Vicarious Religion as A Methodological Challenge in Modern Sociology of Religion

Abstract

This study explores the concept of vicarious religion introduced by Grace Davie to explain the transformation of religiosity amid modernity, a process initially predicted to trigger total secularization. The concept refers to a phenomenon in which religious practice is carried out by an active minority on behalf of a passive majority who, despite not participating routinely, still expect religion to be present as a guardian of morals and collective identity. This study aims to explain the theoretical framework of vicarious religion, identify its forms of manifestation, and analyze the methodological challenges it raises for modern sociology of religion. The findings show that vicarious religion is manifested through delegative rituals, beliefs entrusted to specific authorities, moral representation in public issues, and the reactivation of religion’s role as a “reservoir of meaning” in times of crisis. Methodologically, this phenomenon challenges conventional quantitative approaches that measure only physical attendance, and encourages the use of interpretive and mixed methods to capture the latent dimensions of religiosity. In conclusion, there has been a shift from obligation-based to choice-based religion, in which religion continues to perform significant social and symbolic functions through mechanisms of representation.