The Process of Subjectivization within a Religious Organization: A Narrative Account of Members of the Apostolic Society

Abstract

This article uses Charles Taylor’s concept of the subjective turn in modern western culture to examine how this shift in values and beliefs can impact organised religion, by focusing on the Apostolic Society, a Dutch religious denomination that has undergone significant changes over the past 72 years. Drawing on oral history data from 27 members of the Apostolic Society belonging to different age groups, we explore how they perceived various changes in leadership, rituals, and community life over time, and examine how these changes affected their religious beliefs and sense of belonging. Our findings show a shift from external religious authorities to immanent forms of spirituality and self-authority. Whereas the subjective turn has thus far been mostly understood as a ‘bottom-up movement’, in this case, several changes were imposed top-down. This might help explain why some interviewees experience feelings of ambiguity and a yearning for transcendence. The article concludes that 1) disenchantment within the AS might be a better term than a spiritual revolution; 2) that the ‘subjective-life spirituality’ is not exclusive to the realm of New Age spirituality and alternative religiosity, but also affects more traditional religious contexts.