Paper short abstract:

The Finnish religious landscape has changed in the 2010s. New forms of religion and new spirituality has evolved. Women incorporate traditional figures, angels, in their changing spiritual practices. Angels and angel practices provide support and enchantment to their everyday life.

Paper long abstract:

The Finnish religious landscape has changed in the 2010s. Secularization, privatization, medialization and multiculturalism have influenced on the traditional institutional religion and created new forms of religion and new spirituality. Previous research indicates that privatization, selectivity and use of spiritual services combine individualistic spirituality with modern consumerism.

In my presentation, I will discuss how women incorporate traditional figures, angels and angel practices in their changing religious and spiritual practices, and how they describe angels and their own experiences of angel.

The research material consist of data collected through questionnaires in talks given by Irish mystic Lorna Byrne in Helsinki on 2011 (N263) and 2015 (N189) and participatory observation. Lorna Byrne is internationally famous for seeing angels and talking with them. I am combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. My theoretical background is on the discussion of lived everyday religion. My claim is that women participating in spiritual events are not, as often suggested, unsound minds, but well educated, married, middle aged women working on welfare, health or education sector.

Nearly 80% of the respondents had own angel experiences. They described relationship with angels as active, positive and very commonplace. Angels delivered information, messages and responses, supported in making difficult decisions and helped in daily situations. The results indicate that persons participating in such events feel the need to add a new perspective to their religiousness or spirituality. Angels and angel practices provide support and enchantment to their everyday life.