Based on the topic of human-environment relation, I am going to delve into the question of who is subjectively identified as a ‘supernatural agent’ and what type and scope of agency is attributed. In the context of the seminar that also asks about the connection to COVID-related healing practices, I will then link the concept of supernatural agency with phenomena of health. Thereupon I want to present the methods and findings of my research following the guideline question: How do religious actors in Germany and Indonesia connect their belief with medical action against the Covid-19 pandemic?, focusing on Christian actors in Germany.
Toward the end of 2019, a tiny entity given the name SARS-CoV-2, overpowered the world with a relentless ferocity that sharply exposed the vulnerability of modern human civilization. A belief in the superiority of our species, in the progressiveness of modern social systems, in the achievements in technology and medicine, could not save us from the power of “one of nature’s most miniscule members". With the ongoing spread and unpredictable mutation of the COVID-19 virus, a global war has been declared on something biologically not even classified as a living being, and states mobilize all resources to regain control. This ‘invisible agent’ challenges our personal lives and state action just as much as the postulated separation between humanity and ‘nature’. Not only must we acknowledge the virus as a more-than-human global actor in contrast to humans as being the only forceful agents “acting upon a passive world”, its assumed origin in zoonosis also marks a point of fusion between human and non-human realms, and therefore can be seen as a reinforcement of entanglement that transcends nature/culture dichotomy.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Human-Environment Relation
2.1 Constructing Nature and Environment
2.2 The Merging of Dividing Lines: The Human and the Non-Human
2.3 The Merging of Dividing Lines: The Natural and the Supernatural
2.4 Coming Towards a Radically Inclusive Ecology
3. Agency
3.1 Agency of Non-Humans
3.2 Agency of the Supernatural
4. Religion and Health
4.1 Characterizing Religion
4.2. Characterizing Christian Religion
4.3. Religion and Health
5.Summary
6. Researching Religious Actors
6.1. Frame, Design and Methods
6.2. Interviews and Findings
7. Conclusion
8. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This work explores how religious actors, specifically Christian communities in Germany, integrate their spiritual beliefs and concepts of supernatural agency with their medical and practical responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, within the framework of a more-than-human ecological perspective.
- Analysis of nature-culture dichotomies and non-human agency.
- Examination of 'supernatural' entities within modern social and health contexts.
- Application of Actor-Network-Theory and the concept of 'flat ontology' in anthropological research.
- Investigation of religious coping mechanisms during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Qualitative ethnographic study of diverse Christian perspectives on supernatural agency and health.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 Agency of the Supernatural
Across cultures, supernatural beings, such as gods, spirits, ghosts, angels, and demons, have been recurrently recognized as acting entities (Pyysiäinen 2009: 9; cf. Waardenburg 1986: 17). Supernatural beings are multiform and heterogeneous, yet in general devoid of a physical body, usually invisible, acting “from afar” (Pyysiäinen 2009: 98) and often possessing “exceptional power to interfere with peoples’ lives” (ibd.). Their agency is hence detached from a biological body. Following Pyysiäinen, this can also be the case with ‘natural’ agents, such as the Queen of England who “may possess property as monarch that is distinct from the property she possesses personally” (ibid: 97), or, according to Latour, a policeman who is ‘hyperfiguratively’ representing state authority and thus has power of action that exceeds that of his person (Latour, alias Johnson, 1988: 306). Thus, we might conclude, the power to act is provided to those we detect and accept as rightful agents.
Why humans identify and acknowledge supernatural beings as influential actors is explained and interpreted by scientific disciplines in different ways. Sociology may connect the development of supernatural ordering systems to the legitimation and stabilization of power relations and social orders (Waardenburg 1986: 152), while psychology might describe supernatural beings as an “effective illusion” rooted in parental projections (ibid. 155; Murken 1998: 31). Cognitive science argues towards a “natural, intuitive impetus for postulating gods” (Barrett 2011: 102), describing cognitive processes as hypersensitive to recognize intentional agency around us, even when there is not any – an evolutionary useful “better-safe-than-sorry tuning” with gods being, “by these lights, false positives” (ibid. 101). However, the various ways supernaturality is interconnected with human cognitive equipment, society and individual bonding experiences does not necessarily lead to a dismissal of supernatural agency as a real and effective force.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the global challenge of SARS-CoV-2 and introduces the research objective of exploring how supernatural agents and magical ecologies influence human world- and sensemaking.
2. Human-Environment Relation: Examines the social construction of nature and culture, arguing for a more relational and inclusive ecology that transcends traditional human-nonhuman dichotomies.
3. Agency: Defines and expands the concept of agency by including non-human and supernatural actors, utilizing frameworks like Actor-Network-Theory and flat ontology.
4. Religion and Health: Explores the intersection of religion, theology, and health, specifically using the concept of salutogenesis to understand how belief systems aid in coping with crises.
5. Summary: Recapitulates the theoretical framework and transitions toward the empirical research segment.
6. Researching Religious Actors: Describes the ethnographic methodology and details findings from interviews with Christian actors regarding their perceptions of the pandemic.
7. Conclusion: Synthesizes the empirical findings, emphasizing that supernatural agency provides an explanatory framework for human health and social action in times of uncertainty.
8. Bibliography: Lists all academic sources cited in the work.
Keywords
Agency, Supernatural, COVID-19, Human-Environment Relation, Actor-Network-Theory, Religion, Salutogenesis, Christianity, Non-human, Flat Ontology, Ethnography, Worldmaking, Sensemaking, Pandemic, Ecology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The research examines how religious actors, specifically Christians, perceive supernatural agency and incorporate it into their understanding and response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What central themes are addressed in the work?
Central themes include the merging of natural and supernatural realms, the critique of human-centered agency, and the relationship between religious faith and health outcomes.
What is the core research question?
The study asks how religious actors in Germany connect their spiritual understanding with medical action during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What methodology does the author employ?
The author uses qualitative ethnographic methods, primarily through semi-structured interviews conducted in the context of a tandem seminar.
What does the main body discuss?
The main body covers theoretical discussions on environment and agency, characterizes religious systems, explores the link between religion and health, and presents empirical findings from participant interviews.
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include supernatural agency, more-than-human socialities, flat ontology, and salutogenesis.
How does the author define 'supernatural agency' in the context of the pandemic?
Supernatural agency is interpreted as an influential force, such as God or spiritual entities, which is subjectively recognized as a shaper of reality and a resource for coping with existential threats.
What role does the 'Antichrist' play in the findings of the research?
The Antichrist is identified by some participants as a central actor representing a 'secular' threat, which frames their interpretation of the pandemic as part of a larger spiritual battle.
How do participants relate their faith to medical advice?
Participants show diverse responses: some view medicine and vaccines as a "gift" from God, while others reject medical interventions as "eschatological seduction" or part of a political conspiracy.
What does the author conclude about the relationship between science and religion?
The author suggests that instead of prioritizing scientific explanations (Occam's razor), we should adopt a 'flat ontology' to take supernatural explanations seriously as significant social realities.
- Quote paper
- Antonia Tungel (Author), 2022, Invisible Agents. A Non-Secular Approach to World- and Sensemaking in Pandemic Times, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1190789
