Religion in Global Civil Society

Abstract The essays in this volume explore the difficulties and possibilities of diverse religious groups occupying the same public space. It is shown that religion is not only identified with the culture and politics of the hostile anti-urban village, but is also compatible with the tolerance and respect needed in the global city. Some religious activists have blown things up, but others have tried to smooth things over. Prophetic religious voices call for moderation, justice, and environmental protection. Even the religious opposition to globalization is nuanced. Some violent activists, like Hindu extremists in India, want a new religious state. Others, like Christian militias or al Qaeda, envision a transnational religious entity — a kind of religious globalization to supplant the secular one. Still others call for an alternative to secular globalization that embraces religious values in a multicultural milieu. These essays demonstrate that religion plays diverse and sometimes contradictory roles in the new global culture. The contributors to this volume deftly navigate the complex terrain of religion and global society, offering a striking new vision of the future of religion in a changing world.