Religious collectivities in the era of individualization

Religious collectivities remain important even as religion becomes more individualized and people's ties to institutions shift. Research in Quebec on smaller, marginal spiritualities attracting native-born Québécois, who often keep some connection to the Catholic Church, shows that while spiritualities are individualized and hybrid, religious sociality is still essential for maximizing the effectiveness of spiritual practice, providing apprenticeship frameworks, supporting altered states of consciousness, and validating participants' authenticity. In mainstream congregations like Catholic and Pentecostal, communality's religious elements are sometimes obscured, but examining marginal currents reveals the enduring power of religious sociality.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Research in Quebec by a team that I direct indicates that religious collectivities still have very important roles to play despite the individualization of religion and the changing relations between individuals and religious institutions. The analysis focuses on the smaller, more marginal spiritualities that attract native-born Québécois, who often maintain some ties with the Catholic Church. Here we find abundant evidence of individualized, hybrid spiritualities but we also see that religious sociality remains essential for maximizing the effectiveness of religious (spiritual) practice, providing a framework for religious apprenticeship, supporting those in ritually produced altered states of consciousness, and validating religious authenticity of the practices and beliefs of participants. While collectivities remain important in more mainstream religious congregations (Catholics and Pentecostals, for example), the specifically religious elements of communality in these groups are sometimes obscured. By examining more marginal currents, we try to show the enduring power of religious sociality.