pentecostalization

Chris Dierkes

Chris Dierkes (aka CJ Smith). 29 years old, happily married, adroit purveyor and voracious student of all kinds of information, theories, methods of inquiry, and forms of practice. Studying to be a priest in the Anglican Church in Canada. Main interests: military theory, diplomacy, foreign affairs, medieval history, religion & politics (esp. Islam and Christianity), and political grand bargains of all shapes and sizes.

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2 Responses

  1. E.D. Kain says:

    As religious anthropologist Talal Asad has it, when the secular nation-state is formed in the modern period, then religious belief becomes a private, inner experience. Robbed of public sphere legitimacy, religion goes within. That is why evangelicalism in the form of revivals, born-againism, the Great Awakenings, became the dominant form of Christianity in the modern era (particularly in the United States).

    Isn’t that interesting? It’s always struck me as odd that the US – with its very rigid separation of Church and State – is far more evangelical than a nation such as Britain with an established State Church.

    Great post, Chris.Report

  2. greginak says:

    Very interesting post wiht a lot to think about.
    @ED while we have separation of church and state it is only until recently that it has had much affect. for most of our history the separation was mostly highly permeable. the brits, with their national church, do have a memory of their civil wars so they can palpable feel the danger that can come from some kinds of religion and letting it overwhelm the public sphere.

    @Chris- “As (post)modern life becomes ever drearier, ever more pre-fabricated, ever more filled with anomic loneliness, with the superficiality of consumer existence, with the marketing away of our pain and humanity, converting our sores and traumas into “issues” and the like,”

    I’m not sure about putting this on secularism. One huge factor in everything about America, especially in the last 30 years, has been the rampant materialism, idealization of greed and superficial nature of our culture. these were present before but seem to be much worse. but they do seem in some ways related to the protestant work ethic that has infected this country and also track with the rise of the religious right. the RR and republicans cheered a lot of this on. the prosperity gospel is not secular.

    at least some of the “dreariness” of American life is just not solely tied to secularism but has always been part of this country.Report