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Volume 14
Issue 9
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Religions, Volume 14, Issue 9 (September 2023) – 139 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): Pilgrimage is undergoing a revival in western Europe, mainly as newly established or revitalised pilgrim routes such as the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. These trails have helped to foster the widespread idea that pilgrimage is essentially a journey; a spiritual or “meaningful” journey undertaken slowly, and preferably on foot, in the medieval tradition. The article problematises this journey-oriented understanding of pilgrimage in Christian and post-Christian society, and suggests that the importance given to the pilgrimage journey by many scholars, and by wider society, is more a product of modern Western values and post-reformation culture than it is a reflection of historical and current-day religious practices. View this paper
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12 pages, 1177 KiB  
Article
What Confucian Eco-Ethics Can Teach Us about Solving the Dilemma of Interpreting the Concept of Sustainability
by Xian Li and Fuming Wei
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1216; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091216 - 21 Sep 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2721
Abstract
Sustainability is at the heart of the concept of the common home. By prioritizing sustainability, we can create a better common home and ensure the well-being of present and future generations. However, there is a dilemma in the interpretation of sustainability, which is [...] Read more.
Sustainability is at the heart of the concept of the common home. By prioritizing sustainability, we can create a better common home and ensure the well-being of present and future generations. However, there is a dilemma in the interpretation of sustainability, which is mainly characterized by the irreconcilability between “weak sustainability” and “strong sustainability”. The dilemma is partly rooted in some Western philosophical traditions such as the Western separatist mindset, anthropocentrism, and technological solutionism, which have contributed to human subjugation. This paper proposes Confucian eco-ethics to resolve this dilemma. First, Confucian eco-ethics embraces the holistic worldview of “anthropocosmic” that establishes an ontological understanding of the interconnectedness and interdependence between humans and nature, which transcends the Western dichotomy of subject and object and resolves the dualism between human beings and nature. Second, Confucian eco-ethics advocates “pushing oneself to all things” and considers human beings and nature as an ethical community, which emphasizes the ethical responsibility of human beings to protect nature, thus remedying the dilemma that anthropocentrism and ecocentrism have too little or too much responsibility for nature. Third, Confucianism endorses benevolence as a core value for managing technology to achieve sustainable development, and it favors a comprehensive approach that combines technological innovation, values reform, and institutional reform to solve ecological problems. To do this, we analyze the Dujiangyan Water Hydro-Project Hydraulic Project as a case study to illustrate the practical feasibility of Confucian eco-ethics in achieving sustainable development. The conclusion suggests that Confucian eco-ethics can enrich and expand sustainability theory, offering an alternative pathway for a better common home. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Public Agenda: Complexity and the Challenges of the Common Home)
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18 pages, 3308 KiB  
Article
Revisiting the ‘kriegerischer Gott’ of the Akkadian Period
by Renate Marian van Dijk-Coombes
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1215; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091215 - 21 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1222
Abstract
Boehmer’s Die Entwicklung der Glyptik während der Akkad-Zeit (1965), although nearly 60 years old, is still the major work on the cylinder seals of the Akkadian Period (2334–2150 BCE). It examines different themes and motifs depicted on the cylinder seals during this period. [...] Read more.
Boehmer’s Die Entwicklung der Glyptik während der Akkad-Zeit (1965), although nearly 60 years old, is still the major work on the cylinder seals of the Akkadian Period (2334–2150 BCE). It examines different themes and motifs depicted on the cylinder seals during this period. One of the figures which Boehmer discusses is the ‘kriegerischer Gott’, or martial god. Boehmer records this ‘kriegerischer Gott’ as being depicted on only eight cylinder seals. Despite this limited number of examples, the figure exhibits a unique iconography, which suggests a unique, specific personage. Furthermore, he is depicted on the seal of the scribe Adda (BM 89115), one of the most well-known seals from Mesopotamia, in which he is depicted alongside Utu/Šamaš, Inana/Ištar, Enki/Ea and Isiumud/Usmu. Because the ‘kriegerischer Gott’ is depicted together with these great deities of the Akkadian pantheon, each with their own unique iconography, it suggests that he may likewise be a figure of some importance. Boehmer devotes only one page to his discussion on the ‘kriegerischer Gott’. A more detailed investigation into Boehmer’s ‘kriegerischer Gott’ is, therefore, required. This contribution will, therefore, re-examine this figure by analysing his iconography, the unique attributes which he has, the scenes in which he is depicted, and the figures with which he is associated. The possible identity of the ‘kriegerischer Gott’ will also be addressed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology and Religion)
13 pages, 2226 KiB  
Article
Mind the Doxastic Space: Examining the Social Epistemology of the Ethiopian Wax and Gold Tradition
by Mohammed Girma
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1214; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091214 - 21 Sep 2023
Viewed by 2407
Abstract
The wax and gold tradition is mainly known as an Ethiopian literary system that plays with layers of meanings. It has also established itself as a system of knowledge and/or belief production and validation. However, its social ramifications have presented scholars with conundrums [...] Read more.
