Routledge Contemporary Spiritualities - Italy Religion Book

Explore the evolving landscape of religious expression in Italy with this scholarly study from Routledge. While many sociologists view alternative spirituality as a modern movement born in the 1960s and 1970s, this book offers a different perspective. It examines how current spiritual trends actually reintroduce concepts that have appeared throughout Western cultural history. By looking at a long-term timeline, the text argues that 21st-century spirituality shares many characteristics with Classical, Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern spiritualities. It challenges the idea that these practices are entirely new or strictly alternative to established religions. Instead, it presents a nuanced view of how nature, wellbeing, and mystery connect to historical religious patterns. This work is an essential resource for those interested in the sociology of religion and the deep roots of contemporary spiritual life.