Inaugural lecture Ernst van den Hemel: Religion adrift. The many meanings of religion today

On Tuesday 24 February, Ernst van den Hemel, Professor by Special Appointment of Religion in Heritage and Popular Culture at the Faculty of Humanities, will deliver his inaugural lecture, titled ‘Religion adrift: The many meanings of religion today’. It is a plea for an open and curious approach to religion, in order to better understand how religion acquires meaning today in a restless, emotional society.

New, sometimes unexpected meanings of religion

The Netherlands is becoming increasingly secularised, but religion is not disappearing. It is drifting. Religion takes place in churches, temples, and houses of prayer, but it also emerges in political debates, discussions about heritage, popular culture, and social media – often charged with emotion, controversy, and confusion. At the same time, there are signals that interest in religion among younger generations is growing again.

In ‘Adrift’, Van den Hemel explores how religion in the twenty-first century has become detached from fixed institutions and has taken on new, sometimes unexpected meanings. He shows how religion today functions as a cultural projection screen: for identity and a sense of belonging, for fear and desire, for exclusion and solidarity. From emotional debates about Easter eggs in politics to the ‘war on Christmas’ and Christmas movies, from social media influencers to disputes over heritage churches – religion moves through networks of media, emotion, and imagination.

An innovative toolkit

A central part of the inaugural lecture is the question of how religion can best be studied today. Alongside existing approaches, new methods are needed to interpret the many roles of religion – especially in a world where religion is shaped not only in churches, but also on YouTube, TikTok, and in digital environments.

Van den Hemel therefore discusses an innovative methodological toolkit that includes social media analysis, 360-degree cameras, and holograms.

Professors who wish to join the cortège may register here.