No description available.

La postmodernité influence le rapport entre la religion et la culture. Elle y introduit des notions comme : l’affaiblissement des notions, la fluidité du monde et la discontinuité du discours. Les définitions modifiées de la culture et de la religion justifient la question centrale de la thèse : est-il possible que la culture absorbe la religion et crée une religion de la culture ? Ces définitions permettent de comprendre comment la postmodernité rejette l’idée de la transcendance et réduit le religieux au culturel. La postmodernité crée ainsi une situation favorable au rejet de la pensée classique et provoque l’émergence de la religion de la culture dont le Nouvel Age, le nouveau paganisme, la spiritualité athée et les nouveaux pop-cultes sont les manifestations. La religion de la culture se base sur l’anthropologie modifiée par le mobilisme, le relativisme et les recherches spirituelles en dehors des institutions. Cette religion est donc une religion sans Dieu, sans révélation surnaturelle, sans ligne historique et sans institution. Elle propose une mystique nouvelle et devient un défi pour les grandes religions historiques auxquelles elle s’oppose. / Postmodernism affects the report between culture and religion. It introduces in philosophy three theories: the weak thought based on deconstruction, the liquid reality and the discontinuity of philosophical discourse. Mutation of philosophical approach changed the definitions of culture and religion and allowed to formulate the central question of this research: is it possible that culture absorbs religion and creates a religion of culture? New definitions give the understanding of how the postmodernism rejects the idea of transcendence and reduces religion to culture. The postmodern philosophy generates conditions allowing the appearance of the religion of culture which manifests itself in the New Age movement, the new paganism, the atheistic spirituality and in the pop-cults.The new religion base itself on the anthropology transformed by liquidity, relativism and new spiritual researches outside the institutions. Constructed on this modified fundament, the religion of culture is devoid of God, revelation, institution and has no historical line. With the new mysticism, this religion situates itself in opposition to the great historical religions.

This thesis deals with the determinants and mechanisms of individual secularisation processes in a cross-national perspective. In this ‘collected volume’ of six stand-alone articles, I examine religious beliefs and behaviours as well as attitudes towards religion and politics, whereby the validity of the main theories of religious change (classical secularisation theory, existential security hypothesis, supply-side explanations, historical/cultural approaches and conflict theories) are put to an empirical test. The main conclusion is that the fundamental mechanisms suggested by secularisation theories are valid and that we can identify main determinants of religiosity worldwide. However, only a combination of existing approaches is capable of explaining a broad range of the phenomena observed. Chapter 1 (co-authored with Nan Dirk de Graaf and Peter Schmidt) deals with the fundamental mechanisms that facilitate the socialisation of religious beliefs. Under conditions of high inequality, religion acts as a source of social capital that benefits the religious socialisation of individuals outside of the family context. If levels of inequality fall, this ‘social value of religion’ is diminished and religious socialisation depends more strongly on parental efforts, thereby gradually leading to intergenerational secularisation. In Chapter 2 (co-authored with Anja Neundorf) we show that the state in Eastern Europe played a crucial role in de-establishing as well as re-establishing religious plausibility structures, which explains lower levels of religious belief in Cold War cohorts as well as the religious revival after the end of the Cold War. Chapters 3 and 4 examine the topic of religion and politics and the mechanisms behind the support for the 9/11 attacks in the Muslim world. Levels of existential security and income inequality have a strong impact on the preferences for religious politicians in a cross-sectional as well as in a longitudinal perspective. Moreover, religiosity and altruistic behaviour run the risk of being converted into pro-terrorist support under conditions of high levels of inequality and low development levels. The final two chapters show that –in a world-wide comparison development levels, inequality and the Socialist history of countries explain 75% of the variation in religiosity between countries. Furthermore, future developments in religious change will also be subject to changes in fertility. The main drivers of secularisation processes can be identified, but for the majority of the world population these conditions are not met at present, nor will they be met in the near future.

