Religious Matters launches Corona Dossier

The massive impact of the Corona-crisis is becoming more and more clear. How does such a recent phenomenon interact with one of the oldest facets of humanity: religion? Led by Prof. Birgit Meyer (Philosophy and Religious Studies), Research program Religious Matters has launched a Corona Dossier to collect different questions, visions, and theories regarding this topic.

Dossier Corona

"As a tiny invisible intruder into people’s bodies, the virus has invaded all domains of life," Meyer writes in her introductory blog. She explains that the Corona-crisis makes visible how our 'normal reality' is constructed, for example when Europe's surprise regarding the impact of this virsus revealed an underlying narrative of invulnerability (as a consequence of progress and civilization). In the Corona Dossier, researchers challenge the assumptions and biases that lie at the root of such narratives.

Studying Religion in Times of Corona

In another blog, Meyer discusses how the relationship between religion and Corona can be used in the study of religion. For example, she writes, religious traditions such as theatric or musical rituals may carry memories of past pandemics. Another point of interest is the current digitisation of religion, as people now often attend services and celebrations online. These developments are not only interesting for scholars of religion in the current moment, but may also have a profound impact on the future of religion.

Religion on lockdown

In his blog, Angelantonio Grossi shines a light on digital religious practices during this crisis. Grossi specifically focuses on Ghana, where digital media have been employed to practice spirituality for the last thirty years. Vodu, the spiritual practices of the Ewe people of Ghana, has such a place in the digital sphere, for example in the form of livestreams from shrines on Facebook. Vodu is especially compatible with the current situation because it allows its practitioners to embrace science. "Moreover, thinking with Vodu rather debunks a layer often left untold by scientific thought: the sense of human mastery over being in the world," Grossi notes.