Conference description

The concept of religiosity as a highly individual aspect of religion and its research was shaped in Protestant circles in the Western context (Belzen, 2015). It inspired a huge body of research and further developments in the psychology of religion, the sociology of religion, and theology. In non-Western contexts, however, this concept has been proven only partially effective for the description and measuring of religiosity. This observation raises the question if research on religiosity is a science of Western Christianity (Cutting & Walsh 2008; Hill & Hood, 1999). Even within the Western context the present concepts and instruments are only partially applicable to measure religiosity in highly religious individuals adequately. For example, an orthodox belief, which is practiced in some Protestant Free Churches, often does not contradict with life in a modern society (Vermeer & Scheepers, 2017). This observation raises the question if the contemporary conceptualizations and operationalization of religiosity are too strongly oriented towards the ideal of an enlightened and individualized belief.

In light of these two observations, the Münster conference discusses the established concepts of religiosity and aims to expand them by alternative concepts where appropriate. For example, genuine approaches from non-Western cultures can add to the contemporary discourse of religiosity research (e.g., concepts of Muslim or Hindu religiosity). Similarly, a new understanding of highly religious milieus, which are – against the secularization theory – growing in modern societies, can stimulate a new concept of religiosity beyond individualized belief (e.g., Fresh Expressions, Mega Churches).

Besides conceptualizing non-individualized religiosity, another challenge is the application of measures that grew out of the classic concepts of religiosity to the non-Christian and/or non-Western context (Dover, Miner, & Dowso, 2007; Ghorbani, Watson, Sarmast, & Chen, 2018). However, first approaches of religion- and culture-sensitive measures for different contexts have been developed during the last years (e.g., Abu-Raiya & Pargament, 2011; Ağılkaya-Şahin, 2015; Kamble, Watson, Marigoudar, & Chen, 2014; Loewenthal & Solaim, 2016; Ok, 2016). These do not only allow a more differentiated description of such religiosities, but also facilitate a valid research on its correlates. However, there has been only a few of such alternative measures of non-individualized religiosity until today and more instruments of this kind are needed which proof appropriate to various cultural contexts.

Call for Papers

The conference wants to create an interdisciplinary scientific forum with scholars from diverse religious and cultural contexts. It aims to stimulate an international and intercultural scientific discourse on concepts and measures of individual religiosity and induce further conceptual developments in this kind of research. We, therefore, encourage scholars…

… to share both empirical insights in and theoretical reflections on non-individualized religiosity within and outside Western contexts,

… to critically assess the applicability of existing instruments in both non-Western and orthodox Western contexts, and

… to present and discuss alternative instruments to measure individual religiosity without an individualization bias

We welcome contributions with a scope on the psychology of religion, the sociology of religion as well as on theology. Additionally, we would be glad to attract scholars from different cultural backgrounds. Please submit a paper abstract (250 – 300 words) to  Sarah Demmrich by January 15, 2019.

Accommodations and travel information

Hotels

Münster, as a university and conference city, has many hotels and hostels.

The following hotels and hostels are located in the city center and close to the conference venue:

• Stadthotel Münster (74€/night; breakfast: 12€) 

            www.stadthotel-muenster.de/en/ 

            service@stadthotel-muenster.de

            Address: Aegidistraße 21, Phone: +49251/ 4812-0

•  Hotel Martinihof (83€/night incl. breakfast)

            www.hotel-martinihof.de

            Martinihof.Muenster@t-online.de

            Address: Hörsterstraße 25/26, Phone: +49251/ 41862-0

• Ibis Hotel Münster (81,24€/night incl. breakfast)

            www.ibishotel.com

            H2206@accor.com

            Address: Engelstraße 53, Phone: +49251/ 4813-0

• Hotel Conti (79€/night incl. breakfast)

            http://www.hotel-conti-muenster.com/en/

            info@hotel-conti-muenster.de

            Address: Berliner Platz 2, Phone +49251/ 846928-0

Some other hotels

• Hotel Haus vom Guten Hirten
• Hotel am Schlosspark
• Hotel Feldmann

Some Hostels (starting from 27€/night)

• Sleep Station
• Nordstern Hostels
• Tom & Polly 
• Flowers Hotels

Moreover you can check here for hotels or for cheap accommodation.

Conference venue

Address: Schlossplatz 2, 48149 Münster

Getting there

The bicycle is the most commonly used means of transport in Münster. Bicycles can be hired from the bicycle station at the main station, the Muenster Arkaden bicycle station or the “Bike Storage” in the Stubengasse.

• Bicycle Station at the main station “Radstation”

            prices: 8€/day; 20€/3 days

            Address: Berliner Platz 27a

            Phone: +49 251 4840170

            Online reservation is also possible

• Bicycle Station at Stubengasse “Radlager”

            Address: Stubengasse 21

            Same prices as the one above

• Münster Arkaden

            Phone: +49 251 703 67 90

            Address: Ludgeristrasse 100, 48143 Münster

            Same prices as the one above

            You can just go by and rent a bike

By bus

You can easily get to the conference place via bus. Arriving by train you can use a few different busses. There are two possible busstations where you can get off. On is called "Landgericht" the other one "Schlossplatz". Both busstops are very close to the venue.

To get to "Landgericht" you can use:

Line 11: Platform C1; Direction: "Münster Diekmannstraße"

Line 12: Platform B1; Direction: "Münster Rüschhausweg"

Linie 13: Platform B1: Direction: "Münster Technologiepark"

To get to "Schlossplatz" you can use:

Line R64: Platform C3; Direction: "Havixbbeck Bahnhof"

Line 9: Platform B1; Direction: "Münster Von-Humbold-Straße"

Line R73: Platform B3; Direction: "Altenberge, Münsterstraße"

Line 1: Platform B1; Direction: "Münster Roxel Hallenbad"

All bus rides take about 10 minutes.

By car

You can easily go to Münster via the highway A1 (Autobahnkreuz Münster-Nord or Münster-Süd) or highway A43 (Autobahnkreuz Münster-Süd). The best is to park on the parking spot in front of the Münster castle. From there it is only a five-minutes walk to the conference venue. If you are coming from the south (Münster-Süd), continue on Weseler Straße for about 5km. Follow the road until you can see the castle on your left hand side. If you are coming from the north (Münster-Nord), continue on Steinfurter Straße. Follow the road until you can see the castle on your right hand side.

By train

Münster can be reached via regional as well as intercity trains (Deutsche Bahn). Taking a taxi from the train station to the conference venue will take you about 10 minutes. If you leave the central station, on your left hand side you can find the taxis. If you rather want to walk to the conference venue, it will take you about 15 minutes.

By plane

The local airport Muenster/Osnabrueck has connections from several cities, both in Germany and Europe. Taking a plane from Berlin, Frankfurt or Munich will take you about an hour. There is a bus to the train station (Line S50, R51, D50 – every 30 min – Direction: Münster). Alternatively, you can fly into Dortmund or Duesseldorf and take the train to Muenster.

Organising Committee

Dr. Sarah Demmrich (psychologist of religion, Post-Doc at the chair of Sociology of Religion) and Prof. Dr. Ulrich Riegel (Professor for Practical Theology and Religious Education).