Handbook of hyper-real religions / / edited by Adam Possamai.

• Superior document: Brill handbooks on contemporary religion, v. 5
• TeilnehmendeR: Possamai, Adam.
• Year of Publication: 2012
• Edition: 1st ed.
• Language: English
• Series: Brill handbooks on contemporary religion ; v. 5.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (456 p.)
• Notes: Description based upon print version of record.

Today a new trend is clearly discernable, that of ‘hyper-real religions’. These are innovative religions and spiritualities that mix elements of religious traditions with popular culture. If we imagine a spectrum of intensity of the merging of popular culture with religion, we might find, at one end, groups practicing Jediism appropriated from the Star Wars movies, Matrixism from the Matrix trilogy, and neo-pagan rites based on stories from The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series. At the other end of the spectrum, members of mainstream religions, such as Christianity can be influenced or inspired by, for example, The Da Vinci Code . Through various case studies, this book studies the on- and off-line religious/spiritual consumption of these narratives through a social scientific approach.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material -- Yoda Goes to Glastonbury: An Introduction to Hyper-real . Religions / Adam Possamai -- Hyper-real Religion Performing in Baudrillard’s Integral Reality / Martin Geoffroy -- Occultural Bricolage and Popular Culture: Remix and Art in Discordianism, the Church of the SubGenius, and the Temple of Psychick Youth / Danielle Kirby -- Heaven’s Gate, Science Fiction Religions, and Popular American . Culture / Benjamin E. Zeller -- Brain, Biological Robots and Androids: Prophecies in the Realm . of Science Fiction and Religion / Carly Machado -- “A World Without Rules and Controls, Without Borders or Boundaries”: Matrixism, New Mythologies, and Symbolic Pilgrimages / John W. Morehead -- Alternative Worlds: Metaphysical Questing and Virtual Community amongst the Otherkin / Danielle Kirby -- Real Vampires as an Identity Group: Analyzing Causes and Effects of an Introspective Survey by the Vampire . Community / Joseph Laycock -- The Sanctification of Star Wars: From Fans to Followers / Debbie McCormick -- The Spiritual Milieu Based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s Literary Mythology / Markus Altena Davidsen -- The Road to Hell is Paved with D20s: Evangelical Christianity and Role-playing Gaming / John Walliss -- “An Infinity of Experiences.” Hyper-real Paganism and Real Enchantment in World of Warcraft / Stef Aupers -- Dealing a New Religion: Material Culture, Divination, and Hyper-religious Innovation / Douglas E. Cowan -- Who Is Irma Plavatsky? Theosophy, Rosicrucianism, and the Internationalisation of Popular Culture from the Dime Novel to The Da Vinci Code / Massimo Introvigne -- The Gods on Television: Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan, Politics and . Popular Piety in Late Twentieth-century India / Carole M. Cusack -- Hinduism and Hyper-reality / Heinz Scheifinger -- Poetic Jihadis: Muslim Youth, Hip-hop and the Homological . Imagination / Kamaludeen Mohamed Nasir -- Playing for Christ: Christians and Computer Games / Lauren Bernauer -- Some Angel Some Devil: Harry Potter vs. The Roman Catholic . Church in Poland / Krzysztof Olechnicki -- Contemporary Atheism as Hyper-real Irreligion: The Enchantment . of Science and Atheism in This Cosmos / Alan Nixon -- Fantasy, Conspiracy and the Romantic Legacy: Max Weber and . the Spirit of Contemporary Popular Culture / Johan Roeland , Stef Aupers and Dick Houtman -- Conclusion: The Future of Hyper-real Religions? / Adam Possamai -- Contributors’ Biographies -- Index.