Religions

8 pages, 728 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Oἱ Ἰουδαῖοι (The Jews) in John’s Gospel: An African Reading

by Michel Segatagara Kamanzi

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1441; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111441 - 20 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1717

This article is dedicated to the loving memory of Bénézet Bujo and Laurenti Magesa, two giants of African Theology. The portrait of the Jews in John’s Gospel has been the object of a great debate among Western scholars. The negative portrait of many [...] Read more.

This article is dedicated to the loving memory of Bénézet Bujo and Laurenti Magesa, two giants of African Theology. The portrait of the Jews in John’s Gospel has been the object of a great debate among Western scholars. The negative portrait of many of the Jews of the fourth canonical gospel has led some to qualify John’s Gospel as the most “anti-Jewish” writing of the New Testament. Recent Western history, in particular the Shoah, has certainly had a heavy weight on this negative interpretation of John’s Gospel. But another perspective, here African Biblical Hermeneutics, may give a different understanding of this disputed theme. Following this non-Western approach, we want to show that maybe it is not John’s Gospel’s characterization of the Jews which is problematic, but the hermeneutics used to interpret it. In the end, what is at stake, is not the Jews or Jewish people as such, but how one, Jew or non-Jew, responds to Jesus’ message and gift of abundant life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue African Biblical Hermeneutics and the Decolonial Turn)

18 pages, 347 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sīrah Philosophy: A Modern Trajectory for Sīrah Studies

by Suleyman Sertkaya

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1440; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111440 - 20 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1557

Abstract

Prophet Muhammad is a central figure in Islam. Systematic exploration of his life and biography as a central discourse for sīrah studies remains timeless and relevant. This has made his life a focal point for study among Muslim and Western scholars for centuries, [...] Read more.

Prophet Muhammad is a central figure in Islam. Systematic exploration of his life and biography as a central discourse for sīrah studies remains timeless and relevant. This has made his life a focal point for study among Muslim and Western scholars for centuries, resulting in the emergence of fresh approaches in modern times. This paper delves into the concept of “sīrah philosophy,” which is vigorously advocated by Fethullah Gülen, a prominent Muslim scholar, as a novel and essential perspective for sīrah studies in modern times. Gülen’s amalgamation of the Prophet’s life and contemporary challenges underscores the enduring significance of sīrah in guiding modern discourse. Sīrah philosophy, at its core, provides a framework rooted in the Prophet’s life to draw inspiration for addressing contemporary issues. The article unpacks the practical application of sīrah philosophy through the Hudaybiya incident, a pivotal moment in the Prophet’s life during his time in Medina. From conflict resolution and peacebuilding to interfaith dialogue, Gülen’s approach leverages sīrah to propose solutions for complex contemporary problems, offering a dynamic way to engage with present-day predicaments. In essence, this article emphasises how sīrah, as envisioned by Muslim scholars like Gülen, transcends historical and contextual boundaries, enriching present-day discourse. As sīrah studies evolve, this pioneering exploration of a modern trajectory fosters a deeper appreciation of the Prophet’s legacy, facilitating comprehensive understanding for diverse audiences. This article argues that this approach is groundbreaking and innovative, paving the way for new perspectives to read and interpret sīrah in a contemporary world for a modern audience. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Approaches to the Sīrah Genre, Prophetic Stories, and Prophethood in Islamic Thought)

11 pages, 295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Dialogical Paths with Islam in the East: Homage to Arabic Christian Theology

by Evi Voulgaraki-Pissina

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1439; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111439 - 20 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1574

Abstract

This is an opinion article, based on a lifelong syncretic study of the dialogical paths taken by Eastern theologians, Greeks and Arabs. At the crossroads of three continents, in direct relation with the Byzantine and Syriac traditions, with the Mediterranean and its Greco-Roman [...] Read more.

This is an opinion article, based on a lifelong syncretic study of the dialogical paths taken by Eastern theologians, Greeks and Arabs. At the crossroads of three continents, in direct relation with the Byzantine and Syriac traditions, with the Mediterranean and its Greco-Roman culture, but also with the Asian and African hinterland, Arab and Arabic-speaking Christian theologians have formed a culture of dialogue. They managed to engage with Islam in shapes and forms that are of very great interest and could point the way to a different approach to Islam today. The article, written by a Greek author, proposes a better integration of Arabic Orthodox theology as an enrichment to Orthodox theology as a whole, serving at the same time a broader connection between the Greek and Arab worlds. The article also proposes that discovering the heritage of the Orthodox East is interesting for Christian theology on a global scale. In primarily Christian/Western academia, one should be open to a genuine encounter with the Islamic world beyond geopolitics and other concerns extrinsic to religion; this is an encounter that would open up paths beyond the “clash of civilisations” impasse and allow for the rediscovery of the humanizing factor of religion. This is of interest to Christian and Muslim theologians as well as serving humanity and creation as a whole. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Decline, and Transformation of Christian Mission)

13 pages, 780 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On Augustinian Studies in China: A Chinese and Western Discourse on a Family-State Relationship

by Yinli Wang

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111438 - 20 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1186

Abstract

There is a growing interest in Augustine’s social and political philosophy as a result of the popularity of Augustinian studies in modern-day China. The Augustinian idea that the fall of Western classical civilization occurred when the natural order of “family-state” was replaced by [...] Read more.

