Conspirituality

Brief: Religion is Not Belief? (w/Blair Hodges)

May 4, 2024

Blair Hodges, a religion historian, challenges the notion that beliefs are essential to religion, emphasizing the need to absorb and neutralize beliefs for communal growth. The discussion explores the complexities of navigating beliefs and disillusionment in religion, highlighting the importance of openness, adaptability, and social justice within religious communities.

47:19

Episode guests

Blair Hodges

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Quick takeaways

Beliefs can hinder religious community, challenging the idea that religion is defined by belief.

Religion thrives on adaptability, cautioning against merging belief and political power.

Deep dives

Religion's Role in Social Justice Movements

Progressive religion has been at the root of social justice movements, powering and energizing people like Martin Luther King Jr. and beyond, even influencing the political landscape. Engaging with religion as a tool for liberation while acknowledging its role in oppression is crucial for progress and understanding the full impact of religious beliefs.

Embrace Anxiety for Growth

01:21

Rigid Beliefs Stifle Spiritual Growth

01:22

Longevity and Resilience of Major Religions

01:32

Navigating Disillusionment with Religion

01:30

Introduction

4min

Navigating Beliefs and Disillusionment in Religion

19min

Exploring Religion as Poetry and the Importance of Mystery and Adaptability

4min

Navigating the Complexities of Religion and Belief

14min

Exploring the Role of Religion in Social Justice and Culture

4min

The late historian of religion James Carse (1932-2020) made a radical proposal in his 2012 book, The Religious Case Against Belief. He argued that beliefs, far from being central to or definitive of religion, are actually antithetical to religious community.

A religion’s historical longevity, he argued, depends on its ability to absorb and neutralize beliefs—epistemological dead ends built on willful ignorance.

“The challenge to religion,” Carse says, “is not its opponents from without, but its believers from within, and the real enemy of religion is belief itself.”

What does this mean for a project like Conspirituality and other projects of disillusionment carried out in the shadow of New Atheism and other modern skeptical movements?

Blair Hodges of the Fireside and Family Proclamations podcasts joins Matthew to discuss a potential casualty of the battle against religious extremism: a nuanced understanding of religion itself.

Show Notes

The Religious Case Against Belief by James P. Carse

Fireside with Blair Hodges

Family Proclamations w/ Blair Hodges

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