Spirituality Today - Period 3

In this course, new contemporary forms of religiosity and spirituality will be explored. This exploration addresses the culture dynamics of the reception history of both Buddhist mindfulness and of Yoga outside Asia by subjecting the receiving matrix to a closer scrutiny. During the last decades, the religious landscape in the West has been fundamentally altered. New religious movements are proliferating, and new forms of spirituality have arisen, even those that go beyond 'religion'. In the US, those that call themselves 'Spiritual But Not Religious' form the fastest growing denomination. But also traditional forms of religious belonging are changing rapidly. Religious identities are increasingly becoming hybrid, especially Christian-Buddhist identities. Forms of so-called "Eastern spirituality" are increasingly permeating the 'Western' religious landscape, leading to a redefinition of religion that has been called 'the Easternization of the West' by sociologist Colin Campbell. A special focus of this course is the theme of the promises and pitfalls of charismatic religious leadership, and the dynamics between gurus, ministers, shamans and their followers.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) awards credits based on the ECTS system. Contact hours listed under a course description may vary due to the combination of lecture-based and independent work required for each course therefore, CEA's recommended credits are based on the ECTS credits assigned by VU Amsterdam. 1 ECTS equals 28 contact hours assigned by VU Amsterdam.