What is it about?
Trying to know how many people belong to a religious group is far from simple. Different terms such as ‘religious belonging’, ‘religious adherence’, ‘religious membership’, ‘religious affiliation’ can be used, but their meaning is not exactly the same. Sometimes the definition chosen will define the relation between the individual and religion in its collective dimension (as a system or institution or group). But many theories nowadays show that the relation of individuals to religion in its collective dimension is increasingly difficult to grasp, especially since the contents of ‘religion’ have increasingly become a private, individual matter. Also, the relation of the individual to the religious group can vary in intensity, and over time. The definition also depends on who is speaking.
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Why is it important?
The question is sensitive, and often politically meaningful. It becomes urgent to define what underlies the different concepts, to assess which definitions of religious groups are used. There are consequences of such definitions, for instance, on the public and official representation of religious groups.
Perspectives
Religion is increasingly becoming a hot topic, playing a strong role in individual and national identities. This is why it is important to understand religious belonging.
Anne-Laure Zwilling
CNRS - Centre national de la recherche scientifique
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Complex Accounts: Reflexions on Defining and Measuring Religious Belonging, February 2024, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/9789004677791_004.
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