Mariusz Wojewoda

Digital religious communities – the problem of identity

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From the position of a philosopher of religion, I recognize that man is a religious being. In the context of secularization, the religiosity of Western man takes specific forms that are different from the classical models of spiritual life. For a philosopher of religion, it is interesting to study the relationship between the issue of individually constructed religious identity and the collective identity created within community discourses. The research concerns Christian communities. In contemporary terms, religious experience manifests itself as a search for: 1) an alternative to a life strategy based on consumption and economic competition, 2) self-determination through opposition to the secular image of the world 3) realization of spiritual/internal human development The Enlightenment disenchantment of the world is accompanied by religion becoming part of private life. The crisis of institutional churches makes ephemeral religious communities focused on the spiritual development of individuals but also collective issues related to orthodoxy (defense of doctrine) and orthopraxy (community of action, such as self-help, therapeutic, charitable activities). Contemporary religious communities need spaces other than typical sacred spaces, such as the church building. These are virtual or non-sacred spaces (conference rooms, stadiums, resorts). Some communities need a connection to traditional doctrine (e.g., the Catholic Church), while others are severing this bond.