Religions

12 pages, 284 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Journey: An Approach—From Human Sciences to Theology

by Miriam Ramos Gómez and Charlie Jorge Fernández

Religions 2024, 15(12), 1419; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121419 - 22 Nov 2024

The symbolic value of the journey has been widely explored in literary theory, educational science, history and philosophy. However, is it possible to approach travel from a theological point of view? The aim of our article is to answer this question. In order [...] Read more.

The symbolic value of the journey has been widely explored in literary theory, educational science, history and philosophy. However, is it possible to approach travel from a theological point of view? The aim of our article is to answer this question. In order to do so, we essentially seek a biblical and theological–spiritual foundation for our research. First, we start from the experience contained in travel books as well as from the notion of the journey as a path to wisdom as it appears in some literary works. After examining the pedagogical value of the notion of the journey as an adventure in which the hero is formed, and the philosophical value of the concept of the journey as a search for the meaning of life, we intend to develop the theological approach on three levels: examining the notion of the journey as a metaphor for the Christian way; the experience of the journey as expatriation; and the relationship between the journey and conversion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)

13 pages, 274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Crush of Life’s Passion: Interiority in Michel Henry as a Possibility for the Experience of God

by Simon Cunningham

Religions 2024, 15(12), 1418; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121418 - 22 Nov 2024

Abstract

The question of whether God can be given in first-hand experience is debated in the secondary literature of Michel Henry. Articulating the history and structure of interiority more deeply provides a more precise conceptualization of his interiority to emerge and thus settle the [...] Read more.

The question of whether God can be given in first-hand experience is debated in the secondary literature of Michel Henry. Articulating the history and structure of interiority more deeply provides a more precise conceptualization of his interiority to emerge and thus settle the question, namely that Henry’s thought contains both a dualism and duality. Within his dualism, Henry’s interior appearing is foundational, and has no capacity to reconcile with the world’s appearing that asserts exteriority as a foundation of what is given. Yet an interior/exterior duality emerges within Henry’s foundational interiority. Experiences of things like chairs are exteriorly given in life, while experiences of affectivity like gratitude are interiorly given in life. Since interior experiences are unified with our life and are our life, they lack any phenomenological distance that reduce God to finitude. Thus interiority, when both the foundation and the experience, establishes both a possibility for a first-hand experience of God and a glimpse into God’s experience of Godself. The article closes by showing how Henry suggests a name for God when given in first-hand experience: the Holy Spirit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Experience and Non-Objects: Towards a Phenomenology of Indiscernibility)

13 pages, 287 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relational Consciousness as Eco-Spiritual Formation: Interreligious Construction with Rosemary R. Ruether and Neo-Confucianism

by Joo Hyung Lee

Religions 2024, 15(12), 1417; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121417 - 22 Nov 2024

Abstract

This study investigates the theological and philosophical interplay between Rosemary Radford Ruether’s ecofeminist theology and Neo-Confucian cosmology in the context of Korean Protestant Christianity. By exploring intolerant interpretations of the Christian creation story, it critiques the anthropocentric domination of nature and proposes a [...] Read more.

This study investigates the theological and philosophical interplay between Rosemary Radford Ruether’s ecofeminist theology and Neo-Confucian cosmology in the context of Korean Protestant Christianity. By exploring intolerant interpretations of the Christian creation story, it critiques the anthropocentric domination of nature and proposes a reformed ecological spirituality. The research integrates Ruether’s covenantal and sacramental traditions, arguing for the significance of “relational consciousness” as a framework for eco-spiritual formation. Drawing from Ruether’s examination of creation myths and Neo-Confucian perspectives, this study asserts the necessity in reshaping Christian theology to embrace human interdependence with nature and the cosmos. It proposes that Korean Christians, influenced by Calvinist theology, must move beyond human dominion over nature to a role of co-creator and nurturer of the ecosystem, advocating for an eco-theological renewal that centers on relational consciousness for spiritual formation. Full article

15 pages, 2155 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Room of Quiet Contemplation: Seeing and Identification in the National Museum of Korea

by Jin Sook Kim

Religions 2024, 15(12), 1416; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121416 - 22 Nov 2024

Abstract

Contemplation is a unique way of seeing that enables us to perceive the truth of the invisible beyond what is visible. Through contemplation, one can become deeply connected with, and possibly even identify with, what they have observed. This study analyzes the spatial [...] Read more.

