The Spiritual Revolution: Why Religion is Giving Way to Spirituality - Hardcover

Heelas, Paul; Woodhead, Linda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1405119586 ISBN 13: 9781405119580

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell, 2005

Synopsis

Comparing existing evidence from the USA and Europe, with a UK-based study of religion and spirituality, this fascinating book addresses the most pressing question in the study of religion today: are new forms of spirituality overtaking traditional forms of religion?

• Based on the detailed study of religion and spirituality in Kendal, UK
  
• Compares pioneering findings from Kendal with existing evidence from the USA and Europe
  
• Provides a theoretical perspective which explains both secularization and sacralization
  
• Offers some startling predictions about the future of religion and spirituality in the west
  
• Is written in an accessible and lively style, and will appeal to a broad range of readers interested in the future direction of belief in the western world.

About this title

Book Description:

This lively and highly accessible book presents a fascinating picture of belief in the western world. Drawing on an in-depth locality study of religion and spirituality in the English town of Kendal, Cumbria, this book addresses the most pressing question in the study of religion today: are new forms of spirituality overtaking traditional forms of religion, particularly Christianity? By combining pioneering findings from Kendal with existing evidence from the USA and Europe, this book shows that there is a good deal to support the claim that a spiritual revolution is well underway in the UK and arguably even further advanced in the USA. In explaining this development, the volume offers a new theoretical approach to the study of contemporary religion which can help make sense of both secularization and sacralization, and which leads to some startling predictions about the future of religion and spirituality in the west.

From the Back Cover:

Are we living through a ‘spiritual revolution’ in which traditional forms of religion are giving way to new forms of spirituality? Are yoga, reiki and other forms of holistic practice set to become more popular than churchgoing?

This book addresses these questions by presenting findings from a major research project designed to chart the state of religion and spirituality today. Though it finds little to support more extreme claims of change, it discovers that spiritualities which engage with the depths of personal experience are faring far better than religions that demand conformity to higher truth. These developments are explained by drawing attention to the significance of a ‘subjective turn’ in the wider culture – whereby conformity to external obligations becomes less important than sensitivity to inner life and wellbeing.

About this edition

• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 1405119586
• ISBN 13: 9781405119580
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 228