Our culture is full of popular stereotypes about religion, both positive and negative. Many people uncritically assume that religion is intrinsically violent, or that religion makes people moral, or that it is simply "bullshit". This concise volume tackles 10 of these stereotypes, addresses why scholars of religion find them to be cliched, describes their origins, and explains the social or political work they rhetorically accomplish in the present. Cliches addressed include the following: - Religions are belief systems - I'm spiritual but not religious - Religion concerns the transcendent - Learning about religions leads to tolerance and understanding - Religion is a private matter. Written in an easy and accessible style, Stereotyping Religion: Critiquing Cliches will be of interest to all readers looking to clear away unsophisticated assumptions in preparation for more critical studies.

Building on the success of Stereotyping Religion: Critiquing Clichés, this follow up volume dismantles a further 10 widespread stereotypes and clichés about religion, focusing on clichés that a new generation of students are most familiar with. Each chapter includes: - A description of a particular cliché - Discussion of where it appears in popular culture or popular media - Discussion of where it appears in scholarly literature - A historical contextualization of its use in the past - An analysis of the social or rhetorical work the cliché accomplishes in the present Clichés addressed include: - "Religion and science naturally conflict" - "All religions are against LGBTQ rights" - "Eastern religions are more spiritual than Western religions" - "Religion is personal and not subject to government regulation" - "Religious pluralism gives everyone a voice" Written in an easy and accessible style, Stereotyping Religion II: Critiquing Clichés is suitable for all readers looking to clear away unsophisticated assumptions in preparation for more critical studies.

Building on the success of Stereotyping Religion: Critiquing Clichés, this follow up volume dismantles a further 10 widespread stereotypes and clichés about religion, focusing on clichés that a new generation of students are most familiar with. Each chapter includes: - A description of a particular cliché - Discussion of where it appears in popular culture or popular media - Discussion of where it appears in scholarly literature - A historical contextualization of its use in the past - An analysis of the social or rhetorical work the cliché accomplishes in the present Clichés addressed include: - "Religion and science naturally conflict" - "All religions are against LGBTQ rights" - "Eastern religions are more spiritual than Western religions" - "Religion is personal and not subject to government regulation" - "Religious pluralism gives everyone a voice" Written in an easy and accessible style, Stereotyping Religion II: Critiquing Clichés is suitable for all readers looking to clear away unsophisticated assumptions in preparation for more critical studies.

Building on the success of Stereotyping Religion: Critiquing Clichés, this follow up volume dismantles a further 10 widespread stereotypes and clichés about religion, focusing on clichés that a new generation of students are most familiar with. Each chapter includes: - A description of a particular cliché - Discussion of where it appears in popular culture or popular media - Discussion of where it appears in scholarly literature - A historical contextualization of its use in the past - An analysis of the social or rhetorical work the cliché accomplishes in the present Clichés addressed include: - "Religion and science naturally conflict" - "All religions are against LGBTQ rights" - "Eastern religions are more spiritual than Western religions" - "Religion is personal and not subject to government regulation" - "Religious pluralism gives everyone a voice" Written in an easy and accessible style, Stereotyping Religion II: Critiquing Clichés is suitable for all readers looking to clear away unsophisticated assumptions in preparation for more critical studies.

This volume contains a collection of studies describing and analyzing stereotypes of women in the religions of Ancient Israel and Mesopotamia, and in Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Medieval Christianity, Islam, Indian Sufism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Tibetan religions, and modern Neopaganism. In all these traditions the stereotypes are based on generalizations, which are socially, culturally or religiously legitimized, and which seem to have a lasting influence on society's conceptions of women. They represent oversimplified opinions, which are, however, regularly challenged by the women who are affected by them. In all traditions the stereotypes are ambiguous, either because women have challenged their validity, or because historical developments in society have reshaped them. They influence public opinion by emphasizing dominant views, as a strategy to restrain women and to keep them controlled by the rules and morals of a male-dominated society.

This collection of essays by array of international scholars addresses some aspects of the issues of religious stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination and offers solutions through discussions of method, terminology and definitions regarding interreligious relations, the political implications in the Middle East, and various case-studies.

This book focuses on the utility and application of discourse theory and discourse analysis in the sociological study of religious change. It presents an outline of what a ‘discursive sociology of religion’ looks like and brings scholarly attention to the role of language and discourse as a significant component in contemporary processes of religious change. Marcus Moberg addresses the concept of discourse and its main meta-theoretical underpinnings and discusses the relationship between discourse and ‘religion’ in light of previous research. The chapters explore key notions such as secularism and public religion as well as the ideational and discursive impact of individualism and market society on the contemporary Western religious field. In addition to providing scholars with a thorough understanding and appreciation of the analytic utility of discourse theory and analysis in the sociological study of religious change, the book offers a cohesive and systematized framework for actual empirical analysis.