A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book

Commercialization of Religions Worldwide: A Look Through Ninian Smart’s Seven Dimensions of Religion




AuthorsMartikainen, Tuomas; Moberg, Marcus

EditorsAslan, Ednan

Publication year2024

Book title Business, Economy and Commerce in the Name of God

Series title Wiener Beiträge zur Islamforschung

First page 41

Last page65

ISBN978-3-031-71761-1

eISBN978-3-031-71762-8

ISSN2570-222X

eISSN2570-2238

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71762-8_4

Web address https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71762-8_4

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/484429793


Abstract

The growth of global consumer culture and associated phenomena in other realms of life is a fact of the past half century. It is also a truism that significant new religious phenomena have emerged, including so-called megachurches that directly draw on contemporary capitalism and corporate culture. In the sociology of religion, three main competing perspectives have emerged to explain the situation: reformulations of secularization theory, rational choice theory or economics of religion, and the neoliberal perspective on religion. This presentation follows the last of these perspectives and makes its case by utilizing Ninian Smart’s heuristic model of the seven dimensions of religion. Hence, we shall look at how religions have been commercialized through the lenses of the (1) practical and ritual, (2) experiential and emotional, (3) narrative or mythic, (4) doctrinal and philosophical, (5) ethical and legal, (6) social and institutional, and (7) material dimensions. Smart’s framework allows us to discuss the different developments, consequences and repercussions for religion when adapted/adapting to a new neoliberal rationale.



Last updated on 2025-18-02 at 09:11