Strange Rites

March 13, 2020

Burton elaborates on her work as a regular contributor to outlets such as Vox and The Atlantic with her unique perspective on the evolving nature of religion in the United States. Burton argues that organized religions, particularly traditional Christian-based faith communities, have fallen out of favor as their social, spiritual, and/or community-building functions are replaced by nonreligious niche groups such as Harry Potter fandoms, SoulCycle devotees, kinksters, political organizations, or any numbers of interests that typically coalesce around a strong internet-based community. This well-researched work begins rather unevenly, but finds its footing and concludes with an especially riveting analysis of the religious aspects of the male-dominated alt-right nationalist movement and its dangerous consequences. VERDICT For readers with an interest and background in philosophy, theology, and popular culture who enjoy casual academic banter and a unique perspective on the evolving nature of contemporary U.S. society.--Kelly Karst, California Institute of Integral Studies

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 13, 2020
Religion News Service columnist Burton (Social Creatures) chronicles the increasingly common scene of “intuitional” spirituality, or what she calls “religiously Remixed” culture, in this engaging if limited study. Burton’s approach mixes reportage and personal encounters to illuminate what’s happening with those looking for “knowing, for belonging, and for meaning” in places readers might at first find unlikely. Whether it be the “religious-but-not-really-but-actually-kind-of-yes” energy of Harry Potter fandom, the “self care” and “wellness culture” embodied in communities surrounding SoulCycle, Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop, or hypermasculine alt-right groups, Burton argues that “new gods are everywhere.” A particularly insightful chapter, “The Magic Resistance,” explores the melding of “occultism” and “New Age, Neo-Pagan, or Wiccan” spirituality with mass progressive movements, such as the mass “hexing” of then Supreme Court justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh organized by occultists. Burton’s smart book, contrary to its subtitle, has a frustratingly narrow focus, centering primarily on analysis of religious hybridity in America. Nonetheless, this is a revelatory survey of the increasingly transfigured American spiritual landscape.

Starred review from May 1, 2020
Novelist and theology scholar Burton (Social Creature, 2018) blends research with historical and cultural analysis to suggest that, in a country some believe to be godless, faith is actually surging in forms that privilege personal intuition over institutions. People Burton refers to as "Remixed blend elements of traditional religious practice with a personal spirituality that emphasizes feelings and experiences. They form contemporary tribes to supply the four main pillars of religion: meaning, purpose, community, and ritual. Rather than advocating for a preferred way of being, Burton invites readers to view current religious practice in context. Remix culture is tied to the internet's decentering of power, achieved by rendering geography less significant and developing platforms that level fan voices and authorial voices. To understand Remixed practices, Burton embeds herself into subcultures that might seem ideologically disparate: Harry Potter fandom, wellness culture, witchcraft, polyamory, kink, atavism, techno-utopianism, and social justice warriorism. She reveals that they actually share a common infrastructure. In each, one finds a shared mantra: you (not an institution) know what's best for you. Burton's writing is challenging, educational, and electric, combining big-picture thinking with deep-dive immersion, while offering her own experience in Remixing. Readers will come away with enlightened and altered thinking.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)