I investigate the intersection of two of the most important areas governing how modern society is organized: the law governing religion. I investigate whether the purportedly (or presumptively)... Show moreI investigate the intersection of two of the most important areas governing how modern society is organized: the law governing religion. I investigate whether the purportedly (or presumptively) secular Western legal understanding of the idea of “religion,” as it is understood in court judgments, reflects any religious presuppositions or bias. In other words, to what extent is the idea of “religion,” as it is understood by courts, sectarian rather than secular? If a bias exists, what should be done about it in order to bring our understanding, our definitions, and our approach to legal issues involving religion into conformity with broader legal norms concerning formal equality? To investigate whether such a bias exists I begin by examining two sets of court decisions: one from the United Kingdom and one from Israel, discussing the question “who is a Jew?” in a legal context. I then discuss what the implications of those findings are, with particular regard to how “religion” as a legal term of art should be interpreted by courts. How should judicial interpretation of fundamental guarantees of religious freedom take account of the Christian provenance of the criteria governing what it means to be a religion in the first place? Show less
This book presents a mode by which to discuss and assess Jewish religious participation and religious group membership as a social phenomenon through the lens of social identity theory. It... Show moreThis book presents a mode by which to discuss and assess Jewish religious participation and religious group membership as a social phenomenon through the lens of social identity theory. It includes analyses and discussion of minority groups’ self-perception within broader national contexts, self-esteem as a result of religious group membership, and the dichotomy between religious in-group identity and active belief. If we are able to distinguish ‘belief’ from ‘belonging’ relative to institutional religions, we might better accommodate the needs and values of these groups. This book focuses on a Canadian group of secular Jews, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to illuminate how religious identity, connection and membership affect daily modern life. Show less
For most, J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy books are just fiction, but for a small group of people, they are much more than that. Across the world, individuals and small groups have created religious... Show moreFor most, J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy books are just fiction, but for a small group of people, they are much more than that. Across the world, individuals and small groups have created religious rituals and traditions based on Tolkien's works. These practitioners of ‘Tolkien religion' invoke the supernatural beings from Tolkien's stories in rituals inspired by modern witchcraft, or they make shamanic journeys to Middle-earth to visit those beings there. Some believe that they are ‘awakened elves': they have discovered that their ancestors were elves, or believe to be elven souls trapped in human bodies. Tolkien religion can be identified as an example of fiction-based religion, for it is religion based on fiction rather than on texts that claim to be true history. There are more fiction-based religion besides Tolkien religion - Star Wars-based Jediism is one - and in the book, a theoretical apparatus is developed for the study fiction-based religion in general. I first formulate a theory of the ‘religious affordances' of texts, on basis of which it is possible to predict whether a given piece of fiction is usable as an authoritative text for religion. Tolkien's stories have religious affordances, partly because Tolkien suggests that the supernatural entities in his stories might exist, both in the prologue to The Lord of the Rings and in many of his letters. Second, a theory is developed of the dynamics of belief in religious tradition. I argue that the core of all religions, including Tolkien religion, consists of rituals in which contact is sought with supernatural agents. Personal beliefs and doctrinal systems must be seen as second-order phenomena that explain and justify ritual practice. In the case of fiction-based religion, a key function of these beliefs is to legitimise the very use of fiction as a source of religious inspiration. The spiritual Tolkien milieu is tiny, but it makes visible three important trends in contemporary religion: the individualisation of religious authority, the psychologisation of religious practice, and the increasing use of fiction as a source of religious inspiration. Show less
