Markus Altena Davidsen is university lecturer in the sociology of religion at Leiden University, the Netherlands. His work on fiction-based religion includes his PhD dissertation “The Spiritual Tolkien Milieu” (2014, cum laude), several articles on Tolkien spirituality and Star Wars-based Jediism, and the edited book Narrative and Belief: The Religious Affordance of Supernatural Fiction (Routledge, 2018). His other research interests include method, theory and research history of the study of religion and religion education. Currently, he is developing a new curriculum and didactical approach for the school subject worldview and religion in Dutch secondary education.

In this episode, Markus discusses the concept of fiction-based religion- a term he coined to describe spiritual movements rooted in fictional narratives like Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings. He distinguishes fiction-based religions (FBRs) from traditional religions by highlighting their lack of historical truth claims and their embrace of narrative as a source of spiritual authority.

Check out www.patreon.com/RejectedReligion or www.rejectedreligion.com for more information.

New tracks tagged #New Religious Movements