Contemplation is a unique way of seeing that enables us to perceive the truth of the invisible beyond what is visible. Through contemplation, one can become deeply connected with, and possibly even identify with, what they have observed. This study analyzes the spatial arrangement of “A Room of Quiet Contemplation” at the National Museum of Korea and explores its interaction with visitors. Although the room prominently features two Buddhist pensive bodhisattva statues, giving it a Buddhist appearance, it must meet certain necessary conditions due to its location in a national museum. Respect for religious diversity and the neutralization of religious bias are crucial. We examine how the statues are de-contextualized from their original temporal and local contexts, allowing them to function as universal (non-religious) signs in the museum. Furthermore, the room must be accessible to foreign visitors from various cultural and religious backgrounds. Thus, this research investigates the universality and singularity of the tradition of contemplation. Additionally, we explore how the experience of contemplation can be enhanced through various forms of the spatial expansion of “A Room of Quiet Contemplation”. Full article

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7 pages, 173 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Lord’s Supper as a Spiritually Formative Experience of Scripture

by Jon Weatherly

Religions 2024, 15(12), 1415; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121415 - 22 Nov 2024

Abstract

The Lord’s Supper in its New Testament context is an experience of Scripture, a reenactment of crucial divine acts in salvation history with Jesus’ death and resurrection as the nexus. As such, it grounds communicants in the biblical metanarrative and directs them to [...] Read more.

The Lord’s Supper in its New Testament context is an experience of Scripture, a reenactment of crucial divine acts in salvation history with Jesus’ death and resurrection as the nexus. As such, it grounds communicants in the biblical metanarrative and directs them to generosity, forgiveness, and patient, hopeful witness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Restoring Our Spirits with the New Testament: Spirituality in Biblical Research)

12 pages, 292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Settlement and Civility as Pre-Requisite of Evangelization in the Chichimeca Frontier

by Manuel Mendez Alonzo

Religions 2024, 15(12), 1414; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121414 - 22 Nov 2024

Abstract

This paper delves into the process of evangelization undertaken by the Spanish in the northern frontier of New Spain during the 16th century, specifically targeting the nomadic Indigenous populations known as Chichimecas. Missionaries encountered unique challenges due to the absence of religious infrastructure, [...] Read more.

This paper delves into the process of evangelization undertaken by the Spanish in the northern frontier of New Spain during the 16th century, specifically targeting the nomadic Indigenous populations known as Chichimecas. Missionaries encountered unique challenges due to the absence of religious infrastructure, robust political authorities, and the nomadic lifestyle of these groups. To overcome these hurdles, the Spanish implemented a strategy that intertwined evangelization with colonization. The text highlights the significance of constructing physical infrastructure in these frontier territories, such as churches, schools, and dwellings, to facilitate the process of evangelization and colonial control. Moreover, it emphasizes the need to impose a social and political structure on these nomadic communities, transforming them into obedient colonial subjects. Full article

14 pages, 596 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Compline in Melkite Alexandria, Contained in MS Sinai Arabic 232 (13th c.)

by Andrew Wade

Religions 2024, 15(12), 1413; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121413 - 22 Nov 2024

Abstract

This article is the latest in a series examining the offices in the Horologion of Sinai Arabic 232 (13th century). This Book of Hours has its origin in Melkite Alexandria and has never been studied before, nor indeed have the Arabic Books of [...] Read more.

This article is the latest in a series examining the offices in the Horologion of Sinai Arabic 232 (13th century). This Book of Hours has its origin in Melkite Alexandria and has never been studied before, nor indeed have the Arabic Books of Hours, in general. The article presents an English translation of the Office of Compline from this manuscript (apart from the psalms, which are simply indicated), with comments and identification of the individual texts. Features of particular interest are the extra saints in the intercessions, different psalms and prayers from the modern rite, and the series of common troparia at the end. The additional saints in the intercessions pose a conundrum: whereas the analysis of Matins, the Hours, and Vespers has suggested that this is an Arabic Melkite Horologion from Alexandria that must have been received from Jerusalem c. the 7th century and then underwent both Alexandrian (Coptic) influences and later Byzantinisation which did not entirely eliminate more archaic elements from Jerusalem such as the tri-ode system at Matins, the choice of additional saints suggests a double provenance from both Alexandria and Sinai. We therefore suggest that the Horologion was brought from Alexandria and underwent some degree of adaptation on Sinai without eliminating all the specifically Alexandrian features. Full article