There is a growing interest in Augustine’s social and political philosophy as a result of the popularity of Augustinian studies in modern-day China. The Augustinian idea that the fall of Western classical civilization occurred when the natural order of “family-state” was replaced by a “denaturalized, de-politicized fellowship” is one discernible trend. This trend involves using the ancient natural order of “the unity of family and state” as a “righteous” standard to explain Augustinian thought. This interpretation calls into question our understanding of “the natural order” in the contemporary world as well as how people interact with one another in society. This paper compares and contrasts the fundamental debate between “family” and “society” in both Chinese and Western contexts. It begins by outlining three different natural orders in relation to “family-state unity” in pre-modern China and the West. It then uses Augustine’s context, especially The City of God, to illustrate the notion of the natural order. The essay contends that Augustine reformulates the Roman “natural order” using a “family-state unity” model derived from Caritas. This essay also makes the case that Augustine is used in the Chinese context in a way that shows how deeply concerned Chinese intellectuals are with family issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Augustine and East Asian Thoughts)

18 pages, 332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Man as a “Work of Art”: The Religious–Dialogical Dimension of Education as a Path of Education for Beauty/Goodness

by Ružica Razum and Nenad Malović

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1437; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111437 - 19 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1222

Abstract

Aiming to establish a dialogue with modern man, who lives in a culture marked by great challenges, church documents put a great emphasis on the via pulchritudinis. The via pulchritudinis, i.e., the way of beauty, is considered to be a privileged way of [...] Read more.

Aiming to establish a dialogue with modern man, who lives in a culture marked by great challenges, church documents put a great emphasis on the via pulchritudinis. The via pulchritudinis, i.e., the way of beauty, is considered to be a privileged way of achieving dialogue. Awareness of the importance of beauty, in close connection with goodness and truth, is increasingly present in the theological and the religious–pedagogical thought. One of the specific questions related to education for beauty refers to the education of a person who is called to transform his or her life into a “work of art”. This paper reflects on only one specific aspect of the issue of shaping human beauty/goodness, that is, people’s “humanity”, in connection with the challenges of increasingly complex coexistence in diversity. Globalization and migration trends, primarily by complicating life together/coexistence, pose certain challenges to man as an individual, as well as to the entire society, especially the challenge that is coexistence of different cultures and religions. Since these problems also penetrate school classrooms, education systems are expected to provide appropriate responses. The paper consists of two parts. In the theoretical part, two specific fundamental issues related to the education of a person’s “humanity” in the atmosphere of “conflict culture” are considered: the issue of comprehensive education following the ancient connection of beauty and goodness, as well as the issue of education for coexistence. The second part presents the results of the research which was carried out in the Republic of Croatia and which aimed to examine the presence of curriculum content that enables the acquisition of religious–dialogical competence, using the method of text analysis. In more exact terms, faced with the challenges that arise from a society burdened with misunderstanding, violence and hostility, often linked with a religious affiliation and worldviews, we ask ourselves the following question: to what extent is the contemporary education system in the Republic of Croatia, at the level of its curricula, open to the comprehensive development of students, especially in terms of the development of the religious–dialogical dimension, necessary for living a good and beautiful life in the modern multicultural and multireligious world? The results reveal a different, mostly insufficient, openness of the curriculum to the religious dimension of intercultural education. That is one of the reasons why the education system does not seem to be open to the development of the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for a harmonious and “beautiful” coexistence in modern society. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Education and Via Pulchritudinis)

17 pages, 489 KiB

Open AccessArticle

African Biblical Hermeneutics Considering Ifá Hermeneutic Principles

by Moïse Adéniran Adékambi

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1436; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111436 - 19 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1625

Abstract

African contextual biblical hermeneutics, practiced mainly among those from the southern hemisphere, is framed by conflicting academic approaches, methods, epistemologies, rationalities, etc. The general challenge put before the Bible scholars in this part of the world mostly concerns methodologies. This paper focuses on [...] Read more.

African contextual biblical hermeneutics, practiced mainly among those from the southern hemisphere, is framed by conflicting academic approaches, methods, epistemologies, rationalities, etc. The general challenge put before the Bible scholars in this part of the world mostly concerns methodologies. This paper focuses on the link between a biblical text and the context of its interpretation. To avoid any specific context or interpreter gaining hermeneutical hegemony over the text, in contextual biblical hermeneutics, the coherence should be first and foremost between the text and the context of its interpretation. The interpretation method of Ifá, the sacred orature of Yoruba and some non-Yoruba people in West Africa, helps to achieve that coherence. This paper is a theoretical presentation of what a contextual biblical hermeneutic can learn from this African Sacred literature reading in context. The hermeneutical rationale of Ifá stories is one of “speaking in proverbs”, considering both the stories and their interpretations as proverbs. In line with this rationale, the ideal link between a biblical text and its hermeneutical context is like the one between a “proverb story” and the many stories (contexts) of its harmonious utterances. The epistemological and hermeneutical functions of the context of interpretation are not to interpret the biblical text but to verify the validity of proposed interpretations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue African Biblical Hermeneutics and the Decolonial Turn)

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16 pages, 289 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Virtues and Vices of the Singular Will: Seeking “One Thing” with Kierkegaard

by J. Aaron Simmons

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1435; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111435 - 19 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1845

Abstract

In this essay, I follow the example of recent Kierkegaard scholarship in the attempt to consider Kierkegaard’s work from a personal point of view. Accordingly, I begin with a biographical account of my first encounter with Kierkegaard’s notion that “purity of heart is [...] Read more.