The wax and gold tradition is mainly known as an Ethiopian literary system that plays with layers of meanings. It has also established itself as a system of knowledge and/or belief production and validation. However, its social ramifications have presented scholars with conundrums that divide their views. For some, it is an Ethiopian traditional society’s crowning achievement of erudition—a poetic form that infiltrated communication, psychology, and social interaction. For others, it is a breeding ground for social vices, i.e., mutual suspicion, deception, duplicity, etc., because its autochthonous nature means it is inept in terms of modernizing and unifying the society. In this essay, I aim to argue that there is one critical historical element that holds the key to the conflicting social ramifications of the wax and gold system and, yet, is neglected by both sides of the debate: the original doxastic space of qine (poetry) and sem ena werq (wax and gold system)—a hermeneutic tool that deciphers the meaning of poems. This literary system was born in the space of worship and liturgy. I will contend, therefore, that a shift of doxastic space from sacred to saeculum (the world) is the reason not only for the behavior of doxastic agents but also for the social outcome of the knowledge they create. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue World Christianity in History and in Culture)
13 pages, 3472 KiB  
Article
The Odbert Psalter (Boulogne-sur-Mer, BM, ms. 20); or, the Image as a Medium for Contemplative Practice
by Blanche Lagrange
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1213; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091213 - 21 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1152
Abstract
The monastic reforms of the 10th century greatly increased the role of the psalter, a biblical book that became the main tool of a monk in personal and collective prayer. The Odbert Psalter, produced in Saint-Bertin around 999, opens with a scene of [...] Read more.
The monastic reforms of the 10th century greatly increased the role of the psalter, a biblical book that became the main tool of a monk in personal and collective prayer. The Odbert Psalter, produced in Saint-Bertin around 999, opens with a scene of Pentecost in which we see Christ represented as a king who is static and in a space distinct from the apostles, exhibiting an attitude of meditation. This is not a narrative image: this scene is an indication for the reader of the Psalms. If he follows the example of the apostles, he will arrive at the vision of God, which can only be attained through continuous meditation on the Psalms as it was defined by the reforms. This image serves as a medium for the act of contemplation itself: according to the three modes of vision defined by Saint Augustine, the image of Christ constitutes a pathway from corporeal vision to intellectual vision. By constituting the support of divine contemplation, the psalter and its images are set up here as perfect mediators of the power of the intellect. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Visionary and Contemplative Practice in the Medieval World)
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14 pages, 312 KiB  
Article
Abū Yaʿrub al-Marzūqī and His Critique of the maqāṣid Theory
by Abdessamad Belhaj
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091212 - 21 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1015
Abstract
The purpose of this essay was to examine and evaluate Abū Yaʿrub al-Marzūqī’s criticism of the maqāṣid theory. Al-Marzūqī is mostly concerned with epistemology and ethics. He contends that the maqāṣid theory is insufficient to assert access to God’s meaning in Islamic law, [...] Read more.
The purpose of this essay was to examine and evaluate Abū Yaʿrub al-Marzūqī’s criticism of the maqāṣid theory. Al-Marzūqī is mostly concerned with epistemology and ethics. He contends that the maqāṣid theory is insufficient to assert access to God’s meaning in Islamic law, since it is based on shaky processes of knowledge, particularly that of ratiocination, taʿlīl. On the other hand, he challenges the maqāṣid jurists’ authority to define the goals of the law in the absence of popular support. Additionally, he charges the maqāṣid jurists with endorsing political authority so that it can utilize the maqāṣid method to defend specific policies in the name of upholding the public interest. His primary claim is that the maqāṣid theory exhibits arbitrariness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue A Critique of the Modern Discourse of Maqāṣid)
14 pages, 4504 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Intricate Usage and Interpretation Issues of “體” (tǐ) in Xuanzang’s Translation of Abhidharmakośabhāṣya
by Shuqing Zhang
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1211; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091211 - 20 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1391
Abstract
This study delves into the intricate usage and interpretation issues of the Chinese term “體” (tǐ) in Xuanzang’s translation of the Abhidharmakośa (AKBh[X]) by providing a Sanskrit-Chinese comparative investigation. Xuanzang’s translations are pivotal in understanding certain Abhidharma scriptures, as some of them are [...] Read more.
This study delves into the intricate usage and interpretation issues of the Chinese term “體” (tǐ) in Xuanzang’s translation of the Abhidharmakośa (AKBh[X]) by providing a Sanskrit-Chinese comparative investigation. Xuanzang’s translations are pivotal in understanding certain Abhidharma scriptures, as some of them are the sole complete versions available. This study focuses on the term “體” in AKBh[X], evaluating its usage in relation to 16 corresponding Sanskrit equivalents and the instances where Xuanzang introduced “體” without a Sanskrit equivalent. The analysis uncovers translation errors, potential misinterpretations, and the lack of clarity in certain contexts, emphasizing the need for readers to be cautious and consult additional sources for a comprehensive understanding of his translations. Full article
12 pages, 1584 KiB  
Article
Pneumasis/pneumafication Based on Romans 8:1–17: Highlighting the Spirit’s Role in Deification
by Jacob Chengwei Feng
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1210; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091210 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1682
Abstract
In view of the two key themes found in Romans: pneumatology and deification, some pressing questions can be asked. One of these is, what is the role of the Holy Spirit in deification? This essay identifies one area of the work of the [...] Read more.
