Religious symbols interwoven in a modern cityscape

Decoding Religion: How Beliefs Materialize in Modern Life

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Beau Callahan in Culture & Society April 2025 • 4 min read.

"Explore the evolving role of religion in society, from football stadiums to pop culture, and its impact on gender and social norms."


In the study of society and gender, quantitative analysis offers important insights, but so does intuitive understanding. Many groundbreaking discoveries that revolutionize our understanding of life's nuances come from those initial, almost instinctive recognitions.

As preparations began for this exploration into how the religious world presents itself, there was an anticipation of numerous submissions. The relevance of religion in modern society makes itself strikingly apparent, assuring many offers to explore this topic from a sociologic perspective.

Even as this article is written, recent world events underscore this point. The Paris attacks still loom large in collective memory, a stark reminder of religiously motivated violence. Simultaneously, various acts of brutality from across the Islamic world continue to shock. Evangelical Christianity and factions within Catholicism struggle with issues of homophobia, while the worship of angels experiences a resurgence. The Pope draws vast crowds, and even casual observers can see Tibetan prayer flags fluttering in the wind or notice religious symbols incorporated into tattoos. Does this mean that religion is dying out? Far from it.

The Material Presence of Faith

Religious symbols interwoven in a modern cityscape

To understand the enduring presence of religion, one needs only visit a modern 'temple' such as a football stadium. There, the parallels with Catholic liturgy become apparent. The world of football adopts religious language, complete with chants, the veneration of heroes, and modern-day martyrdom, exemplified by figures like Bastian Schweinsteiger during the World Cup. The champion's trophy is lifted towards the heavens, and it is common to see players making the sign of the cross before matches. Religion persists in popular culture through themes and symbolism.

It's almost impossible to fully appreciate art without understanding its religious undertones. Consider the significant attention given to Christoph Schlingensief, a successor to Joseph Beuys, who died from lung cancer in 2010, and Beuys himself. How can one fully grasp the long-standing dominance of men over women in Western societies without acknowledging the influence of biblical texts? Likewise, understanding the moral condemnation of homosexual relationships requires an understanding of the norms that religion establishes.
  • The pervasiveness of religious themes and symbols in pop culture highlights the ongoing relevance of faith.
  • Understanding religious grammar is essential for interpreting art and cultural narratives.
  • Historical religious perspectives shape contemporary social norms and moral judgments.
  • The ongoing debates within religious communities reflect broader societal tensions and evolving values.
This article does not seek to define the normative concept of religion or belief in God but rather to encourage discussion of religious differentiation. The approach to this differentiation is sociological, focusing on what is described as religious and what emerges from historical transformations of religious expressions. By examining religion through a gender-theoretical lens, researchers can highlight social practices and challenge essentialist views. The anticipated flood of articles from sociology, cultural studies, and political science did not materialize, leaving the reasons unclear. One possibility is a reluctance to discuss religion, or perhaps there is a belief that rationalization has disenchanted religion.

Conclusion

This collection of works explores the presence of religion in various cultural contexts. It emphasizes the need for theologians to adapt to a modern, reflective world by integrating sociological and gender-theoretical research. The contributions analyze how religious concepts are materialized in cinema, art, and social norms, offering new insights into the ongoing role of religion in shaping society.

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