I have become convinced that the best way to study religion is to view theology through a materialist prism. If that sounds too academic a premise, the common sense equivalent is simple: Study living religion! In my opinion, we cannot view religion as merely a set of beliefs written down somewhere. The way people put their faith into practice is the more accurate measure of how important those beliefs really are.
To give an example for Catholic America, I would cite the practice of birth control. The Church encourages some forms of birth control and bans others: those are the things written down as doctrine. The actual practice of Catholic couples, however, is the material measure of the value of those pronouncements. How-the faith-is-practiced, in other words, needs to be included in assessing what-the faith-preaches. The mix of the two is lived religion.
This blog will explore the dynamics of lived religion in contemporary Catholic America. The Church will be at the center of my focus, but the institution is greatly affected by cultural expression and sociological changes.
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