In view of the two key themes found in Romans: pneumatology and deification, some pressing questions can be asked. One of these is, what is the role of the Holy Spirit in deification? This essay identifies one area of the work of the Holy Spirit presented in Romans that is often neglected in New Testament (NT) pneumatology, soteriology, and anthropology. This paper argues that, in Romans 8:1–17, the crucial role of the Spirit, as an active person in the triune Godhead, in possessing and being possessed by believers and facilitating the mutual indwelling of Christ and his co-sufferers, is best captured by a new term, namely, pneumasis or pneumafication. In other words, theosis/deification and Christosis/Christification are made possible by pneumasis/pneumafication. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Theologies)
11 pages, 252 KiB  
Article
Violence and Corruption of Megachurch Leaders: Unravelling Silent Coloniality in Zimbabwe
by Bekithemba Dube
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1209; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091209 - 20 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1784
Abstract
This theoretical article argues that megachurches are an inadequately problematised factor in the Zimbabwean crisis and uses, as examples of violent and corrupt megachurch leaders, Emmanuel Makandiwa, Uebert Angel, and Passion Java. As Zimbabwe moves towards elections in 2023, ZANU-PF has resorted to [...] Read more.
This theoretical article argues that megachurches are an inadequately problematised factor in the Zimbabwean crisis and uses, as examples of violent and corrupt megachurch leaders, Emmanuel Makandiwa, Uebert Angel, and Passion Java. As Zimbabwe moves towards elections in 2023, ZANU-PF has resorted to using megachurches to enact propaganda, create voter empathy, and stir up violence, dividing the religious electorate along party lines in the process. The article is couched in decoloniality theory to position megachurch leaders within instability and as thwarting democracy in Zimbabwe. I respond to two questions: how do Makandiwa, Angel, and Java contribute to thwarting democracy while promoting corruption and violence? And, how can religion be approached from the perspective of decolonial thinking to reverse the crisis that has been created by prophets in Zimbabwe? I end by arguing that the Zimbabwean crisis takes various forms and that the role of megachurch leaders in finding a solution and in reconstructing narratives of peace and good governance in Zimbabwe cannot be ignored. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Peace, Politics, and Religion: Volume II)
18 pages, 300 KiB  
Article
“Gatekeeping Family Violence”: The Role of Religious and Community Leaders in the Afghan Migrant Community in South Australia
by Lana Zannettino, Marinella Marmo, Hossein Esmaeili and Jenny Richards
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1208; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091208 - 20 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1691
Abstract
Community leaders in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Australia, particularly Afghan migrant communities, may play an important role in understanding and responding to family violence. This paper explores the role and perspectives of religious and community leaders in the Afghan community [...] Read more.
Community leaders in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Australia, particularly Afghan migrant communities, may play an important role in understanding and responding to family violence. This paper explores the role and perspectives of religious and community leaders in the Afghan community in South Australia in relation to preventing and responding to family violence. It is argued that these leaders play a pivotal role in their community as they can act as gatekeepers between their own and the Australian community. This paper concludes that it is imperative that governments and the legal system engage with CALD communities to better understand faith related factors such as the relevance of Islamic law and culture for Afghan Muslim communities in South Australia. At the same time, the education of the broader Australian and Afghan communities and their religious and community leaders in both Islamic law and the Australian legal system is a vital factor in combating and reducing family violence. Full article
14 pages, 336 KiB  
Article
The Role of the Catholic Church against Changes and Threats to the Value of Work
by Dagmara Kowalik, Katarzyna Nowak, Katarzyna Kowalik and Paweł Gogacz
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1207; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091207 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1498
Abstract
The purpose of the article is to present the role played by the Catholic Church in Western Europe against civilization’s threats to the value of work in the context of Catholic social teaching. There are historical and contemporary changes and threats to the [...] Read more.
The purpose of the article is to present the role played by the Catholic Church in Western Europe against civilization’s threats to the value of work in the context of Catholic social teaching. There are historical and contemporary changes and threats to the value of work. The importance of work was analyzed in terms of antiquity, the Middle Ages, during the nineteenth-century industrial revolution and in the era of contemporary IT changes. We present how the value of work was perceived, what role Christianity played and the position of the Catholic Church in relation to social changes and the progress of civilization. It was pointed out how socio-economic transformations and, above all, scientific and technical progress, influenced the threats regarding the personal dimension of work and the subjective role of a man. The evolution of the legal protection of the state against employees and employers, and the position taken by the Catholic Church in this matter were described. It has been shown that old and modern forms of work under the guise of facilities are a threat to the value of work and a human’s subjectivity. The analysis of the positions and documents of Catholic social science allowed us to show a change in the role of the Church, which, from the attitude of real influence in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, became directed in the 21st century to strengthen active attitudes in the work environment among Catholics. It expects the sensitivity of conscience and open brotherhood, and adopts an attitude of charity and committed action for the benefit of the economically excluded and people deprived of decent work. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Social Ethics: Engaging Pressing Issues)
17 pages, 316 KiB  
Article
Communitas, Worship, and Music: Using Music to Revitalize the Post-Modern Church
by Joshua Taylor
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1206; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091206 - 20 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1684
Abstract
Music often facilitates the experience of communitas within disparate groups of people. As the American mainline Protestant church faces schism and struggles for relevance in a post-modern era defined by mistrust in the institutional church and social subjectivism, reexamining how singing together can [...] Read more.
