Belief, trust, and relationality: a Simmelian approach for the study of faith

Montemaggi, Francesca

doi:10.1080/0048721x.2016.1266289

Cited by 15 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Simmel feels religion needs to adapt to modern subjectivism and emphasise the inner experience. Simmel's notion of religiosity as a sensitivity taps into the emotional aspect of religion (Montemaggi 2017a). At first glance, Simmel seems concerned with the religious sentiment; yet his approach is always more philosophical than phenomenological.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Religion as Self-Transcendence. A Simmelian Framework for Authenticity

Montemaggi¹

2017

sst

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Georg Simmel’s writings on religion have too often been overlooked, notwithstanding his undisputed status as one of the founders of sociology. Simmel’s metaphysical inclination may give the impression that his thoughts on religion are closer to theology than sociology. This article proposes an interpretation of Simmel’s notion of religiosity (Die Religiosität) in conjunction with the notion of self-transcendence, part of the philosophy of life (Lebensphilosophie) he espoused towards the end of his life. The article does not pursue a filologically accurate position, but a development drawing on Simmel’s notions. Accordingly, it is proposed to interpret religiosity as a sensitivity to self-transcendence, the awareness of social conditioning, or “facticity”, and the striving towards going beyond it. The tension between facticity and self-transcendence reflects – what Simmel called – the ‘conflict of culture’, the ‘malaise’ of the fragmentation of the self resulting from the social differentiation of modern society. Religiosity, as a sensitivity to self-transcendence, is expressed in the pursuit of authenticity thus countering the conflict of culture. This interpretation allows us to see religion as a path, albeit not the only one, to authenticity, understood as challenging facticity, which echoes in later existentialist philosophy and contemporary empirical studies

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Religion as Self-Transcendence. A Simmelian Framework for Authenticity

Montemaggi¹

2017

sst

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Some beliefs function as propositional claims that, while impossible (or not intended) to be confirmed through 'rational' epistemologies, operate as statements of truth nonetheless. 10 Other beliefs depart from a concern with truth to emphasise commitment: 'I believe (in)' rather than 'I believe that' (Montemaggi 2017). Here, religious beliefs constitute connection, and a way of being in the world through belonging and faith (see also Ruel 2002), rather than a set of tenets (Kirsch 2004).…”

Section: Gender As Beliefmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reimagining Gender Through Equality Law: What Legal Thoughtways Do Religion and Disability Offer?

Renz

Cooper

2022

Fem Leg Stud

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

British equality law protections for sex and gender reassignment have grown fraught as activists tussle over legal and social categories of gender, gender transitioning, and sex. This article considers the future of gender-related equality protections in relation to ‘decertification’—an imagined reform that would detach sex and gender from legal personhood. One criticism of decertification is that de-formalising gender membership would undermine equality law protections. This article explores how gender-based equality law could operate in conditions of decertification, drawing on legal thoughtways developed for two other protected characteristics in equality law—religion and belief, and disability—to explore the legal responses and imaginaries that these two grounds make available. Religious equality law focuses on beliefs, communities, and practices, deemed to be stable, multivarious, and subject to deep personal commitment. Disability equality law focuses on embodied disadvantage, approached as social, relational, and fluctuating. While these two equality frameworks have considerable limitations, they offer legal thoughtways for gender oriented to both its hierarchies and its expression, including as disavowal.

show abstract

“…Non-religion is constructed in relation to religion (Lee 2012), which reflects a traditional Christian and particularly Protestant, idea of religion, centred on belief (Montemaggi 2017b). Nones are more likely to be former Christians and thus have an understanding of religion in terms of propositional belief, conservative sexual morality and hierarchical organisations.…”

Section: Quakers In Post-christian Britainmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The burgeoning literature on non-religion points to a detachment and, at times, hostility towards religion understood in terms of doctrinal belief and conservative morality. This finds echo in the narratives of 'emerging' Christians, who seek to 'deconstruct' Christian worship and belief (Tomlinson 1995;Bergmann 2003;Guest and Taylor 2006;Bielo 2011;Marti and Ganiel 2014) but also in those of mainstream evangelicals, who stress experiential and relational belief and authenticity (Montemaggi 2017a(Montemaggi , 2017b. The present research shows that an increased disaffection with doctrinal religion is also prevalent in the narratives of new Quakers, those who have become Quaker members or attenders in the past three years.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Quiet Faith: Quakers in Post-Christian Britain

Montemaggi¹

2018

Religions

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Post-Christian Britain is characterised by a rejection of doctrinal and morally conservative religion. This does not reflect solely the experience of those with ‘no religion’ but can be found in the narratives of ‘new Quakers,’ those who have become members or attenders in the past three years. New Quakers contrast Quaker sense of acceptance, freedom from theological ideas and freedom to be a spiritual seeker with conservative Christian churches, which have often been experienced as judgmental and doctrinal. Quaker liberal morality also affords inclusivity to those who have felt marginalised, such as disabled and LGBT people. The way new Quakers articulate their identity shines a light on the contemporary transformation of religious forms and society. Their emphasis on individual spirituality and rejection of theological doctrine reflect the profound cultural shift towards a post-Christian Britain, which is religiously diverse, more open to individual spiritual seeking and more liberal morally and socially.

show abstract

Belief, trust, and relationality: a Simmelian approach for the study of faith

Cited by 15 publications

References 15 publications

Religion as Self-Transcendence. A Simmelian Framework for Authenticity

Religion as Self-Transcendence. A Simmelian Framework for Authenticity

Reimagining Gender Through Equality Law: What Legal Thoughtways Do Religion and Disability Offer?

A Quiet Faith: Quakers in Post-Christian Britain

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About