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Zusatztext Well-researched and well-executed... Christerson and Flory have offered us a valuable piece of the overall puzzle depicting changes in the organization of Christianity. Informationen zum Autor Brad Christerson is Associate Professor of Sociology at Biola University. Richard Flory is Director of Research in the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture and Associate Research Professor of Sociology at the University of Southern California. Klappentext The Rise of Network Christianity explains social forces behind the fastest growing form of Christianity in the U.S., which the authors have labeled "Independent Network Charismatic" (INC). This form of Christianity, governed through networks, emphasizes aggressive engagement with the supernatural, including healing, direct prophecies from God, engaging in "spiritual warfare" against demonic spirits, and social transformation. Zusammenfassung Why, when traditionally organized religious groups are seeing declining membership and participation, are networks of independent churches growing so explosively? Drawing on in-depth interviews with leaders and participants, The Rise of Network Christianity explains the social forces behind the fastest growing form of Christianity in the U.S., which Brad Christerson and Richard Flory have labeled "Independent Network Christianity" (INC). This form of Christianity emphasizes aggressive engagement with the supernatural, including healing, direct prophecies from God, engaging in "spiritual warfare" against demonic spirits, and social transformation. Christerson and Flory argue that large-scale social changes since the 1970s, including globalization and the digital revolution have given competitive advantages to religious groups organized by networks rather than traditionally organized congregations and denominations. Network forms of church governance allow for experimentation with controversial supernatural practices, innovative finances and marketing, and a highly participatory, unorthodox, and experiential faith, which is attractive in today's unstable religious marketplace. Christerson and Flory argue that as more religious groups imitate this type of governance, religious belief and practice will become more experimental, more oriented around practice than belief, more shaped by the individual religious "consumer" and that authority will become more highly concentrated in the hands of individuals rather than institutions. Inhaltsverzeichnis Contents Chapter 1 The Rise of "Independent Network Charismatic" (INC) Christianity Chapter 2 The Origins of INC Christianity Chapter 3 Innovations in Governance: Networks and Apostles Chapter 4 The Product: Supernatural Power and Social Transformation Chapter 5 Innovations in Finances and Marketing Chapter 6 Competitive Disadvantages and Downsides Chapter 7 Theorizing the Success of INC Christianity and its Implications ...