Music often facilitates the experience of communitas within disparate groups of people. As the American mainline Protestant church faces schism and struggles for relevance in a post-modern era defined by mistrust in the institutional church and social subjectivism, reexamining how singing together can break down barriers within ecclesial structures and create shared understanding is merited. As demonstrated through the music of pilgrimage, community musicking allows individuals to define the sacred together. Music then becomes an educational resource for the reformation of the church. The Iona and Taizé communities offer insights into this process. Their publishing efforts and worship styles, influenced and crafted by the populations who visit their locations, have provided resources for this dialogue in localized contexts. However, the experience of communitas is individualized—no one person, group, or organization can define this outcome. Consequently, no single musical or liturgical approach will be appropriate in all contexts; the church’s music must adapt so that each selection is imbued with meaning for that community. Facilitating such a process in the local congregation may threaten the status quo while also becoming a tool for revitalization in the post-modern era. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liturgy, Music, Theology)
10 pages, 270 KiB  
Comment
God’s Moral Perfection as His Beneficent Love. Comment on Craig (2023). Is God’s Moral Perfection Reducible to His Love? Religions 14: 140
by Kevin Kinghorn
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1205; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091205 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1635
Abstract
William Lane Craig insists that I am wrong in reducing God’s moral goodness to his beneficent aim of drawing all people to himself. For Craig, God’s moral goodness, best conceived in terms of righteousness, must also include God’s retributive justice toward the wicked, [...] Read more.
William Lane Craig insists that I am wrong in reducing God’s moral goodness to his beneficent aim of drawing all people to himself. For Craig, God’s moral goodness, best conceived in terms of righteousness, must also include God’s retributive justice toward the wicked, who deserve the punishment they receive. My response is that Craig’s argument rests on two assumptions about value, neither of which, I argue, Christian theists have good reason to affirm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue God and Ethics)
13 pages, 226 KiB  
Article
For My Daughter Kakuya: Imagining Children at the End(s) of the World
by Candace Y. Simpson
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091204 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 3342
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed individual and institutional anxieties about the apocalypse. Pastors and activists alike turned to the depiction of the apocalypse in popular media to describe the urgency of decisive action. Implicitly, these depictions offer a curious method for engaging and imagining [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed individual and institutional anxieties about the apocalypse. Pastors and activists alike turned to the depiction of the apocalypse in popular media to describe the urgency of decisive action. Implicitly, these depictions offer a curious method for engaging and imagining children. Assata Shakur writes compelling poetry in her autobiography about her hopes for the world. In one poem, entitled For My Daughter Kakuya, I argue that Shakur engages in Afrofuturist speculative fiction as she envisions a future world for her daughter. This paper explores how writers living through these times themselves imagine Black children at the end of the world. What would happen if we took seriously the notion that the “end of the world” is always at hand for Black people? This article explores the stomach-turning warning that Jesus offers in Mark 13:14–19 regarding those who are “pregnant and nursing in those days”. Using a reproductive justice lens, this paper explores the eternal challenge of imagining and stewarding a future in which Black children are safe and thriving. It also explores the limits and possibilities of partnering with radical Black faith traditions to this end. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Faith and Religion Among African Americans)
8 pages, 203 KiB  
Article
Patriotism and Love of the Neighbor: A Kierkegaardian View of a Contested Virtue
by C. Stephen Evans
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1203; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091203 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 965
Abstract
Though patriotism has traditionally been considered a virtue, in many countries of the world today, the status of patriotism as a virtue has been challenged. Philosopher John Hare has recently defended patriotism as a virtue. Kierkegaard, with his suspicion of “the crowd” and [...] Read more.
Though patriotism has traditionally been considered a virtue, in many countries of the world today, the status of patriotism as a virtue has been challenged. Philosopher John Hare has recently defended patriotism as a virtue. Kierkegaard, with his suspicion of “the crowd” and attack on “Christendom” has sometimes been thought to be one of the critics of patriotism. This paper argues that Kierkegaard’s view is actually close to Hare’s. Kierkegaard does believe that patriotism can be a virtue, though it is perhaps especially susceptible to distortion and corruption. Patriotism, like other natural forms of “preferential love”, must be infused with the love of the neighbor to be a genuine virtue. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Kierkegaard, Virtues and Vices)
23 pages, 375 KiB  
Article
Christian Nationalism and Politics in Ghana
by Jeffrey Haynes
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1202; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091202 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 5252
Abstract
This paper argues that Christian nationalism is a significant religious and political ideology in Ghana, a west African country whose population is 70 per cent Christian. In Ghana, Christian nationalism is not simply Christians seeking to make their collective voice heard on issues [...] Read more.
This paper argues that Christian nationalism is a significant religious and political ideology in Ghana, a west African country whose population is 70 per cent Christian. In Ghana, Christian nationalism is not simply Christians seeking to make their collective voice heard on issues of national interest. Instead, Christian nationalists pursue a religious and political project with the aim of remaking Ghana according to their values and beliefs. To embed and consolidate influence, prominent Christian nationalists in Ghana both cultivate ‘insider’ status with powerful political elites and develop a high media profile in order to promote their views, encourage the government to adopt their policies, and increase the number of followers. This article makes two main arguments. First, Christian nationalists in Ghana seek to change public policy to remake the country according to their understanding of Christian morals and ethical behaviour. Second, Christian nationalists in Ghana pursue their goal—to build the kingdom of God on earth—in three main ways: (1) strong support for Ghana’s national cathedral, seen as a celebration of national unity and social cohesion; (2) attacks on alleged immorality of Ghana’s LGBTQ+ community; (3) vilify followers of minority religions to encourage the view that Christianity is the most appropriate religion in Ghana and that other religions are inferior. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Peace, Politics, and Religion: Volume II)
18 pages, 965 KiB  
Article
The Making of a Masterpiece: An Examination of Zimen Jingxun’s Authorship
by Changzhong (Shin) Lee
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1201; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091201 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 2649
Abstract
The Chinese Buddhist anthology Zimen jingxun (Admonitions to the Black-robed Monastics 緇門警訓), a compilation believed to have originated during the Song dynasty, constitutes a Chinese Buddhist anthology containing teachings from Buddhist masters and ethical principles intended for observance by monastics. This anthology [...] Read more.
