The world of religious experience is changing much faster than the discipline which claims to study it. Religious studies still uses Christianity as its measure, still frames the world through the model of five world religions, still largely avoids analysis of key issues around power, poverty, violence, pollution, science, and social conflict, and still looks to highlight differences rather than commonalities. Methods for the Study of Religious Change aims to redefine the study of religion as the study of worldviews, of ideas which are active in shaping the world. It argues that the study of religion should focus on people's worldview-making capacities and should contribute to the critical analysis of global problems and the promotion of cultural and spiritual respect across religions. Survey chapters on theory and method outline this new approach while case-study chapters illustrate these ideas with innovative ethnographies of ritual, experience, language, morals and identity.
1. Introduction, Andre Droogers and Anton van Harskamp PART I: METHODS FOR THE STUDY OF CONTEMPORARY WORLDVIEWS Introduction to Part I 2. The World of Worldviews, Andre Droogers 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches Compared, Andre Droogers 4. Playing with Perspectives, Andre Droogers PART II: STUDYING RELIGIOUS CHANGE Introduction to Part II 5. Fieldwork on Ritual: Understanding Through Participation, Kim Knibbe, Marten van der Meulen, and Peter Versteeg 6. Fieldwork on Experience: Spirituality, Individuality and Authority, Peter Versteeg and Johan Roeland 7. Fieldwork on Language: Artists Express Their Worldviews, Rhea Hummel 8. Fieldwork on Morality: Gossip and Secrets, Kim Knibbe 9. Fieldwork on Identity: Contested and Politicized Research, Martijn de Koning, Edien Bartels, and Danielle Koning PART III: MOVING PARAMETERS Introduction to Part III 10. The Future of New Worldview Studies, Andre Droogers 11. Epilogue: Studying Religion as our Intimate Stranger, Anton van Harskamp
