Symbolic religiosity is a term coined by sociologist

Herbert Gans Herbert J. Gans (born May 7, 1927) is a German-born American sociologist who taught at Columbia University from 1971 to 2007. One of the most prolific and influential sociologists of his generation, Gans came to America in 1940 as a refugee fro ...

.Symbolic ethnicity and symbolic religiosity: Towards a comparison of ethnic and religious acculturation HJ Gans - Ethnic and Racial Studies, 1994 - Taylor & Francis
/ref> Gans explores the concept of symbolic religiosity as a concept parallel to, although separate from

symbolic ethnicity In sociology, symbolic ethnicity is a nostalgic allegiance to, love for, and pride in a cultural tradition that can be felt and lived without having to be incorporated to the person's everyday behavior; as such, a symbolic ethnic identity usuall ...

. To Gans, symbolic religiosity is religious behavior detached from any comprehensive religious observance or religious affiliation. Symbolic religiosity is common among immigrant communities, as members of a

diaspora A diaspora ( ) is a population that is scattered across regions which are separate from its geographic place of origin. Historically, the word was used first in reference to the dispersion of Greeks in the Hellenic world, and later Jews afte ...

can use the symbols of religion to preserve values and beliefs from their place of origin.

Examples

Christianity

Among the second-generation

Korean-American Korean Americans are Americans of Korean ancestry (mostly from South Korea). In 2015, the Korean-American community constituted about 0.56% of the United States population, or about 1.82 million people, and was the fifth-largest Asian America ...

community, participation in ethnic Korean

Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...

churches is often seen as a way of preserving Korean values, language and culture, as well as a way to access social networks and meet other ethnic Koreans in a majority non-Korean society. While many Korean-American churchgoers are religious, many are not, and view

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...

as a method of

cultural transmission Cultural learning is the way a group of people or animals within a society or culture tend to learn and pass on information. Learning styles are greatly influenced by how a culture socializes with its children and young people. Cross-cultural res ...

for the Korean identity. There is an emphasis on the value of

filial piety In Confucianism, Chinese Buddhism, and Daoist ethics, filial piety (, ''xiào'') (Latin: pietas) is a virtue of respect for one's parents, elders, and ancestors. The Confucian '' Classic of Filial Piety'', thought to be written around the lat ...

(a staple of the Korean worldview introduced by

Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or ...

) through biblical studies and the language of Christianity.

Islam

Young European Muslims often do not believe in a higher power nor observe daily religious practices, but may participate in religious festivals, weddings and circumcision ceremonies as a member of their Muslim-origin migrant communities. A 2006 survey by Küçükcan concluded that while young British teenagers of

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities ...

and

Cypriot Cypriot (in older sources often "Cypriote") refers to someone or something of, from, or related to the country of Cyprus. * Cypriot people, or of Cypriot descent; this includes: ** Armenian Cypriots ** Greek Cypriots ** Maronite Cypriots ** Tur ...

descent feel positively about Islam, the majority of them do not observe important Islamic events (such as the

Kandil Kandil (from ar, قنديل, qindil) refers to five Islamic holy nights, celebrated in Turkey and Muslim Balkan communities, related to the life of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, when the minarets are illuminated and special prayers are made. It is ...

days), do not attend

Mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a Place of worship, place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers (sujud) ...

and lack basic religious knowledge (such as the

five pillars of Islam The Five Pillars of Islam (' ; also ' "pillars of the religion") are fundamental practices in Islam, considered to be obligatory acts of worship for all Muslims. They are summarized in the famous hadith of Gabriel. The Sunni and Shia agree ...

). Despite this lack of religious observance, young

British Turks British Turks ( tr, ) or Turks in the United Kingdom ( tr, ) are Turkish people who have immigrated to the United Kingdom. However, the term may also refer to British-born persons who have Turkish parents or who have a Turkish ancestral backgro ...

often identify as Muslims as a symbolic marker of cultural identity, and may participate in prayer and religious holidays. As one respondent reported, "Being a Muslim is our identity. Sometimes we may ignore practical aspects of it, but we are still Muslims". The "Muslim atheist" identity is sometimes used to express the symbolic religious loyalty faced by former Muslims who face discrimination in a Christian-majority society despite not believing in religion.

Judaism

Examples of symbolic

Judaism Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in the ...

include what Gans calls a "Jewish objects culture" found in secular Jewish households: items with the

Star of David The Star of David (). is a generally recognized symbol of both Jewish identity and Judaism. Its shape is that of a hexagram: the compound of two equilateral triangles. A derivation of the '' seal of Solomon'', which was used for decorat ...

, candlesticks, art with Jewish themes, etc. These objects lend a "religious decoration" to otherwise non-Jewish activities. Another example of symbolic Judaism is the celebration of the theologically minor holiday of

Chanukah or English translation: 'Establishing' or 'Dedication' (of the Temple in Jerusalem) , nickname = , observedby = Jews , begins = 25 Kislev , ends = 2 Tevet or 3 Tevet , celebrations = Lighting candles each night. ...

by non-observant Jewish parents as a way to strengthen their child's Jewish identity once a year. A 2018 survey of Jewish residents of

Savannah, Georgia Savannah ( ) is the oldest city in the U.S. state of Georgia and is the county seat of Chatham County. Established in 1733 on the Savannah River, the city of Savannah became the British colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later t ...

found that symbolic religiosity was associated with having a non-Jewish spouse, being female and viewing Jewishness as "inherited" instead of "chosen". In addition, living in the

Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, or simply the South) is a geographic and cultural region of the United States of America. It is between the Atlantic Ocean ...

led to a lower level of symbolic religiosity regarding religious services among those surveyed.

References

Sociology of religion Symbolism {{reli-socio-stub

Examples

Christianity

Islam

Judaism

See also

References