporary Religious Arenas: Retreat Centres, Health and Coaching Institutes, and Health Fairs 6. Mindfulness in Dalarna: A Focused Area of Study 7. The Church of Sweden: Its Response to Religious Pluralism 8. Dalarna: A Local Place in a Global World 9. Secularization, Individualism and Identity Conclusion
