Hidden apostasy: what prevents nonbelieving clergy from disclosing their lack of faith?
This article examines the phenomenon of performative religiosity or ‘belonging without believing’ among religious professionals who no longer believe in the supernatural. This study draws on a dataset comprising over 50 interviews and an analysis of hundreds of profiles of nonbelieving religious pro...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2025
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| In: |
Journal of contemporary religion
Year: 2025, Volume: 40, Issue: 3, Pages: 383-399 |
| Further subjects: | B
belonging without believing
B Atheism B Deconversion B Apostasy B The Clergy Project B Clergy |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This article examines the phenomenon of performative religiosity or ‘belonging without believing’ among religious professionals who no longer believe in the supernatural. This study draws on a dataset comprising over 50 interviews and an analysis of hundreds of profiles of nonbelieving religious professionals. For individuals of this kind, “The Clergy Project” was established in 2011. Among these individuals, some choose not to disclose their nonbelief for various reasons. This article suggests that, in many cases, the reluctance to offend their parents and concern for their parents’ well-being often serve as significant factors that inhibit nonbelieving religious professionals from openly declaring their disbelief. To gain a deeper understanding of the micro-level dynamics of secularization, it is crucial to uncover the interplay between social context and individual motives. |
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| ISSN: | 1469-9419 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal of contemporary religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/13537903.2025.2580133 |
