A consideration of the language of Higher Power as 'postmodern negotiated spirituality'

Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies
Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies

University of Chester

w.dossett@chester.ac.uk

The Higher Power Project

@higherpowerproj

My PhD (Wales) was in Japanese Buddhism and Religious Studies Methodology. Throughout my career in Religious Studies I’ve developed interests in religion and education, religious experience outside of institutional religious contexts, and spirituality. I spent six years involved in the training of RE teachers. I’ve been a senior principal examiner at A level in Religious Studies for more than a decade. I was for nine years an Associate Director of the Alister Hardy Religious Experience Research Centre. I’m Secretary for the Shap Working Party for Religions in Education.

The Higher Power Project emerges from a realisation that there exists a lacuna in scholarly accounts of the religious and spiritual landscape of contemporary Britain. These accounts fail to document the presence within society of twelve step spirituality as a legitimate form of contemporary spirituality. Whilst it is hardly surprising, given the anonymous nature of the fellowships, that such a lacuna exists, the Higher Power Project hopes to voice those who identify as practicing this form of spirituality and to map the language of Higher Power amongst those in twelve step recover y today. The Higher Power Project research team is myself and Professor John Stoner from the Centre of Research into Environment and Health, Aberystwyth University.