Belief and unbelief: two sides of a coin

In what follows I build on to previous writing relating to the nature of religion (including religious belief) in modern Europe and the factors that must be taken into account if this is to be properly understood (Davie 1994, 2000, 2002, 2006). These factors are: •the cultural heritage of Europe; •t...

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Main Author: Grace Davie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Donner Institute 2012-06-01
Series:Approaching Religion
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journal.fi/ar/article/view/67487
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author Grace Davie
author_facet Grace Davie
author_sort Grace Davie
collection DOAJ
description In what follows I build on to previous writing relating to the nature of religion (including religious belief) in modern Europe and the factors that must be taken into account if this is to be properly understood (Davie 1994, 2000, 2002, 2006). These factors are: •the cultural heritage of Europe; •the ‘old’ model of a moderately dominant state church which operates like a public utility; •a ‘newer’ model which takes the form of a growing market in religion; •the arrival into Europe of new groups of people both Christian and other; •an increasingly articulate secular lobby. The first point to grasp is that all five exist alongside each other and that they push and pull in different directions. The second point provides the focus for this article: namely that exactly the same factors that account for the nature of religious belief in European society are equally present in unbelief. I will take each of them in turn in order to illustrate this point.
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spelling doaj.art-800b9315bea74c86bc04b289bef0d84c2022-12-21T19:07:51ZengDonner InstituteApproaching Religion1799-31212012-06-012110.30664/ar.67487Belief and unbelief: two sides of a coinGrace Davie0University of ExeterIn what follows I build on to previous writing relating to the nature of religion (including religious belief) in modern Europe and the factors that must be taken into account if this is to be properly understood (Davie 1994, 2000, 2002, 2006). These factors are: •the cultural heritage of Europe; •the ‘old’ model of a moderately dominant state church which operates like a public utility; •a ‘newer’ model which takes the form of a growing market in religion; •the arrival into Europe of new groups of people both Christian and other; •an increasingly articulate secular lobby. The first point to grasp is that all five exist alongside each other and that they push and pull in different directions. The second point provides the focus for this article: namely that exactly the same factors that account for the nature of religious belief in European society are equally present in unbelief. I will take each of them in turn in order to illustrate this point.https://journal.fi/ar/article/view/67487Belief and doubtEurope -- HistoryState and religionChurch and stateSecularismEurope -- Politics
spellingShingle Grace Davie
Belief and unbelief: two sides of a coin
Approaching Religion
Belief and doubt
Europe -- History
State and religion
Church and state
Secularism
Europe -- Politics
title Belief and unbelief: two sides of a coin
title_full Belief and unbelief: two sides of a coin
title_fullStr Belief and unbelief: two sides of a coin
title_full_unstemmed Belief and unbelief: two sides of a coin
title_short Belief and unbelief: two sides of a coin
title_sort belief and unbelief two sides of a coin
topic Belief and doubt
Europe -- History
State and religion
Church and state
Secularism
Europe -- Politics
url https://journal.fi/ar/article/view/67487
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