In this essay, I follow the example of recent Kierkegaard scholarship in the attempt to consider Kierkegaard’s work from a personal point of view. Accordingly, I begin with a biographical account of my first encounter with Kierkegaard’s notion that “purity of heart is to will one thing”. I explain that were it not for the intervention of one of my early professors, David Kangas, the idea might have prevented me from getting married. I then offer a reading of “An Occasional Discourse”, where that idea is worked out, and suggest that Kierkegaard faces a serious challenge of what I call “empty formalism”. The worry is that his account offers general suggestions without any practical direction on how to live. By showing how the notion of singularly willing the eternal can be productively understood as a kind of virtue, I contend that Kierkegaard both avoids empty formalism and also manages to resist an overly determinate model of ethical life that eliminates the ambiguity of morality and the riskiness of faith. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Kierkegaard, Virtues and Vices)

15 pages, 295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of the Loss of a Child in the Prenatal Period on Marital and Family Life and the Religiosity of Women after Miscarriage

by Aleksandra Kłos-Skrzypczak

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1434; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111434 - 17 Nov 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1653

Abstract

Experiencing the death of a child is one of the most difficult things a person can go through. The situation of parents who have lost a child during the prenatal period is burdened with a social taboo. In the public sphere, it is [...] Read more.

Experiencing the death of a child is one of the most difficult things a person can go through. The situation of parents who have lost a child during the prenatal period is burdened with a social taboo. In the public sphere, it is often referred as the “secret problem of women”. The aspect of religiosity is extremely important in experiencing mourning after a miscarriage. The study is of a theoretical–empirical nature. The purpose of this text is to emphasize the value of human life at every stage, including in the situation of miscarriage. Online questionnaire research was conducted on a sample of 77 women, supplemented by content analysis of three of the most popular virtual support groups for parents who have experienced child loss in Poland. The aim of the conducted research was to attempt to illustrate how women cope with the experience of miscarriage and how this experience affects marital and family relationships. The issue of faith and the depth of religious life were highlighted as elements that provide support to parents after miscarriage at various stages of mourning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Religion in Marriage and Family Life)

14 pages, 1945 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Characteristics of the Religiosity of Youth in Slovakia Today

by Peter Kondrla and Eva Ďurková

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1433; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111433 - 17 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1541

Abstract

This paper discusses the current characteristics of the religiosity of young people in Slovakia based on data that were obtained in a survey as part of the research project “Perspectives of the Development of Religiosity in Slovakia”, carried out in 2017–2020. The data [...] Read more.

This paper discusses the current characteristics of the religiosity of young people in Slovakia based on data that were obtained in a survey as part of the research project “Perspectives of the Development of Religiosity in Slovakia”, carried out in 2017–2020. The data presented in the article pertain to several areas related to the religious lives of young people. Firstly, data on general changes in the respondents’ religiosity (such as a weakening or a strengthening) are presented, followed by data on the causes that the respondents consider having influenced these changes. Secondly, since many of the respondents claimed factors related to receiving a lot of information as such causes, the article presents data to determine to what extent the respondents paid attention to religious media in Slovakia (newspaper, radio, television, and websites). Lastly, we present the data on the respondents’ attitudes towards the moral acceptance of some themes that are religiously controversial or politically divisive in Slovak society today. We then discuss the indications that emerge from the data on the religiosity of young people in Slovakia today, overall concluding that there is often an occurrence among Slovak youth of claiming an affiliation to an official church/confession/religious institution while developing and acting on individual religious opinions or beliefs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Influence of Religion on Media Discourse)

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16 pages, 335 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ventriloquial Acts in Sor María de Jesús de Ágreda’s Mística Ciudad de Dios

by Rosilie Hernández

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1432; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111432 - 16 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1312

Abstract

Sor María de Ágreda (1602–1665), a Franciscan nun and Abbess of the Conceptionist monastery at Ágreda, was a prolific writer whose theological works are yet to be extensively studied. In this article, I examine the practice of divine ventriloquism in Sor María’s mystical [...] Read more.

Sor María de Ágreda (1602–1665), a Franciscan nun and Abbess of the Conceptionist monastery at Ágreda, was a prolific writer whose theological works are yet to be extensively studied. In this article, I examine the practice of divine ventriloquism in Sor María’s mystical (auto)biography of the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception, Mística ciudad de Dios (1670). I aim to examine the complexity inherent in Sor María’s ‘unmediated’ ventriloquizing of sacred voices and the positionality and power appropriated through this act. The argument focuses on the use of the ventriloquial mechanism, its relationship to Sor María’s authorial position, and how readers may conceptualize the production and reception of the sacred voice. The textual perforance with which readers are presented in Mística ciudad de Dios provides a rich example of how women religious writers appropriated divine authority, resulting in a complex position of agency and self-fashioned individuality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Theology and Aesthetics in the Spanish and Portuguese Empires)

15 pages, 265 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Grammar and Socio-Political Implications of Kierkegaard’s Christian Virtue of Meekness

by Pieter Vos

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1431; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111431 - 16 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1181

Abstract

This paper argues that in Kierkegaard’s works, in his upbuilding discourses and late journal entries in particular, meekness or gentleness (Danish: Sagtmodighed) is presented as a distinctive moral and spiritual quality that exhibits a number of characteristics that are usually regarded as [...] Read more.

