The demand for Christianity: vicarious religion?

While conservative nationalism and Christianity go hand in hand in the majority of Eastern European countries, in Estonia, a form of vicarious religion has emerged. Christianity is expected to preserve cultural identity, values, norms, and customs while remaining detached from national and individua...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Altnurme, Lea 1968- (Author) ; Mõttus, Magnus (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Carfax Publ. 2022
In: Journal of contemporary religion
Year: 2022, Volume: 37, Issue: 2, Pages: 335-355
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains:B Estonia / Christianity / Vicarious role / Religion / Social norm / Nationalism / Cultural identity
RelBib Classification:AD Sociology of religion; religious policy
CH Christianity and Society
KBE Northern Europe; Scandinavia
NCC Social ethics
Further subjects:B Estonian case of secularisation
B Vicarious religion
B cultural differences between Western and Eastern Europe
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:While conservative nationalism and Christianity go hand in hand in the majority of Eastern European countries, in Estonia, a form of vicarious religion has emerged. Christianity is expected to preserve cultural identity, values, norms, and customs while remaining detached from national and individual identity. While Grace Davie defined vicarious religion in terms of a Christian minority, in essence, through the ‘on behalf of’ element, our study focuses on the non-Christian majority in Estonia, which is characterised by the ‘expectations of someone else’. Christianity is thus seen primarily as a public good or even as a service, although many are not aware of who should provide that service. Thus, the social situation of Christianity remains suspended between expectations and benefits.
ISSN:1469-9419
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of contemporary religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2022.2073028