Social Media, Environmental Activism, and Implicit Religion: A Case Study of Extinction Rebellion

This study examines implicit religion in climate change activism on social media, focusing on Extinction Rebellion (XR) in the Netherlands from 2020 to 2023. Using content and discourse analysis, the research investigates how XR's online discourse reflects quasi-religious elements such as shared beliefs, moral imperatives, and collective identity. Drawing on theories of implicit religion, the study identifies six themes in XR’s activism: shared beliefs, transcendent purposes, commitment, community, meaning, and hope. The findings demonstrate how XR integrates secular environmental goals with a sense of spiritual duty, positioning climate activism as a moral and existential imperative, thereby fostering a strong collective identity within digital platforms. This research highlights how modern environmental movements can adopt quasi-religious characteristics, contributing new insights to the sociology of religion and digital activism