Theologically Engaged Anthropology II: Why do religious beliefs at times change very quickly and what kinds of societal impacts do these changes have?

This project contributes research to the growing field of theologically engaged anthropology by investigating the Big Question: Why do religious beliefs at times change very quickly, and what kinds of societal impacts do these changes have? While religious cultural change has been studied by anthropologists and illustrated by the work of theologians, there is a critical need for more research about religious change that drives sudden cultural innovations throughout society. This need can be met through a collaboration among anthropologists and theologians to discuss and debate ethnographic accounts and theories of rapid religious cultural change. To accomplish this work scholars will form five research working groups in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. Additionally, we will expand the global community of anthropologists and theologians who use theologically engaged anthropology through two large conferences in Hong Kong and the USA, panels at academic meetings, and strategic expansion of the membership of the Center for Theologically Engaged Anthropology. This work will generate new knowledge regarding how religious beliefs end, arise, and endure across time and space. With this knowledge, anthropologists benefit by improving their understanding of how religious beliefs change and how theology influences change in the religions they study. Theologians benefit by learning how to innovate by connecting their work with diverse examples of lived religion from around the world. This project will generate videos of interviews from participating scholars, journal articles, a special journal issue, and one book.