Western Religion concepts and history

Western Religion

Many scholars have noted a general shift toward cosmological religiosity in new religious movements. Defend this claim with specific examples two of the following: Spiritualism, Theosophy New Paganism or New Age.

Beginning in the 19th century, modern religion began to show a shift in its emphasis to what scholars call cosmological religiosity. This is a reconfiguration of the concept of the sacred, not as a numinous, powerful but impersonal presence, but as a personalized although transcendent power that takes an interest in the welfare of every individual. For example, during the spiritualist movement, persons were primarily interested in communicating with close or distant ancestors from the world of the dead. It was assumed that the human, worldly connection was not severed by death. Rather than a God that ultimately encouraged the transcendence of earthly relationships (like Dante realizing that Beatrice is a kind of stand-in for his relationship with God at the end of "The Divine Comedy") humans even in death still maintained their personal, stable senses of 'self' in the view of the spitualists. Spirits communicated through mediums by knocking, rapping, and speaking through the bodies of the living.

Similarly, today the New Age movement conflates self-empowerment, self-actualization, and realization of immeidate, worldly goals like finding a mate or feeling good with religious fulfillment. New Age tropes such as angels take a personal interest in the welfare of every individual, rather than act as intermediaries between God and humans, as in the strict, Biblical conception of angels.

Define each of the following terms with specific examples of religions: Secularization, Exclusivism, Inclusivism, Pluralism, and interfaith initiatives