Many environmentalists believe that all aspects of the environment are linked, so that everything we do has an effect on all other parts of the planet, such as animals, climate etc. Some New Agers have taken this model further and see the planet earth as a single, super-organism, called ‘Gaia’ by James Lovelock. Find out answers to the following (you’ll find Wikipedia useful here): Who … [Read more...]
Televangelism
Read ‘Televangelism in America today’ by Tim Dowling at www.guardian.co.uk Then answer the following questions and discuss them in pairs: How does Prosperity Theology ‘fit’ the needs of American society? How do you think programmes such as the examples given would be received in the UK? Critics of religious market theory claim that televangelism only ‘preaches to the … [Read more...]
Finding Evidence of a Local Religious Market
Look for evidence of a ‘religious marketplace’ in your own or a nearby locality. Are there any New Age shops? What do they offer? Look at local newspapers and church notice boards and those in New Age shops. What messages are they announcing? Is religion really beginning to look like a commodity for ‘consumers’? … [Read more...]
Religion, Renewal and Choice Answers to QuickCheck Questions
Having religious beliefs but not attending a church. Experiencing religion ‘second hand’ or at a distance. Attending church for rites of passage, but not on a regular basis. ‘Pilgrims’ focus on their own individual spirituality and development; ‘converts’ join religious groups for a sense of community and belonging. Religion provides us with supernatural compensation for … [Read more...]