Week 3 - Theoretical Reading - 'The Mediatization of Religion'

Hjarvard, in "The Mediatization of Religion:  A Theory of the Media as Agents of Religious Change" discusses how the development of modern media has changed not only how we receive religious messages, but so far as it alters the role religion plays in society in general.

In this article, it is emphasised that 'modern media do not only present or report on religious issues, but also change the very ideas and authority of religious institutions and alter the ways people interact with each other when dealing with religious issues' (11).

Hjarvard uses the example of media portraying supernatural phenomena and the metaphysical realm in general. In previous years, such things would only be the product of our imaginations, however now there are many varieties of supernatural-inspired media portrayed and available, and not in just in fiction genres but also in documentaries, along with greater attention being given to institutionalised religions such as Islam and Christianity (9-10).

Along with an increased presentations of religious messages and phenomena in media, Hjarvard points out that because media infiltrate almost every aspect of society and make up large networks through which human interaction is filtered, media has begun to create feelings of community and belonging and has taken over the role of providing 'information, tradition and moral orientation' for members of society, a role that in previous years was fulfilled by churches, families and schools (13).

Religion has therefore become 'mediatized'. That is, media 'facilitates changes in the amount, content and direction of religious messages in society at the same time as they transform religious representations and challenge and replace the authority of institutionalised religions' (14).

It is interesting to note Hjarvard's view is that although it may seem as though this increased portrayal of religion and religious themes in media means that there is developing a 're-sacralisation' of modern society in which religion is gradually replacing secular tendencies, this is not necessarily the case. Hjarvard argues that there is still a strong emphasis on secularisation of society and that in fact the mediatization of religion could be considered as 'part of a gradual secularisation - it is the historical process in which media have taken over may of the social functions that used to be performed by religious institutions' (10).

This is paradoxical in the fact that we are seeing more religious-themed stories and images than ever before and yet because they are portrayed independently of any institutionalised religions (especially in cases of supernatural television shows or movies), it forms part of the secularisation of society. And it is a society that is perhaps more comfortable than ever with supernatural, metaphysical themes yet less comfortable with other aspects of institutionalised religions.

Reference

Hjarvard, S, 2008, 'The Mediatization of Religion: A Theory of the Media as Agents of Religious Change', Northern Lights, 6, 1, 9-26

Forces of Nature

Being outside and near nature reminds people that there are forces beyond our control.  Nature, and its systems, exist independently of whether humans are around or not.  If all humans ceased to exist, animals and eco-systems would still continue on as they do now.

Acknowledging this fact can help people put things in perspective and realise that we aren't necessarily always the centre of everything.  This realisation can be a relief and help us relax because if we are unable to control certain things, like nature, we need to learn to surrender to such things.  Resistance is futile - there is no point in wishing it wasn't raining when it is. By surrendering and not resisting, we can achieve peace of mind.

Also, by dealing with things that are beyond our control, we can become more adaptable and flexible in dealing with change.  Nature has a lot to teach people and the more time you spend in natural surroundings, the more you observe just how many tiny, living eco-systems there are that are operating despite whether we notice them or not.

Week 2 Reflection - Demons

Are demons a metaphor for what is marginalised and unwanted, or of those who desire control and authority?


The way demons are portrayed in many television shows is that they are fairly simple creatures. They know what they want and usually their sole focus is to get what they want. I believe that demons can be representative of a part of ourselves as humans which we need to ignore if we are to be good, ethical people.

In order to be a 'good' person, it can be more a complicated matter because we often have to put our own wants and needs aside to meet those wants and needs of others, especially if they are deemed to be more urgent or more important than our own.

As children, this is one of the lessons we learn - that we can't always have what we want. Demons still seem to be in this child-like frame of mind - they want what they want and nothing stops them because they are considered 'evil', so they have no conscience or ethical considerations to take into account.

Also, in order to progress forward as humans we have to tackle our 'inner demons' which means acknowledging that part of ourselves that we do not want and not letting it rule our behaviour which helps us to be 'good'.

Week 2 - Theoretical Reading - 'Media, Aesthetics and the Study of Contemporary Religion'

One of the most interesting concepts I found in Birgit Meyer's article 'Religious Sensations: Media, Aesthetics and the Study of Contemporary Religion' was the argument that religious feelings and experiences are created by 'particular social structures, sensory regimes, bodily techniques, doctrines and practices that make up a religion' (159). This is in contrast to what I have sometimes assumed about religious feelings - that they occur, in a way spontaneously, in people without much control and that the features of an organised religion are there to assist people in exploring and expressing those religious feelings that have arisen within them rather than the social structures themselves generating the feelings.

Meyer uses Pentecostal religions as an example of a churches which 'not only generate but heat up and intensify religious feelings' (160). And, importantly because such 'socially produced' and repetitious religious practices generate these feelings and experiences, it enables such experiences to be reproduced which further intensifies feelings. Through using media, this can then be shared with many others, allowing many more to be attracted to these churches by the thought of having such direct and immediate contact with the 'Holy Spirit'.

In terms of the relation between media and religion, Meyer's view is that modern media helps to shape the 'sensational forms' around the relationship between human beings and the transcendental and therefore media becomes very relevant to religious practice (160). She goes so far as to argue that media is 'intrinsic to religion' which I interpret to mean that without a mode of sharing information and the transcendental experiences of a religion, that religion is unable to exist. An early example of such media would be holy books such as the Bible or the Qur'an which were printed and distributed to people eventually. As technology progresses and we have many more ways of distributing information, in our time. this modern media allows for 'reformation and reactivation of religion' (165).


Reference:

Meyer B. 2012. Religious Sensations: Media, Aesthetics and the Study of Contemporary Religion. In Lynch G. and J. Mitchell with A. Strhan. Eds., Religion, Media and Culture:  A Reader. 159-170. London and New York:  Routledge.

Religion & Science - Poles Apart?

Science is about the explanation of things that can be "proven" time and time again according to certain rules. Something becomes "true" because of many repetitions of something doing the same thing each time it is tested. This can be seen as objective in that if the experiments are done the same way, this is independent of which person conducts the experiments as it does not change.

Once things are "taken apart" to see how they work, their individual parts are separate and simplified down to basic forms. Once it is attempted to put these basic forms together to create a bigger picture and meaning, subjectivity arises as there are almost an infinite number of ways to put things together to create meaning because meaning arises out of people's values, emotions, thoughts, moods, memories and experiences.

In my opinion, both systems can exist in harmony. An example of a religion-science system of meaning would be one that had a "possible" meaning that does not involve much of a supernatural element i.e. meaning is derived from explanations that are seen as plausible by scientists in line with what we have already discovered. 

Such a religion may be more along the lines of seeing everything as being connected by an "energy source" which gives meaning to life as it connects us all (and which could be seen as valid by scientists) rather than the concept of an all-powerful, all-knowing God who created the universe for which there is no evidence and which is in contrast to scientific explanations about the universe.