ABSTRACT
This chapter provides seven features of modernity: the primacy of reason, science and technology; a craving for individuai freedom; the historical emergence of the masses; functional differentiation; economie development; and globalisation. K. Jaspers identified modernity with four fundamental distinguishing features: modern science and technology, a craving for freedom, the emergence of the masses on the historical stage, and globalization. The hallmark of post-modernity is the disqualification of 'great narratives': great religions, great ideologies and the ideology of endless progress. The chapter reviews the various claims put forward concerning the effeets of modernity on religion and the transformations taking place in religion. It focuses on several of the new religious characteristics that have been highlighted: this-worldiness, optionality and self-spirituality, de-hierarchization, para-scientificity, pluralization and relativization, mobility and revisability, loosely organized networks. The globalization may bring a radicai relativization of religions and promote world-wide diffusion and gatherings, more pluralist reinterpretations, ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue, fundamentalist reactions, innovations.