This paper argues that in Kierkegaard’s works, in his upbuilding discourses and late journal entries in particular, meekness or gentleness (Danish: Sagtmodighed) is presented as a distinctive moral and spiritual quality that exhibits a number of characteristics that are usually regarded as attributes of a virtue. Following a “grammatical approach” to what counts as a virtue, rather than a specifically Aristotelian-Thomistic interpretation, it is argued that Kierkegaard presents meekness as an encompassing attitude, a character trait, which can be acquired through imitation of exemplary persons, Christ, in particular, which aims for the good life, is conducive of the good, and is for the benefit of others and the self. It is demonstrated that according to Kierkegaard, meekness differs from other virtues such as courage and patience by its forgiving attitude towards the wrongdoer and nonviolent resistance to injustice and evil. As a virtue that disposes a person to nonviolent resistance, meekness has socio-political implications: injustice is uncovered and criticized for the benefit of “the poor”. A meek person does not confirm the world in its evil, but criticizes it, albeit in a way that is appropriate to meekness, i.e., in a forgiving and nonviolent way. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Kierkegaard, Virtues and Vices)

18 pages, 323 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tradition-Driven Religiosity on the Internet

by Márta Katalin Korpics, István József Béres and Anna Veronika Hommer

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1430; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111430 - 16 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1491

Abstract

The evolution of the media environment and the expanding use of social media pose a question about how the public sphere has changed in the last decade and what standards churches and religious communities can refer to in order to thrive and be [...] Read more.

The evolution of the media environment and the expanding use of social media pose a question about how the public sphere has changed in the last decade and what standards churches and religious communities can refer to in order to thrive and be present. It is vital to see that the nature of mass communication is different from the way religious ideas are conveyed. Consequently, there is a constant threat that, if mass media report on religions and religious activities, even with the greatest possible neutrality, they can easily falsify them. This paper sets out to explore this paradox; we examine the social media activity of a tradition-driven religious community. This research focuses on particular phenomena that lead to general assumptions. Despite the fact that the online reality is not the primary space of the researched community, its activity has moved towards cyber space because of the diminishing presence of interpersonal and group relationships. This paper analyses this community’s Facebook presence by applying quantitative and qualitative methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Filter Bubbles? The Influence of Religion on Mediated Public Sphere)

19 pages, 923 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Beauty as a Gift and a Call to Goodness

by Taras Barščevski

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1429; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111429 - 16 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1496

Abstract

The study delves into terminologies associated with beauty within biblical contexts. Drawing from Dyrness’s examination of “Aesthetics in the Old Testament” the focus is primarily on seven Hebrew word groups to understand the multifaceted nuances of beauty. The exploration further extends to two [...] Read more.

The study delves into terminologies associated with beauty within biblical contexts. Drawing from Dyrness’s examination of “Aesthetics in the Old Testament” the focus is primarily on seven Hebrew word groups to understand the multifaceted nuances of beauty. The exploration further extends to two foundational Hebrew terms, kābôd and tôḇ, essential for grasping the essence of beauty in the Old Testament. Additionally, three Greek terms from the Septuagint—agathós, kalós, and chresós—are explored, bridging the understanding between the deuterocanonical books, the New Testament, and their Hebrew counterparts. It has highlighted that understanding the biblical concept of beauty surpasses mere terminological exploration. Illustratively, the narratives of Judith and Esther are examined to demonstrate how their beauty played a strategic role in the welfare and salvation of the people. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Education and Via Pulchritudinis)

13 pages, 238 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Life of Integrity: The Maccabean Story

by Alexander G. K. Salakpi

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1428; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111428 - 16 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1402

Abstract

The experience of ontological and epistemological dominations made Africans lose their self-consciousness and become unfulfilled in life. Every human being has a life of integrity that must be lived. The Maccabees in the Bible were dominated by Antiochus IV, the King of Syria. [...] Read more.

The experience of ontological and epistemological dominations made Africans lose their self-consciousness and become unfulfilled in life. Every human being has a life of integrity that must be lived. The Maccabees in the Bible were dominated by Antiochus IV, the King of Syria. He desecrated the Temple, changed their religion, politics, economy, and social life and above all made himself a god to be worshipped. He deprived the Jews of their identity and dominated them ontologically, but they had a life of integrity to live. Some of the Jews accepted the new way of life by Antiochus and helped to betray those few Jews who stood against this new system of Antiochus. Many of the pious Jews lost their lives, but with hope in Yahweh and persistent endurance they regained their identity and life of integrity. The plague of coloniality made Africans invariably lose their identity, and consequently their integrity as others determined their pace of life. The African story is like the Maccabean story; this article studies selected texts in Maccabees (1 Maccabees 2 and 3; 2 Maccabees 6 and 7) and suggests their regaining of identity and life of integrity to the African situation. The paper uses biblical exegesis and intercultural interpretations to unearth the buried African treasures for an integrity of life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue African Biblical Hermeneutics and the Decolonial Turn)

15 pages, 927 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Abolishing Anger: A Christian Proposal

by Brendan Case

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1427; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111427 - 15 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1737

Abstract

In recent years, advocates of (so-called) righteous anger have become increasingly vocal and articulate, as is evident from a growing literature defending anger as a moral emotion and tool for social change. Righteous anger has defenders both among secular philosophers—notably Myisha Cherry in [...] Read more.

