Devotional Fitness: An Analysis of Contemporary Christian Dieting and Fitness Programs

This book examines evangelical dieting and fitness programs and provides a systematic approach of this diverse field with its wide variety of programs. When evangelical Christians engage in fitness and dieting classes in order to “glorify God,” they often face skepticism. This book approaches devoti...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Radermacher, Martin 1983- (Author)
Format: Electronic Book
Language:English
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Published: Cham Springer 2017
In:Year: 2017
Series/Journal:Popular Culture, Religion and Society. A Social-Scientific Approach 2
SpringerLink Bücher
Springer eBook Collection Social Sciences
Further subjects:B Social Sciences
B Religion and culture
B Religion
B Aesthetics
Online Access: Cover
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Parallel Edition:Druckausg.: 978-3-319-49821-8
Printed edition: 9783319498218
Description
Summary:This book examines evangelical dieting and fitness programs and provides a systematic approach of this diverse field with its wide variety of programs. When evangelical Christians engage in fitness and dieting classes in order to “glorify God,” they often face skepticism. This book approaches devotional fitness culture in North America from a religious studies perspective, outlining the basic structures, ideas, and practices of the field. Starting with the historical backgrounds of this current, the book approaches both practice and ideology, highlighting how devotional fitness programs construe their identity in the face of various competing offers in religious and non-religious sectors of society. The book suggests a nuanced and complex understanding of the relationship between sports and religion, beyond ‘simple’ functional equivalency. It provides insights into the formation of secular and religious body ideals and the way these body ideals are sacralized in the frame of an evangelical worldview
1 Introduction -- PART I. Theoretical and methodological background -- 2 State of research on devotional fitness -- 3 Goal, theory, and method -- PART II. Body and religion in twentieth century America -- 4 From New Thought to Bod4God -- PART III. Analysis of empirical data: products, narratives, and theologies -- 5 Devotional fitness as discourse and embodied practice6 Between inclusion and exclusion: devotional fitness and its environment -- PART IV. Theoretical reflections-reflecting theory -- 7 Constructing identity from difference -- 8 Reflecting on concepts and approaches -- 9 Conclusions
ISBN:3319498231
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-49823-2