Mormonisms Un Sekularizācija: Mormons and Secularization.
The aim of the article is to analyze effect of secularization on the Latter Day Saints. Mormonism started in 19th century as a sect-like movement however, they did not encapsulate but adopted to the changing circumstances and are still presenting themselves as a dynamic world-wide movement. Scholars...
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | Latvian |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
LU Akadēmiskais apgāds
2014
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| In: |
Cel̜š
Year: 2014, Issue: 64, Pages: 127-155 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | The aim of the article is to analyze effect of secularization on the Latter Day Saints. Mormonism started in 19th century as a sect-like movement however, they did not encapsulate but adopted to the changing circumstances and are still presenting themselves as a dynamic world-wide movement. Scholars who have anticipated liberalization of the movement or the opposite - deep identity crisis - had to admit that it did not happen. Practices characteristic to Mormon identity (differences in common everyday life, temples with elaborate rites, missionarism, involvement of church members in highly centralized educational and other activities) still help Mormons to keep their strict identity borders. Mormons do not have professional clergy therefore the scenario - the clergy is becoming liberal - faced by the mainline denominations, is also impossible. Besides, in most countries, Mormons are in minority so it is possible to exercise the social control in their small communities. However, it does not mean that there are no changes and challenges. Mormons are no exception to the fact that in all religious groups there are people who become inactive (in Latvia 30% of Mormon church members or those who accept their religion selectively attend worship services regularly (a least once a month) - it is still a high number, however it also shows prospective problems). In general the growth of religious movements depends not on their success to adopt to the pressure of the secular society but on their ability to reach the optimal level of tension with society by keeping the middle ground between radically opposite viewpoints. For example, Mormons' media and leadership talk about the role of women (even if they continue to keep the patriarchal values) more openly than in the past. In the context of the current wave of neo-conservativism in some Western countries a part of society looks favorably at the Mormon values (the stress is laid on the family). |
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| Contains: | Enthalten in: Cel̜š
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