The Chinese Buddhist anthology Zimen jingxun (Admonitions to the Black-robed Monastics 緇門警訓), a compilation believed to have originated during the Song dynasty, constitutes a Chinese Buddhist anthology containing teachings from Buddhist masters and ethical principles intended for observance by monastics. This anthology has garnered scholarly attention due to the noteworthy nature of some of its components. However, there exists a dearth of comprehensive scholarly analyses in the English language, and the precise compilers of this anthology remain shrouded in ambiguity. Nevertheless, the Zimen jingxun has exerted a profound influence on the training of monastics in China, Japan, and Korea, and has emerged as a particularly influential work on Buddhist monastic education in the Korean context. Therefore, this paper functions as an initial effort to address this scholarly gap. Utilizing the methodologies of comparative philology and historical philology, this study undertakes an analysis and comparison of the original Zimen jingxun and its foundational counterpart, the Zilin baoxun, in addition to their subsequent amended and modified versions. The primary aim of this research is to deduce its compilers and the timeframe of its compilation by examining the existing content, prefaces, citations, and any discrepancies discernible in each rendition. Furthermore, it seeks to evaluate the importance and role of each version within the broader context of the Buddhist canon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buddhist Culture in the Greater Hangzhou Region (Jiangnan) and Its Dispersion throughout East Asia)
12 pages, 1246 KiB  
Article
A New Exploration of the Dharma Lineage of Fazang (法藏): The Third Patriarch of the Huayan School
by Yanhong Ping
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1200; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091200 - 20 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1278
Abstract
According to available biography materials, Fazang had six disciples, namely, Hongguan (宏觀), Wenchao (文超), Zhiguang (智光) of Huayansi in the East Capital (東都華嚴寺), Zongyi (宗一) of He’ensi (荷恩寺), Huiyuan (慧苑) of Jingfasi (靜法寺), and Huiying (慧英) of Jingxingsi (經行寺). Most studies on Fazang’s [...] Read more.
According to available biography materials, Fazang had six disciples, namely, Hongguan (宏觀), Wenchao (文超), Zhiguang (智光) of Huayansi in the East Capital (東都華嚴寺), Zongyi (宗一) of He’ensi (荷恩寺), Huiyuan (慧苑) of Jingfasi (靜法寺), and Huiying (慧英) of Jingxingsi (經行寺). Most studies on Fazang’s dharma lineage have only focused on Huiyuan because only Huiyuan’s works on Buddhism are still extant. However, Huiyuan has been criticized because “he rebelled against his master’s doctrines, and then was taken placed by Chengguan (澄觀) who was born a hundred years later 弟子慧苑悉叛其說, 滅后百年而得澄觀”. Therefore, research on Huiyuan is not mainstream either. This has led to a lack of studies on the Huayan School during the time between Fazang and Chengguan. In fact, Wenchao, a disciple of Fazang, authored ten volumes of Zifang Yiwangji (自防遺忘集) and one volume of Huayanjing Guanmai Yiji (華嚴經関脈義記) (hereinafter referred to as Guanmai (関脈)), and Guanjian (関鍵: the number of its volumes is unknown, and its text is most likely to be part of Zifang Yiwangji); Fashen (法詵), a disciple of Huiyuan, wrote Huayanjing Shu(華嚴經疏, thirty-one volumes); Kuaiji Shenxiu (會稽神秀), a disciple of Fashen, wrote the Commentary on the Avataṃsaka Sūtra (Huayanjing Shu (華嚴經疏), thirty volumes) and Miaoli Yuanchengguan (妙理圓成觀, three volumes). However, research on these figures is limited. This paper aims to enrich and supplement the study of the Dharma lineage of Fazang by examining the writings of Wenchao, Fashen, and Kuaiji Shenxiu and the ideas revealed by their manuscripts, which may further contribute to the study of the history of Huayan Buddhism and the history of Buddhist schools. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)
14 pages, 333 KiB  
Article
Stratigraphy Matters: Questioning the (Re)Sacralisation of Religious Spaces from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages in the Iberian Peninsula
by María de los Ángeles Utrero Agudo
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1199; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091199 - 19 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1536
Abstract
In recent decades, archaeological and written records have been used in combination to improve our understanding of Late Antique and Early Medieval Hispanic architectural culture (5th–10th c.). Within this renewed research context, the rebuilding of Late Antique churches and the reuse of earlier [...] Read more.
