Communications - Scientific Letters of the University of Zilina 2016, 18(3):98-104 | DOI: 10.26552/com.C.2016.3.98-104

Religious Existentialism as a Countermeasure to Moralistic Therapeutic Deism

Katarina Valcova1, Martina Pavlikova2, Marie Roubalova3
1 Department of Religious Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Zilina, Slovakia
2 Department of General and Applied Ethics, Faculty of Arts, Constantine the Philosopher University, Nitra, Slovakia
3 Hussite Theological Faculty, Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism (MTD) is a new spiritual trend that is increasingly changing the religious landscape of in the Euro-American cultural provenience. Though appealing to the generation of 'emerging adults' (age 18-25), MTD results in undesirable life-outcomes that prompt religious scholars, theologians, and sociologists to carefully study its roots, expressions, and possible alternatives. Using S. Kierkegaard's religious existentialism as a case study, the authors argue that religious existentialism has the potential to face the detrimental effects of MTD and to reinvigorate stagnating religious communities.

Keywords: religious existentialism; tradition; moralistic therapeutic deism; consequential faith; Kierkegaard

Published: September 30, 2016  Show citation

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Valcova, K., Pavlikova, M., & Roubalova, M. (2016). Religious Existentialism as a Countermeasure to Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Communications - Scientific Letters of the University of Zilina, 18(3), 98-104. doi: 10.26552/com.C.2016.3.98-104
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