The return of religion or the end of religion? On the need to rethink religion as a category of social and political life. (September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Svenungsson, Jayne
• Is Part Of: Philosophy & social criticism. Volume 46:Number 7(2020)
• Page Start: 785
• Page End: 809
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Subjects: anthropology of religion -- Brent Nongbri -- concept of religion -- experience -- Kevin Schilbrack -- philosophy of religion -- religious/secular -- return of religion -- Scandinavian countries -- social constructivism; Philosophy -- Periodicals; Political science -- Periodicals; 300.1
• DOI: 10.1177/0191453719896384
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-4537

Abstract

During the last decades of the 20th century, Western philosophy saw a renewed interest in religion, often referred to as 'the return of religion'. At about the same time, a growing number of anthropologists and historians began to draw attention to the cultural and ideological bias of the category of religion, revealing its roots in a particular phase of early modern European history. This article gives an overview of these significant theoretical developments and explores both the tensions and similarities between the different scholarly traditions. Drawing on both discourses, it argues that we need to rethink the way we use religion as a category for organizing social and political life. If religion can no longer be taken as a purely descriptive category but rather should be seen as part of specific discursive practices, then we need to critically ponder the implications of the ways in which we map certain customs, behaviours and motifs as 'religious' and others as 'secular'.