In recent decades, archaeological and written records have been used in combination to improve our understanding of Late Antique and Early Medieval Hispanic architectural culture (5th–10th c.). Within this renewed research context, the rebuilding of Late Antique churches and the reuse of earlier materials in both Early Medieval Christian and Islamic religious buildings; the transformation of Late Antique churches into early Islamic mosques in al-Andalus; and the rebuilding of other churches by the Christians themselves, both in al-Andalus and in the northern Iberian plateau, from the late 8th century onwards, have often been used to thread narratives concerning tradition, continuity, and re-sacralisation of earlier religious architectural spaces and, through this, religious change in the middle ages. However, the application of modern archaeological methodology reveals that these processes need to be qualified, for the stratigraphic gaps between building phases make them sometimes hard to interpret. By analysing some examples of Hispanic religious sites, this paper reflects on the many concepts related to sacralisation, explains the way archaeology is able to trace the sacralisation processes, and intends thus to highlight the complexity of these phenomena. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Continuing Tradition? Sacralization Practices in the Early Islamicate West and the Influence of Late Antiquity)
11 pages, 254 KiB  
Article
Happiness and Transcendence: Heavenly or Earthly—Augustine and Bonhoeffer
by Wessel Stoker
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1198; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091198 - 19 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1874
Abstract
This article explores two views of happiness in Christianity. According to one view, happiness is heavenly, something that is attained only in eternal life. In the other view, happiness can be experienced on earth. Augustine (354–430) advocated the first view, in which life [...] Read more.
This article explores two views of happiness in Christianity. According to one view, happiness is heavenly, something that is attained only in eternal life. In the other view, happiness can be experienced on earth. Augustine (354–430) advocated the first view, in which life on earth is viewed as full of misery. The conception of happiness as earthly is articulated by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906–1945) in his Letters and Papers from Prison. This article clarifies both views by pointing to the use of different types of content regarding transcendence. The focus is on the comparison between the two views and their impact on daily life. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transcendence and Happiness: New Perspectives from Religion and Philosophy)
21 pages, 669 KiB  
Article
“There Is a Silent War Going On”—African Religious Leaders’ Perspectives on Domestic Violence before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Marie-Luise Frost
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1197; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091197 - 19 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1404
Abstract
The increase in domestic violence—particularly against women—is one of the most alarming indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting countries worldwide. Following a mixed-methods approach, this paper examines religious leaders’ perspectives on and their engagement with this topic. It scrutinises the findings of [...] Read more.
The increase in domestic violence—particularly against women—is one of the most alarming indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting countries worldwide. Following a mixed-methods approach, this paper examines religious leaders’ perspectives on and their engagement with this topic. It scrutinises the findings of the online survey Religious Leaders’ Perspectives on Corona, conducted from 2020 to 2021 by the Research Programme on Religious Communities and Sustainable Development at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Most answers came from the African continent and showed that more female than male leaders perceived an increase in domestic violence during the pandemic or see the need to respond to this topic. However, both male and female participants warned that domestic violence is underreported, inter alia, because of religio-cultural norms. To illustrate how the relationship between women and men in marriage is understood and (re)interpreted and how domestic violence is addressed in individual communities, this paper additionally draws on semi-structured interviews with church leaders conducted in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda from 2017 to 2019 and in 2022. In addition to forms of support and advocacy against domestic violence, the examples also show that church leaders might call for women’s empowerment while upholding the idea of male headship. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)
10 pages, 192 KiB  
Article
Sterba’s Problem of Evil and a Penal Colony Theodicy
by Gerald Harrison
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1196; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091196 - 19 Sep 2023
Viewed by 980
Abstract
Sterba argues that God would be ethically bound to implement a set of exceptionless evil prevention requirements. However, he argues that the world as we know it is not as it would be if God were applying them. Sterba concludes that God does [...] Read more.
Sterba argues that God would be ethically bound to implement a set of exceptionless evil prevention requirements. However, he argues that the world as we know it is not as it would be if God were applying them. Sterba concludes that God does not exist. In this paper, I offer a penal colony theodicy that will show how the world as we know it is entirely compatible with God’s implementation of such evil prevention requirements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Do We Now Have a Logical Argument from Evil?)
11 pages, 275 KiB  
Article
Biblical Kingship, Catholic Theology, and the Rights of Indians in the Opening of Las Casas’s Short Account
by Matteo Salonia
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1195; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091195 - 19 Sep 2023
Viewed by 2659
Abstract
This article introduces the key issues and scope of the 16th-century debate over the rights of the native American peoples encountered by Columbus and the Castilian conquistadores. The historic attempt by theologians and missionaries to limit imperial expansion and to defend the dignity [...] Read more.
This article introduces the key issues and scope of the 16th-century debate over the rights of the native American peoples encountered by Columbus and the Castilian conquistadores. The historic attempt by theologians and missionaries to limit imperial expansion and to defend the dignity of conquered peoples is an example of Western self-criticism and a fundamental contribution of the Catholic Church to the slow emergence of human rights discourses. This article then focuses on the first pages of Bartolomé de Las Casas’s Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, a text that played a pivotal role in the formation of the Black Legend against Spain, but also in the drafting of the Leyes Nuevas (New Laws) of 1542. While the Short Account’s hyperbolic and explosive prose are well-known, its religious roots can be detected in the prologue and preface, with their discussion of biblical kingship, virtuous Indians, mortal sin, and (un)Christian behavior. Full article
15 pages, 473 KiB  
Article
Discursive Norms and Incentives for Equipping Students with Religion and Worldview Literacy in Swedish Preschool Teacher Education Policy
by Magdalena Raivio, Ellinor Skaremyr and Arniika Kuusisto
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1194; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091194 - 19 Sep 2023
Viewed by 2394
Abstract
The increasing societal diversity of religions and worldviews (R&W) in Swedish preschools affects what competencies today’s preschool teachers need and what needs to be taught in Swedish Preschool Teacher Education (PTE). The study aims to investigate the content and discursive norms regarding religion [...] Read more.
