Module 2: The Globalization of Religion PDF

Module 2 Topic 1: The Globalization of Religion The Contemporary World (Coworld) Globalization of Religion Today, most religions are not relegated to the countries where they began. Religions, have, in fact, spread and scattered on a global scale. Globalization provided religions...

Module 2 Topic 1: The Globalization of Religion The Contemporary World (Coworld) Globalization of Religion Today, most religions are not relegated to the countries where they began. Religions, have, in fact, spread and scattered on a global scale. Globalization provided religions a fertile milieu to spread and thrive. Globalization has also allowed religion or faith to gain considerable significance and importance as a non- territorial touchstone of identity. Being a source of identity and pride, religion has always been promoted by its practioners so that it could reach the level of globality and be embraced by so many people as possible. Turner (2007) explained that globalization transforms the generic “religion” into a world-system of competing and conflicting religions. This process of institutional specialization has transformed local, diverse and fragmented cultural practices into recognizable systems of religion. Globalization has, therefore, had the paradoxical effect of making religions more self-conscious of themselves as being “world religions”. Such conflicts among world religions exhibit a solid proof confirming the erosion and the failure of hybridization. Globalization, as stated in the above excerpt, makes religions more conscious of themselves as being “world religions” reinforcing their respective specific identities. These identities are strengthened by globalization and cannot, in any way, intermingle or hybridize. Religion seek to assert its identity in the light of globalization. As a result, different religious identities come to the fore and assert themselves. Such assertions of religious identities constitute a defensive reaction to globalization. Scholte (2005), in this respect, maintained, “At the same time as being pursued through global channels, assertions of religious identity have, nationalists strivings, often also been partly a defensive reaction to globalization”.  It had been difficult for religion to cope with values that accompany globalization like liberalism, consumerism, and rationalism. Such phenomena advocate scientism and secularism. This, in fact, pushed Scholte (2005) to speak of the anti-rationalist faiths. Since he equated rationalism with globalization and considered religion anti-rationalist, it can be deduced that religion is anti-globalization. According to Scholte (2005) “transplanetary relations helped to stimulate and sustain some renewals of anti-rationalists faith, but global networks have more usually promoted activities involving rationalist knowledge. Contemporary revivalist movements have largely replayed a long-term tendency – one that well predates contemporary accelerated globalization – whereby certain religious circles have from time to time revolted against modern secularism and scientism.”  As Scholte (2005) made clear ”Accelerated globalization of recent times has enabled co-religionists across the planet to have greater direct contact with one another. Global communications, global organizations, global finance, and the like have allowed ideas of the Muslims and the universal Christian Church to be given concrete shape as never before”.