In recent years, advocates of (so-called) righteous anger have become increasingly vocal and articulate, as is evident from a growing literature defending anger as a moral emotion and tool for social change. Righteous anger has defenders both among secular philosophers—notably Myisha Cherry in her The Case for Rage and Failures of Forgiveness—and Christian theologians and activists, particularly, though by no means only, those drawing inspiration from Thomas Aquinas’s Aristotelian defense of anger. As a Christian theologian writing in the first instance for other Christians, I will argue in what follows that permissive attitudes to anger—even of the “righteous” sort—are fundamentally mistaken, not least because they are inconsistent with the universal obligation to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Christians instead ought to take something approaching an abolitionist approach to anger, as an emotion intrinsically opposed to charity. We can see this most clearly by beginning with the faults of a qualified defense of anger, which I reconstruct from Cherry’s work, and from the work of Thomas Aquinas, whose views on anger are interestingly convergent with hers. (This pairing has at least two advantages: it highlights the essentially traditional character of Cherry’s approach, and illustrates how relatively untutored Aquinas’s Aristotelian treatment of anger is by distinctively theological commitments.) I then sketch and defend the view, with a particular reliance on the Sermon on the Mount, that we ought to seek to abolish anger from our lives and defend that position against three apparent defeaters drawn from the Christian Scriptures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Medieval Philosophy and Religious Thought)

23 pages, 344 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Living Well Together in a Climate-Changed Future: Religious Imaginaries on the Cutting Edge of Genetic Technology

by Lisa H. Sideris

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1426; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111426 - 15 Nov 2023

Viewed by 2031

Abstract

This essay focuses on the emotional and relational investments of scientists and others engaged in and supportive of genetic technologies used in conservation efforts, with particular attention to the different moral and religious imaginaries that fuel endeavors to save species threatened by climate [...] Read more.

This essay focuses on the emotional and relational investments of scientists and others engaged in and supportive of genetic technologies used in conservation efforts, with particular attention to the different moral and religious imaginaries that fuel endeavors to save species threatened by climate change and extinction. I argue that two distinct visions and competing religious repertoires can be discerned in the secular landscape of genetic technologies deployed in coral restoration and de-extinction. Each endeavor brings forth its own forms of magic, myth- and meaning-making. At the heart of coral protection is the symbol of the holobiont, suggestive of cooperative endeavors, collective labor, networking, and distributed and embodied knowledge. Central to de-extinction imaginaries are motifs of individual competition, machine metaphors, “selfish” genetic components, and a spirit of entrepreneurial excitement and profiteering. The essay contrasts these two visions as competing accounts of relationality—or the lack thereof—and asks which religious and moral imaginaries we should embrace as we move into an era marked by intensified technological intervention and high-risk efforts to address the effects of climate change. I suggest that the values that drive de-extinction technologies are largely at odds with environmental and social goals of living well together, as humans and more-than-humans, in a present and future world transformed by climate change and species death. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Planetary Climate Crisis)

20 pages, 505 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in Haredi Education in Israel: A Comparative Perspective from the United States Using Monsey as a Test Case

by Ilan Fuchs

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1425; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111425 - 15 Nov 2023

Viewed by 2045

Abstract

The Haredi community in Israel is the youngest community. It grows at a higher rate than that of the Arab population in Israel. The calls to introduce more secular education are motivated by both a desire to acculturate the Haredi population and bring [...] Read more.

The Haredi community in Israel is the youngest community. It grows at a higher rate than that of the Arab population in Israel. The calls to introduce more secular education are motivated by both a desire to acculturate the Haredi population and bring it closer to the norms and values of the Israeli discourse and from a wish to integrate more people from this community into the job market. Calls to introduce more secular education in the Haredi system have seen constant resistance that has been documented in scholarship. In the U.S., the discussion on the correct role of general education started with a different frame of reference. The existence of meaningful religious education was put into question, and only after the holocaust did American Orthodoxy significantly expand its educational options. This text will describe the diverse spectrum of Haredi educational institutions and their approaches to secular education. I am using Monsey as a test case since it is a good representation of the kaleidoscope of Orthodoxy in the U.S., as far as the different communities are concerned. It is also a very decentralized community, since there is no dominant group in Monsey. This fact allows for more initiatives, including educational initiatives, to be undertaken. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child and Adolescent Spirituality/Religiosity and Religious Education)

11 pages, 272 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Factors Influencing the Choice of a Child’s Name and Its Relationship with the Religiosity of Interfaith Marriages: Orthodox (Slavic) and Muslim (Turkish)

by Banu Güzelderen, Ünsal Yılmaz Yeşildal and Fatih Düzgün

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1424; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111424 - 15 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1691

Abstract

Names symbolize an individual’s identity, highlighting their unique attributes and representing their religious and cultural background. Names often serve as initial indicators of individuals’ cultural identities and beliefs. In the context of interfaith marriages, the names given to children can offer symbolic insights; [...] Read more.

Names symbolize an individual’s identity, highlighting their unique attributes and representing their religious and cultural background. Names often serve as initial indicators of individuals’ cultural identities and beliefs. In the context of interfaith marriages, the names given to children can offer symbolic insights; however, a comprehensive exploration of the religious, national, and cultural factors underlying such naming choices is required. In many cases, the social environment of interfaith couples exerts pressure on the couple to choose a name aligning with their religion and identity, whether willingly or unwillingly. Antalya, a Turkish province that initially attracted a substantial Slavic population for tourism but subsequently witnessed a significant influx of permanent residents due to the ample employment prospects in the tourism sector, is notably distinguished by its increased Slavic demographic relative to other Turkish urban centers. In this context, Antalya garners notice because of the prevalence of interfaith marriages. This study investigates the preferences of Orthodox (Slavic) and Muslim (Turkish) couples within the region in terms of how they name their children and the factors influencing their preferences. This study systematically gathers and assesses the factors influencing the naming choices of children of these interfaith couples, particularly their correlation with religiosity. To accomplish this, a semi-structured interview prepared by the researchers was employed for data collection, and the data were subsequently analyzed using document analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Religion in Marriage and Family Life)

17 pages, 866 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ritualized Affective Performances: Syriac Etiquette Guides and Systems Intelligence in Early Christian–Muslim Encounters

by Luis Josué Salés

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1423; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111423 - 14 Nov 2023

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Abstract

In 2009, Michael Penn published a transcription and English translation of two Syriac texts, To the Rulers of the World (ܠܘܬ ܪ̈ܝܫܢܐ ܕܥܠܡܐ) and Concerning the Entrance before a New Emir (ܕܡܥܠܬܐ ܨܝܕ ܐܡܝܪܐ ܚܕܬܐ). This essay proposes a new historiographical approach to [...] Read more.