The increasing societal diversity of religions and worldviews (R&W) in Swedish preschools affects what competencies today’s preschool teachers need and what needs to be taught in Swedish Preschool Teacher Education (PTE). The study aims to investigate the content and discursive norms regarding religion and worldviews in Swedish PTEs on a national policy level and contribute to knowledge in the research field of Religious Studies and Higher Education. The PTE curricula of all the twenty Higher Education institutions offering PTE in Sweden in 2022 are investigated using text-centred discourse analysis, together with a theoretical and analytical tool for analyzing different dimensions of the PTEs and the potential for them to function as socially sustainable communities of care. The results show that even though there might be implicit incentives for teaching about R&W, all but one of the educational curricula of the twenty PTEs in Sweden lack explicit mention of ‘religion’. Based on the results, we can see that at a national policy level, the content of the educational curricula reproduces liberal secular and humanist worldviews as norms for the PTEs. There is also a lack of explicit policy-related incentives for the PTEs to promote social sustainability regarding equipping students with proper knowledge and skills for developing care-centered and norm-critical R&W literacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue International Perspectives and Practices for Religious Education in Early Childhood)
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13 pages, 803 KiB  
Article
Pulled from the Shoreline in Search of Spacious Spirituality: Journeys of Spiritual Distress, Resilience, and Posttraumatic Growth for Women of Evangelical Christian Backgrounds in a Canadian Context
by Emma De Vynck, Heather Marie Boynton and Victoria Frances Burns
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091193 - 19 Sep 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1468
Abstract
Religion and spirituality (R/S) provide possibilities for healing, resilience, meaning making, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in the aftermath of trauma. Still, R/S may also be the precursors and/or sources of harm, resulting in experiences of spiritual distress (SD). While extensive research has examined [...] Read more.
Religion and spirituality (R/S) provide possibilities for healing, resilience, meaning making, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) in the aftermath of trauma. Still, R/S may also be the precursors and/or sources of harm, resulting in experiences of spiritual distress (SD). While extensive research has examined the positive mental health impacts of R/S, its potential harms are under-investigated. Addressing this gap, this article draws on findings from an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study with four women of evangelical Christian (EC) backgrounds who have experienced SD. The women’s stories revealed SD as an isolating and profoundly tension-filled experience characterized by painful relational loss, fraught belonging, existential uncertainty, and acute spiritual pain. Several women used the term “trauma” to describe their experiences. This study evidences the tender and isolating complexity of SD. For the women, spirituality served as both a cause and a perpetuator of trauma, and as a vehicle for transcendent meaning making in response to wounding. Ultimately, spirituality is tangled in the women’s distress while also playing a role in their posttraumatic growth. Implications include a call for increased awareness and advocacy regarding SD, as well as a trauma-informed, spiritually sensitive, curious posture from practitioners supporting clients with SD to foster posttraumatic growth. Full article
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29 pages, 224437 KiB  
Article
An Illustrated Haggadah for Sefardi Exiles in Istanbul
by Katrin Kogman-Appel
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1192; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091192 - 19 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1485
Abstract
The first illustrated haggadah of the print era was published around 1505 by David and Samuel ibn Nahmias in Istanbul (henceforth “Istanbul Haggadah”). It was embellished with woodcuts that had been commissioned in 1492 in Naples. This paper approaches the Istanbul Haggadah as [...] Read more.
The first illustrated haggadah of the print era was published around 1505 by David and Samuel ibn Nahmias in Istanbul (henceforth “Istanbul Haggadah”). It was embellished with woodcuts that had been commissioned in 1492 in Naples. This paper approaches the Istanbul Haggadah as a cultural product of the early Sefardi Diaspora. A comparative iconographic method reveals idiosyncrasies in relation to the tradition of medieval manuscript haggadot, which are then contextualized within the cultural ambience of the early Sefardi Diaspora in Naples, where Don Isaac Abarbanel played a central role as a spiritual and communal leader. My analysis is based on three types of information and sources: Abarbanel’s post-expulsion writings, among others a commentary on the haggadah; book-historical data on the early phases of printing; and historical information on the lives of the refugees. Most Sefardi printing projects from the post-expulsion years were aimed at meeting the spiritual needs of the community of exiles. The Istanbul Haggadah, and particularly its illustration program, was a fitting compliment to these endeavors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jewish Visual Culture)
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14 pages, 242 KiB  
Article
Holden Village Vespers ’23: (Re)Sounding a Transforming Community
by Maren Haynes Marchesini
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1191; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091191 - 18 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1880
Abstract
Nestled in the remote Cascade mountains of Washington State, Holden Village operates as a year-round Lutheran retreat center with a robust musical and liturgical culture. While on sabbatical in the Village in 1986, composer Marty Haugen wrote his Holden Evening Prayer liturgy, a [...] Read more.
