The churches in Germany are rarely full these days, and the number of children still being christened is on the wane. Fewer and fewer people choose to become priests or pastors. And yet the notion that religion and piety are somehow disappearing from society would be wrong. There is in fact a very lively market for popular religious themes, and guidebooks and how-to manuals on spiritual matters are booming. How can we reconcile these two apparently contradictory facts? What are the consequences for our religious communities? Thomas Großbölting provides some concrete answers to these questions in an easy-to-read volume – an indispensable book for anyone interested in matters of faith.



Dr. Thomas Großbölting ist Professor für Neueste Geschichte und Zeitgeschichte an der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster sowie Projektleiter im Exzellenzcluster »Religion und Politik«.