Viggo Mortensen, Chair in Global Christianity and Ecumenical
Concerns, Director Center for Multireligious Studies, University of Aarhus,
Denmark.
E-mail: vm@teologi.au.dk
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The Network for the Study of Religions in Contemporary Europe (NetSoRCE)
The background for this research project is the ignorance of
what is happening in our own backyard in Europe. All observe that the religious
landscape is changing, but we have too little data to back this observation and
stimulate our reflection. We see that other religions than Christianity gain in
strength. In the 19th and first half of the 20th century many churches were
built in Europe; in the second half of the 20th century churches are closing and
mosques and temples are being built by the hundreds. Allthough we can observe
such developments we know far too little of this emerging religious plurality:
Who are those religious adherents? How many are there? What do they believe? How
do the traditions change in a European context?
Also Christianity changes. Europe is undergoing a rapid change from mono to
multi. Within the Danish Pluralism Project (see
http://www.teo.au.dk/cms/Pluralismeprojektet/) affiliated with the American
pluralism project. (see
http://www.pluralism.org/about/index.php) we have been inspired by the
British sociologist Grace Davie to ask if Europe is a special case? (see
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0232524254/qid=1092136023/sr=8-7/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i7_xgl14/104-1028413-7320756?v=glance&s=books&n=507846).
There are indications that Europe indeed is an exceptional case. Many
researchers and research groups all over Europe are dealing with some of the
issues raised by the new religious plurality. But the gained knowledge is not
coordinated. Therefore it is the object of the Network for the Study of
Religions in Contemporary Europe (NetSoRCE) to gather the existing knowledge and
thus make it fruitful for extended reflection.
As of now NetSoRCE is a Network of Excellence (NoE) between 22 European
outstanding universities and research institutions committed to enhance the
knowledge within the society about the intricate dynamics between religions,
values, worldviews and culture.
By studying the emergence of new forms of values, religions and cultural
identities the network will inform and improve the general understanding of the
evolution of citizenship and identities in Europe in the context of religious
and cultural diversity with the aim of strengthening European integration and
contribute to a peaceful development of a united Europe.
The network NetSoRCE will work with these issues through a number of initiatives
designed to cross fertilize between academic disciplines within religious and
cultural studies, anthropology and the social sciences. Through the network an
extended exchange of scholars and research students will be facilitated in order
to disseminate information and spreading of excellence. In addition a number of
Joint Programme Activities (JPA) will enhance the integrative effect and
generate new knowledge. This includes
• building a NetSoRCE knowledge and resource database,
• mapping the changing religious landscape in Europe
• researching the emerging transnational religious networks
• analysing the historical, legal, political, social, economic and cultural
contexts of religious plurality in Europe and
• interpreting the impact of this development towards multi-culturality and
multi-religiousity on European knowledge based societies.
Special emphasis will be put on the manifold interrelations between cultural and
religious diversity and the development of a Europe in line with established
social objectives, realising that the social cohesion of knowledge based
societies will be an issue of great importance for the development of
citizenship, democracy and new forms of governance.
The initial conference will be held at the
University of Aarhus, Denmark,
May 26 – 30 May, 2005,
Sponsorship: Center for Multireligious Studies, University of Aarhus.
Participation is open to researchers of all backgrounds studying religious
plurality in Europe.
Contact: Viggo Mortensen (email:
vm@teologi.au.dk)
Jørgen Skov Sørensen (email:
Jskov@teologi.au.dk)