Nestled in the remote Cascade mountains of Washington State, Holden Village operates as a year-round Lutheran retreat center with a robust musical and liturgical culture. While on sabbatical in the Village in 1986, composer Marty Haugen wrote his Holden Evening Prayer liturgy, a now-iconic setting beloved around the world. Known in the Village as Vespers ’86, Haugen’s liturgy soon became canonical. Over 35 years later, however, Vespers ’86 is a fraught icon of collective identity. As Village leadership welcomes a greater diversity of people, Haugen’s liturgical language, theological perspective, and musical style do not universally resonate. Yet others adore—and sometimes demand—Haugen’s liturgy, regarding it as essential to the Village. Suggestions to adapt Haugen’s liturgy have been met with a simple question, one posed by Haugen himself: Why not write a new one? This paper chronicles the collaborative process of liturgical composition at Holden that resulted in Vespers ’23. Centering methodologies of participant-observation and ethnographic interview, I engage the Holden community as a liturgical musician and ethnomusicologist. The resulting paper shows how this unique cohort navigates identity, belonging, tradition, and change through the rich and contested sites of music and liturgy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Liturgy, Music, Theology)
3 pages, 181 KiB  
Editorial
Introduction: Cultural and Religious Pluralism in the Age of Imaginaries
by Laurens ten Kate and Bram van Boxtel
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1190; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091190 - 18 Sep 2023
Viewed by 884
Abstract
In recent decades, the paradigm of secularization has been under pressure [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cultural and Religious Pluralism in the Age of Imaginaries)
16 pages, 360 KiB  
Article
Overcoming the Imperialist Seduction: A Polylogue Reading of Mary towards a Theology of Peace
by Michaela Quast-Neulinger
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1189; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091189 - 18 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1871
Abstract
The current war waged by Russia against Ukraine once again sheds light on the ambivalent role of religion in violent conflicts, and especially the use of religious figures for imperialist political strategies. In this context, Mary is of particular interest, as she serves [...] Read more.
The current war waged by Russia against Ukraine once again sheds light on the ambivalent role of religion in violent conflicts, and especially the use of religious figures for imperialist political strategies. In this context, Mary is of particular interest, as she serves in Christian history (and presence) as the Queen of Peace, but could also take on characteristics of a warrior goddess. I suggest that investigating the complex use and abuse of Mary for imperialist strategies in the context of Christian–Muslim encounters can give some hints for overcoming the ever-present seduction of theopolitical imperialism, especially with regard to the current developments in parts of (Orthodox) Christian theology. Thus, I will first outline the premises of a political theology dedicated to peace that can only be worked out in a permanent polylogue of religions. Second, a historical overview shows the deep ambivalence of Mary as a theopolitical figure, particularly in the context of Christian–Muslim encounters. Thus, it is even more surprising that, thirdly, a close comparative reading of the Qur’anic Maryam can help to overcome the imperial theopolitical seduction. Finally, I will draw some conclusions about a theology of peace with particular regard to our conflictive times. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Peace, Politics, and Religion: Volume II)
12 pages, 754 KiB  
Article
Metaphorical Metaphysics in the Dao De Jing
by Alan Fox
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1188; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091188 - 18 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1606
Abstract
Many readers of the Dao De Jing have identified an ontology associated with the text. In such ontological readings, the term dao 道 is taken to refer to some type of monolithic, eternal, abstract fundamental reality. They generally point to certain chapters of [...] Read more.
Many readers of the Dao De Jing have identified an ontology associated with the text. In such ontological readings, the term dao 道 is taken to refer to some type of monolithic, eternal, abstract fundamental reality. They generally point to certain chapters of the text as supporting this interpretation. The implication seems virtually theological, at least in the impersonal “Advaitic Brahman” sense. However, if we carefully examine the passages to which such proponents refer as evidence of this position, it becomes clear that these chapters are metaphorical rather than metaphysical. I propose to examine several of these chapters to clarify the tentative and rhetorical nature of their expression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Daoist Metaphysics: Past, Present and Future)
16 pages, 961 KiB  
Article
The Anointed Steward: A Critical Review of Western Christian and Secular Steward Leadership Literature
by Carl Lee Tolbert
Religions 2023, 14(9), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091187 - 18 Sep 2023
Viewed by 2936
Abstract
This paper critically examines the literature associated with steward leadership from the Western Christian and secular perspectives. The motivation is to offer a better understanding for individuals endeavoring to apply the emerging steward leadership paradigm to organizations. The critical review process was determined [...] Read more.
This paper critically examines the literature associated with steward leadership from the Western Christian and secular perspectives. The motivation is to offer a better understanding for individuals endeavoring to apply the emerging steward leadership paradigm to organizations. The critical review process was determined as the best method to cultivate direct and indirect literature across multiple diverse domains. Over 1000 sources were examined, resulting in over 400 coded themes creating the foundation of the critical review. During the critical coding appraisal of the literature, four concentrated themes were identified: “steward” and “servant” as leadership modalities, and “mission” and “stakeholder” from a stewardship governance perspective. The identified themes led to the natural creation of a conceptual filter tool, allowing the literature to be more easily identified and sorted based on organizational utility. The literature’s narrative reflection and the normative filtering of the themes identified two key summary details. The first detail was the notion of steward and servant leadership being inescapably connected and inseparable. The second detail was that stewardship governance is a plausible remedy for agency, but agency controls are still needed based on contingency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences)
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