Religious Agency in Finnish Older Adultsâ Accounts of Meaning in Life
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Abstract
Agency, often associated with proactivity, becomes challenging when cognitive and physical abilities decline. Therefore, in late life, agency requires reinterpretation. Building on this perspective, this study examines how Finnish older adults embody religious agency in their accounts of meaning in life. Religious agency is understood as claiming and enacting a meaningful identity. The data comprise 24 interviews with older adults aged 70â95. The results show that religious agency is exercised to 1) sustain personal faith through lifelong practice, 2) find structure and resilience through religion, 3) express generational concerns through critique of contemporary (non)religion, 4) embrace a personal religious identity by rejecting normative identities and burdening religious practice, and 5) find coherence through surrender to the divine. These findings underline that old age does not merely limit but also enables religious agency, manifesting as coping, freedom from norms and obligations, and acceptance through surrender to a higher power.
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| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 158 | 158 | 18 |
| Full Text Views | 23 | 23 | 1 |
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Religious Agency in Finnish Older Adultsâ Accounts of Meaning in Life
In: Journal of Empirical TheologySearch for other papers by Heidi Toivanen in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by Suvi-Maria Saarelainen in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Agency, often associated with proactivity, becomes challenging when cognitive and physical abilities decline. Therefore, in late life, agency requires reinterpretation. Building on this perspective, this study examines how Finnish older adults embody religious agency in their accounts of meaning in life. Religious agency is understood as claiming and enacting a meaningful identity. The data comprise 24 interviews with older adults aged 70â95. The results show that religious agency is exercised to 1) sustain personal faith through lifelong practice, 2) find structure and resilience through religion, 3) express generational concerns through critique of contemporary (non)religion, 4) embrace a personal religious identity by rejecting normative identities and burdening religious practice, and 5) find coherence through surrender to the divine. These findings underline that old age does not merely limit but also enables religious agency, manifesting as coping, freedom from norms and obligations, and acceptance through surrender to a higher power.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 158 | 158 | 18 |
| Full Text Views | 23 | 23 | 1 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 51 | 51 | 4 |