Une agriculture éco-spirituelle peut-elle développer l’Afrique en cette ère de crise écologique ? Telle est la question à laquelle cette thèse répond à travers l’étude d’un projet de développement dont l’objectif est d’être pour le Bénin, un «vivier» de développement socio-économique, à partir de l’homme dont le profil est celui d’un «entrepreneur de type nouveau», «moralement équipé» et doté d’un important capital humain. Ce type d’homme est à «monter» de toutes les pièces du «savoir-être», du «savoir-faire» et du «savoir tout court» par une formation pratico-pratique, suivant le double principe pédagogique : «Apprends en faisant» et «Utilise ce que tu as pour avoir ce que tu veux». Apprendre à faire quoi ? Faire de l’agriculture un levier du décollage économique. Une agriculture écologique et entrepreneuriale, dont la méthode de production et de gestion, met en synergie la culture, l'élevage et la pisciculture d'une part, la production, la transformation et la commercialisation d’autre part et enfin, le social, l’économique et l’écologique, le tout dans une perspective plutôt théocentrique que cosmocentrique ou anthropocentrique. / Can eco-spiritual agriculture develop Africa in this era of ecological crisis ? This present thesis tries to answer the above question through the study of Songhaï development Project whose objective is to be for Benin Republic a breeding ground for socio-economic development from the man which profile is “a new type of entrepreneur”, “morally equipped” endowed with an important human resources. This type of man is to be fully assembled with the “behavioural skills”, the “know-how”, and simply the “knowledge” by an in-depth practical training based on the double pedagogical principle : “Learn by doing” and “Use what you have to get what you need”. Learning to do what ? Transforming agriculture into the gear lever of economic progress. An ecological and entrepreneurial agriculture of which the productive and management methods take into account culture, breeding and fish farming in one hand, and production, transformation and marketing on the other, and finally its spiritual, social and economical dimensions.

Korea became a multicultural society through the influx of foreigners: migrant workers, international married couples, foreign students, and naturalized citizens. This social change challenges Korean churches to reflect on their mission styles and theology. The theology of the welcomed stranger is a theological response to the Korean context, requiring a profound understanding of globalization and migration. It focuses mainly on the lives of migrant workers in Korea and suggests a model of settlement for both Koreans and migrant workers for peaceful living while exploring a community of toleration, friendship, and harmony for co-existence and emphasizing social justice for the poor and marginalized. Interfaith dialogue between Korean churches and migrant workers is also an important facet of this theology. The introduction outlines my personal life story in relation to Minjung theology and the theology of the wanderer as preconditions to the theology of the welcomed stranger. Chapter One explains the theological responses to globalization and the context of globalization and migration while researching the role of international economic institutions and international laws for migrant workers and their families. Chapter Two explores the situation of migrant workers in Korea, especially women, while highlighting the work of Korean NGOs working for migrant workers and showing the viewpoints of NGO staff on globalization. Chapter Three reflects on Minjung theology and suggests its new responsibility in the era of globalization. Chapter Four considers the theology of the wanderer, comparing it with Minjung theology. Chapter Five outlines the theology of the welcomed stranger and argues for the virtue of a multicultural society, challenging Korean churches to understand the social reality of migrant workers and accepting them as “welcomed stranger.” Chapter Six emphasizes interfaith dialogue and relations between Korean churches and migrant workers, examining the religious context of Korea and the historical background of the Korean church. This chapter also provides the viewpoints of NGO staff in Korea on interfaith dialogue, supporting Korean churches and migrant workers to work together for the realization of a “basic human community,” which I understand as a response to the idea of the kingdom of God.

La thèse analyse la façon dont Calvin justifie un engagement sans limite dans le travail, en faveur de la recherche de prospérité, alors que paradoxalement il condamne la quête d’enrichissement personnel et la poursuite de ses propres intérêts. Le devoir de travailler repose sur un devoir dit de lieutenance (lieu-tenance), qui signifie que tout homme est responsable d’agir tel que Dieu l’aurait fait à sa place. Il en découle la nécessité d’un engagement sans limite dans le travail, un devoir de performance individuelle et une responsabilité sociale. L’humain est compris comme fragile et dépendant des autres, ne pouvant surmonter sa fragilité qu’en s’engageant dans une relation d’alliance avec Dieu et avec les hommes. En contrepartie de son engagement, il trouve le bonheur. Cette interprétation diffère de l’éthique calviniste décrite par Max Weber dans l’Ethique Protestante et l’esprit du capitalisme. Elle accorde une grande valeur aux échanges économiques, à travers lesquels se construit la société. La justice consiste en la mise en œuvre conjointe de l’équité et de la libéralité dans les échanges. / The thesis analyzes the way Calvin justifies a commitment without limit in work, in search of prosperity, while paradoxically condemning the quest for personal enrichment and the pursuit of one’s own interests. The duty to work is based on a duty named lieutenancy. It means that every man or women is responsible for acting as God would have done in his or her place. Goods are given to lead to prosperity as a sign of divine providence in order to constitute a just and contented society. This entails the necessity of a limitless commitment to work, a search for individual performance and social responsibility. The human being is understood as fragile and depending on others, only being able to surmount his or her fragility through a covenantal relationship with God and people. In return for this commitment, he or she finds happiness. This interpretation differs from the Calvinist ethics described by Max Weber in The Protestant Ethic and the spirit of the capitalism. It leads to assigning a high value to economic exchanges, through which a fraternal society is constructed. Justice consists in implementing equity mutually and liberality in the exchanges.