In 2009, Michael Penn published a transcription and English translation of two Syriac texts, To the Rulers of the World (ܠܘܬ ܪ̈ܝܫܢܐ ܕܥܠܡܐ) and Concerning the Entrance before a New Emir (ܕܡܥܠܬܐ ܨܝܕ ܐܡܝܪܐ ܚܕܬܐ). This essay proposes a new historiographical approach to these texts based on the concepts and theoretical apparatus of systems intelligence theory and affect theory. I show how these texts use key Islamic theological and cultural ideas that would affectively resonate with the Muslim authorities while remaining non-objectionable to the orthodoxy of the Assyrian Church of the East. Specifically, I argue that Christians sometimes sought to curry favor with Islamic authorities not so much through logical persuasion, but by creating a sense of affective coherence through attunement to the discursive and theological systems of Islam. Through this strategy, Christians perhaps hoped to gain some small measure of political and religious advantage, especially over and against other Christian jurisdictions, such as the Syrian Orthodox Church. I conclude by discussing what methodological prospects these approaches can offer to the subfield, particularly if combined with other theories that similarly remain underused. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religions in Ritual, Spectacle, and Drama in the Medieval & Early Modern World)

16 pages, 315 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Speaking of God in the Realm of Aesthetics: Religion in Hölderlin

by Jakob Helmut Deibl

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1422; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111422 - 14 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1621

Abstract

This article considers the work and reception of Friedrich Hölderlin with regard to the impact of German Idealism on religion. To this end, two questions must be clarified in advance: can Hölderlin, who is known primarily as a poet, also be placed in [...] Read more.

This article considers the work and reception of Friedrich Hölderlin with regard to the impact of German Idealism on religion. To this end, two questions must be clarified in advance: can Hölderlin, who is known primarily as a poet, also be placed in the context of German Idealism, and does his work have a significant relationship to religion? I argue that both questions should be answered in the affirmative. Ernst Cassirer’s study Hölderlin und der deutsche Idealismus (1918/19) clearly laid the foundation for appreciating Hölderlin’s place within German Idealism, and the question of God is a leitmotif of Hölderlin’s entire oeuvre. I seek to trace Hölderlin’s influence on understanding religion in three steps: First, I want to show that Hölderlin, in a critical continuation of Kant, does not consider religion solely within the matrix of practical reason, but brings into play the dimension of aesthetics. By situating religion in relation to the two focal points of ethics and aesthetics, a fundamental question of the philosophy of religion is addressed. Second, I employ several examples to show the various conceptions of the divine that the poet elucidates and juxtaposes in his work (Christian motifs, Greek mythology, pantheistic concepts, etc.). This leads to a philosophy of religion that is not determined by dogmatic boundaries. Third, I point out how religion plays a major role in the reception of Hölderlin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of German Idealism on Religion)

9 pages, 258 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perspectives on Religious History in Early Modern Portugal: Problems, Historiographic Production and Challenges

by Paula Almeida Mendes

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1421; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111421 - 14 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1423

Abstract

This article aims to outline a panoramic view of the paths taken by researchers, in the last 15 years, in the field of the religious history of the Modern Period in Portugal. Starting from the identification of the scientific production and activities that [...] Read more.

This article aims to outline a panoramic view of the paths taken by researchers, in the last 15 years, in the field of the religious history of the Modern Period in Portugal. Starting from the identification of the scientific production and activities that have achieved a more relevant place in the framework of the study of the religious history in early modern Portugal, since the 1950s, this article draws attention to a set of subjects that urgently need to be debated. It will be argued that research in the area in question continues to constitute a challenge. The focus of this article is the European space of Portugal, not considering productions and research about Portuguese imperial spaces, namely Asia and Brazil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious History in Portugal)

19 pages, 3612 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Constructing Mary through Pilgrimages: Lived Catholic Mariology in Poland

by Anna Niedźwiedź

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1420; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111420 - 13 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1445

Abstract

This article presents selected aspects of Marian pilgrimages in the context of lived Catholicism in Poland. Lived Catholic Mariology is a concept introduced in this paper and discussed in terms of the intimate as well as communal relationships people establish with Mary through [...] Read more.

This article presents selected aspects of Marian pilgrimages in the context of lived Catholicism in Poland. Lived Catholic Mariology is a concept introduced in this paper and discussed in terms of the intimate as well as communal relationships people establish with Mary through and in various rituals (e.g., pilgrimages), sites (e.g., shrines) and objects (e.g., images). Links between materializing Mary through images; affective, sensual and corporeal religious experiences; and community bonding are presented. They are discussed by drawing on approaches that refer to material religion, religion as mediation, concepts of sensational forms, and aesthetic formations. When examining the centrality of Marian images in Polish pilgrimage practices, this paper focuses on earlier developments, especially (1) those connected with the growth of Marian shrines during the Counter Reformation period and (2) the role played by traditional and innovative Marian pilgrimages during the Communist period in Poland (1945–1989). The final part of the paper refers to the recent changes connected with political polarization of Polish society, the process of radicalization through right-wing discourses that embrace Marian imagery and pilgrimages, the decline of Roman Catholicism and Catholic practices among Poles, and emerging alternative currents relating to Mary and pilgrimages in religious and secular contexts. Referring to various historical and current examples, this paper proposes seeing pilgrimages through the lived religion approach with a focus on materiality and mediatory dimension of religion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Transformation of Pilgrimage Studies)

