Stålsett et al.(eds.): The Power of Faiths in Global

What is the ‘power of faiths’ in the world today? How does religion influence politics in different national contexts such as Turkey, Palestine, Israel, Cuba, Mexico and Norway? And how do states attempt to control and restrict the power of religion in Japan, China, Indonesia, India, Nigeria, Egypt, France and Canada? The ‘resurgence of religion’ has become an important focus of scholarly research. It has been given such remarkable names as the ‘revenge of God’ (Kepel) and the ‘de-secularization of the world’ (Berger). Peter Beyer, a main contributor to this volume, has taken a more nuanced approach: The power of faiths is being both consolidated and contested. There seems to be a simultaneous revitalization and relativization of religion in the context of globalisation.This book explores critically the significance and possible implications of the renewed influence of religion on politics. Drawing on methods and perspectives from the social sciences, inter-religious studies and Christian theology, the authors seek a clearer understanding of this highly complex and controversial phenomenon. The Power of Faiths in Global Politics has come into being in the framework of the research program "Religion in a Globalised Age: Transfers and Transformations, Integration and Resistance" at the Faculty of Theology, University of Oslo, sponsored by the Norwegian Research Council.