Power and authority in a variety of religious groups

The Faculty of Theology Centre for Multireligious Studies Contact Introduction Presentation International Cooperation Pluralism Project DK Presentation Rel. Pluralism Project Description Religion and Authority - an introduction.

It is a highly researched and well documented fact that a certain amount of power and authority circulates in contemporary societies. Govern­ment, local authorities and influential private organisations all struggle for their share in this power game. Looking at the case of Denmark, however, possibly due the fact that this country often is considered a highly secular society, little research has been made into the power structures, authority and hierarchies that nevertheless do exist within numerous religious groups in contempo­rary Danish society. Even less so has it been investigated how such structures interact with and influence the rest of society. This project, framed and conducted by a handful of researchers associated with the Centre for Multireligious Studies at Aarhus University, sets out to explore to what extent power and authority, theoretically and in real life situations, is present in a variety of religious groups in Denmark, including new spiritual groups, healers and so called ‘self-improvement courses’.

More information will be available according to the development of the project planning and implementation. Researchers: Viggo Mortensen, Marianne Qvortrup Fibiger, Lars Ahlin, Lene Kühle, Jørn Borup, René Dybdal Pedersen, Iben Egekvist Krogsdal, Inge Liengaard, Karen-Lise Johansen Karman, Charlotte Karlsen, Henrik Reintoft Christensen. Please contact.: Research Coordinator Charlotte Karlsen or mail to the Centre address: cms@teo.au.dk