Description
It is potentially impossible to consider religion apart from power. Religious institutions play an important role in bestowing, legitimising and subverting social and spiritual power. This power has been used both to empower the oppressed and abused to marginalise and silence the vulnerable. Religious movements continuously wrestle with whether and how to uphold, oppose, or stand apart from "secular" power structures. Religious ideology lies behind the "divine right of kings", while also inspiring the powerless, who look to divine assistance for the power to change the world. Religious difference continues to lie at the heart of prejudice and persecution and can even be the trigger for war and genocide, while driving others to stand defiantly in the face of despots in defence of the powerless. Religious believers may see in the transcendent a power that goes beyond all human ability, and may seek ways to encounter and experience this power for themselves; sceptics, meanwhile, may perceive a sedative used by the powerful to keep those they control at bay and limit the true potential of humanity to flourish. As the 21st century progresses, the nature and extent of the power of religion continues to fluctuate, both in Britain and around the world, making the theme as pertinent as ever.| Period | 7 Jul 2023 |
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| Event title | British Sociological Association Sociology of Religion Study Group Annual Conference 2023 |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Bristol, United KingdomShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | National |