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10 pages, 253 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heidegger’s Existential Diagnosis and Bonaventure’s Positive Existential Remedy: Using Hermeneutics to Address the Problem of Anxiety over Intellectual Finitude

by Jonathan Chung-Yan Lo

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1419; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111419 - 13 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1196

Abstract

In today’s postcritical environment, the philosophical disciplines have at times acquired a negative reputation for abstraction, relativity and impracticability. While indispensable to the modern university curriculum, the meaning and utility of the philosophical enterprise continues to register ambivalently in modern popular consciousness. In [...] Read more.

In today’s postcritical environment, the philosophical disciplines have at times acquired a negative reputation for abstraction, relativity and impracticability. While indispensable to the modern university curriculum, the meaning and utility of the philosophical enterprise continues to register ambivalently in modern popular consciousness. In this article, I challenge this popular assumption with a case study in philosophical interpretation, by applying the hermeneutics of German existentialist Martin Heidegger (1889–1976) to issues of practical religious life. Within a life-context of anxiety over intellectual finitude and its ensuing projections, I demonstrate how the innovative sapiential reading of Christ by medieval Franciscan theologian Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (c. 1217–1274) supplies a productive intervention to ensure a new state-of-mind. This new state-of-mind arising from a new mode of understanding and being-in-the-world, amounts to a transmutation of the Heideggerian hermeneutic mode in the light of biblical truth. Bonaventure’s threefold way of Christological exegesis serves as a requisite framework in which to practically redeploy the Heideggerian way of understanding towards a positive existential end. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Continental Philosophy and Christian Beliefs)

11 pages, 1290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Understanding and Translation of De 德 in the English Translation of the Daodejing 道德經

by Xiaojiao Cui

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1418; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111418 - 13 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1760

Abstract

This article investigates the translation of De 德 in the English translation of the Daodejing, compares and analyzes several representative translations, and tries to present the complexity and richness of the meaning of De in the thought of the Daodejing. The [...] Read more.

This article investigates the translation of De 德 in the English translation of the Daodejing, compares and analyzes several representative translations, and tries to present the complexity and richness of the meaning of De in the thought of the Daodejing. The article is divided into three parts. First, it briefly traces the concept of De back to the Shang 商 and Zhou 周 periods, thus laying the foundation for subsequent study. Second, taking Chapter 51 of the Daodejing as an example, it explores the meaning of “virtue”, which is the most important and common translation of De, in the context of the Daodejing and examines related terms such as “potency” and “inner power”. Finally, two representative translations of “Xuan De” 玄德 are examined and discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Global Laozegetics: Engaging the Multiplicity of Laozi Interpretations and Translations)

22 pages, 430 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Religious History in Portugal from Lusitania Sacra (1720) to the Enciclopédia de História Religiosa (2023): An Overview

by Sérgio Ribeiro Pinto

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1417; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111417 - 12 Nov 2023

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Abstract

The religious history in Portugal remains fragmented despite the progress made, especially in the last four decades, compared with other European historiographies. This article intends to identify factors that explain the Portuguese religious history landscape through an exhaustive diachronic presentation of the main [...] Read more.

The religious history in Portugal remains fragmented despite the progress made, especially in the last four decades, compared with other European historiographies. This article intends to identify factors that explain the Portuguese religious history landscape through an exhaustive diachronic presentation of the main works and authors. It aims to present the fundamental milestones of the field’s evolution, both thematically and institutionally. The ambiguous relationship between national memory and the hegemonic Catholic religious tradition, the ideological and political debates surrounding the late modern reset of national identity benchmarks, and the impacts of a dictatorial experience that conditioned the academic landscape for almost 50 years are the reasons for the late emergence of religious history in Portugal and its discreet presence in the academy. After establishing the essential chronology and underlining the main results, this article will outline Portuguese religious historiography’s most pressing tasks and challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious History in Portugal)

10 pages, 311 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Is There Any Evidence for Hell in the Ifá Literary Corpus?

by Emmanuel Ofuasia

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1416; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111416 - 12 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1642

Abstract

Recent scholarship on Yorùbá theology that has tried to model it after the Abrahamic monotheisms as the distinction between Ọ̀run rere (Heaven) and Ọ̀run àpáàdì (Hell) is now replete but has not, before now, commanded critical scrutiny. Specifically, the works of Ogunnade, Odebolu, Shittu [...] Read more.

Recent scholarship on Yorùbá theology that has tried to model it after the Abrahamic monotheisms as the distinction between Ọ̀run rere (Heaven) and Ọ̀run àpáàdì (Hell) is now replete but has not, before now, commanded critical scrutiny. Specifically, the works of Ogunnade, Odebolu, Shittu and Odeyemi have argued for a Yorùbá notion of Hell even when there is no evidence for such in the theology and traditional practices of the peoples. The aim of this research, then, is to correct this unreliable and uncharitable misrepresentation of Yorùbá theology. To achieve this aim, this research employs the Kawaida methodology, which thrives on reason and tradition. In reinforcing its stance, this study relies on the sacred ritual archive of the Yorùbá, which is the Ifá corpus, to establish the absence of any form of Ọ̀run àpáàdì, as a place of eternal anguish and suffering for evil doers among the Yorùbá. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue On the Problem of Hell: Comparative Historical and Philosophical Perspectives)

11 pages, 229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Growth, Decline, and Transformation of the Diaconal Ministry and the Role of Women Deaconesses in the Early Churches

by Eunha Kim

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1415; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111415 - 12 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1459

Abstract

The objective of this article is to restore the credibility of the church within society by reestablishing its public role. Through the study of the lives and activities of women ministers in early Christianity, the research reveals that early Christianity initially granted equal [...] Read more.

