It seems odd, at first glance, to talk about “innovation” in religion and spirituality. Religion is often imagined as a bastion of tradition and continuity. Innovation, by contrast, is typically associated with technology, markets, disruption, novelty, creativity–terms which are at odds with our conventional understandings of religion. Talk of innovation in religion and spirituality, then, can see...
This analysis operates in **ACADEMIC MODE**, as the article engages with scholarly frameworks, historical context, and conceptual debates around religious innovation.
**Methodology Check**: The piece synthesizes historical, sociological, and theological perspectives without presenting original empirical data. It relies on secondary sources (e.g., Benoît Godin’s work on innovation, Nancy Ammerman’s spirituality framework) and case studies (e.g., Puritan reactions to Laud’s reforms, *bid’ah* in Is...