Reference no: EM132338384

Discussion: The Religious Marketplace

As you have read this week, in many contemporary and pluralistic societies, people of varying religious traditions coexist in the same physical spaces. As people become more aware of other religious traditions, this wide range of religious traditions may start to be viewed as religious "options" that someone seeking religious community may choose from. Through this process, the religious fabric of the society begins to resemble a marketplace of many possible religious opportunities. In this Discussion, you will consider the aspects of your own culture to determine the extent to which that culture can be considered a religious marketplace.

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review the assigned pages of reading in the course text.

• Consider the extent to which the various religious faiths in your local society are available as marketable "products" from which religious "consumers" can select.

Submit a Discussion post of 250 words, summarizing the course text's definition for the term religious marketplace and then provide your own definition of religion based on what you have read with regard to the major resemblances between religions. In addition, compare aspects of your own experience with religion against the definition you provided. Finally, evaluate whether your society includes elements of the religious marketplace. Include at least one specific example that exemplifies whether or not your society functions as a religious marketplace.

Support the information you present in your Discussion post by making at least 2 references, in proper APA format, to your course readings.

Here is the text book source

Kurtz, L. R. (2016). Gods in the global village: The world's religions in sociological perspective (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.