The objective of this article is to restore the credibility of the church within society by reestablishing its public role. Through the study of the lives and activities of women ministers in early Christianity, the research reveals that early Christianity initially granted equal authority to the ministries of diakonia (service to society) and the ministry of the Word, but gradually diminished the role of diakonia while stripping women of their status and authority. Therefore, to fully reinstate the genuine spirit of Christ, it is emphasized that the Korean church must regain the church’s public presence and recover the spirit of Jesus within the scattered congregations that currently exist. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Growth, Decline, and Transformation of Christian Mission)

4 pages, 193 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Introduction for Special Issue “The Role of Religions in a Pluralistic Society”

by Roberto Cipriani and Roberta Ricucci

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1414; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111414 - 11 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1170

Abstract

There are often events that reshuffle the cards, that is, challenge theories and methodological perspectives [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Religions in a Pluralistic Society)

23 pages, 1446 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Generations and Life Worlds: The Case of Braga in Portugal

by Eduardo Duque and José F. Durán Vázquez

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1413; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111413 - 11 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1225

Abstract

The objective of this research is to present the primary results of a study on generations and generational relationships in Braga, Portugal, specifically in the spheres of family, school, work, leisure and consumption, and religion. For this purpose, three generational cohorts were [...] Read more.

The objective of this research is to present the primary results of a study on generations and generational relationships in Braga, Portugal, specifically in the spheres of family, school, work, leisure and consumption, and religion. For this purpose, three generational cohorts were differentiated, belonging to those born in the decades 1940–1950, 1965–1975, and 1990–2000. This work will focus on the first of these generations, 1940–1950. To carry out this research, each generation was structured based on gender and social class, and qualitative (Life Stories) and quantitative (questionnaires) techniques were used. We started from the hypotheses suggested by previous research (blinded for review) and confirmed by the one being developed that it is possible to observe certain generational connections, despite the divisions related to gender and social class that exist within them (a division that gains greater visibility in the qualitative dimension), and that relationships between generations cannot be approached from theoretical models based on mere reproduction or opposition. Instead, we must grasp these relationships through more complex and dynamic processes, through which they will reconfigure and rework what is transmitted and what is received by each generation, resulting in a unique outcome that will be explored in this work. The religious dimension, which was previously a naturally assumed and lived tradition, ceased to be recognised as an identity determinant by the younger generations. As a result, the cultural heritage is no longer passed down as tradition. In this sense, there is a whole “integral ecology” (LS 159), in its broadest sense, recovering that is capable of cementing principles and values that unite generations and give meaning to life. To carry out this research, a theoretical and analytical framework has been established based on the following dimensions: transmissions (concerning the narratives and the people who appear as their referents); temporalities that articulate both the relationships within each generation and between generations; spaces, structures, and rituals that make up and give meaning to the transmissions; recognised debts, obligations, and interdependencies; expectations and achievements; and tensions between the expected and the achieved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Eco-Theology: Interrelationships of Religion, Nature, and Common Life)

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12 pages, 1353 KiB

Open AccessArticle

From Name to Myth (Based on Russian Cultural and Literary Tradition)

by Olesia D. Surikova and Elena L. Berezovich

Religions 2023, 14(11), 1412; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14111412 - 10 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1222

Abstract

This paper analyzes the cases wherein a previously unknown and unique mythological character (with his/her specific behavior, “personal” traits, appearance, origin, etc.) is generated by a cultural linguistic sign or a fragment of text. This research is based on the Russian cultural and [...] Read more.

This paper analyzes the cases wherein a previously unknown and unique mythological character (with his/her specific behavior, “personal” traits, appearance, origin, etc.) is generated by a cultural linguistic sign or a fragment of text. This research is based on the Russian cultural and linguistic tradition, mainly in its dialectal version (the language of Russian peasants). Its sources include data published in the late 19th–early 21st century in dictionaries of Russian dialects and, primarily, the unpublished field materials of the Ural Federal University Toponymic Expedition, covering data from the Russian North, the Urals, and the Volga region. According to their nature or origin, the names of characters studied in this paper derive from two types of linguistic signs: (1) Names based on usual forms of standard vocabulary that can be both proper and common nouns; the former may refer to various categories, such as toponyms (names of geographical objects), chrononyms (names of calendar dates), hagionyms (names of saints), names of icons, etc. (2) Names originating from a text, usually folkloric; these are word combinations or phrases that only act as a single unit within their “parent” text. Sometimes, but less often, these consist of one word that is of key importance in the source text. Such a phrase or word can migrate outside the “parent” text or genre, expanding their lexical combinability and changing their syntactic regime to become a name of a mythological character. It takes two sources of motivation for a new character to emerge—a linguistic (a word that seeks a new context) and a cultural one (a semiotically intense context, such as a situation associated with danger, prohibition, omens, aggression, or magical practices). The combination of these incentives is not uncommon, so the stock of mythology used for names is being constantly renewed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Slavic Paganism(s): Past and Present)

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Religions, Volume 14, Issue 11 (November 2023) – 106 articles

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