19 pages, 522 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bible Use and Human Flourishing Among Members of the U.S. Military Community

by Sung Joon Jang, Matt Bradshaw and Byron R. Johnson

Religions 2024, 15(12), 1412; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121412 - 21 Nov 2024

Abstract

We examined an understudied aspect of religiosity, namely engagement with a sacred text, in relation to a multidimensional construct of well-being. Specifically, we hypothesized that the relationship between Bible use (various ways of utilizing the Bible) and human flourishing would be positive and [...] Read more.

We examined an understudied aspect of religiosity, namely engagement with a sacred text, in relation to a multidimensional construct of well-being. Specifically, we hypothesized that the relationship between Bible use (various ways of utilizing the Bible) and human flourishing would be positive and mediated by three likely outcomes of Bible use: spiritual engagement, positive beliefs about the Bible, and the behavioral influence of the Bible. These relationships were also hypothesized to be reciprocal over time. To test these hypotheses, we estimated three-wave structural equation models using panel survey data from a quasi-experiment that assessed a scripture engagement program developed for the U.S. military members and their families. The results showed that Bible use and human flourishing were positively related, and that this relationship was partially explained by the behavioral influence of the Bible and, to a lesser extent, spiritual engagement and positive beliefs about the Bible. However, these relationships were not reciprocal across all waves. Full article

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21 pages, 417 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Divinity of the Emperor and Postwar Japanese Conservative Nationalism

by Yijiang Zhong

Religions 2024, 15(12), 1411; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15121411 - 21 Nov 2024

Abstract

This paper explores the scholarly discourse on the divinity of the emperor in postwar Japan to better understand Japanese conservative nationalism, which has been regaining momentum since the 1990s. Viewing the idea of the divinity of the emperor as ideologically fundamental to Japanese [...] Read more.

This paper explores the scholarly discourse on the divinity of the emperor in postwar Japan to better understand Japanese conservative nationalism, which has been regaining momentum since the 1990s. Viewing the idea of the divinity of the emperor as ideologically fundamental to Japanese conservative nationalism, this paper looks at how conservative scholars from the 1970s developed a culturalist argument for the divinity of the emperor, first to negate the “humanity declaration”, i.e., the New Year’s greeting by the Showa emperor on 1 January 1946 renouncing his divinity, and then to reconfigure conservative ideology into a popular discourse on Japanese identity (i.e., the Nihonjin-ron), thereby making it more easily accepted by postwar society. Key to this culturalist argument is an essentialized dichotomy between Japanese culture and Western culture, more specifically a binary between Shinto kami and the Christian God—that the Japanese concept of kami is qualitatively different from that of the Christian God, so the emperor is not God but is kami; therefore, the emperor’s divinity is not really denied and he remains the spiritual pillar of the Japanese nation even under the postwar constitutional regime. Refashioning itself as part of the increasingly popular but depoliticized Nihonjin-ron discourse, the culturalist argument on the divinity of the emperor helped make the imperial house a popular topic of the discourse on Japanese identities, even while it completely circumvented the very issues of war responsibility and historical memory which gave rise to the “humanity declaration” in 1946 in the first place. In its depoliticized, popularly appealing form, the culturalist argument played a role in legitimating the regressive conservative nationalism that seeks to revive the pre-1945 divine emperor-centered political regime. Exploring the scholarly discourse on the divinity of the emperor, then, helps shed light on how and why conservative nationalism could persist and gain momentum in the 21st century. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Liberalism and the Nation in East Asia)

9 pages, 242 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Introduction: The Intersection of Religion with Radicalization and De-Radicalization Processes in Comparative Perspective

by Roberta Medda-Windischer, Alexandra Cosima Budabin and Mattia Zeba

Religions 2024, 15(11), 1410; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111410 - 20 Nov 2024

Abstract

Radicalization continues to be considered a contentious concept with little consensus on what categorizes a movement or individual as “radical” (or extreme) [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Radicalization and De-radicalization Processes: A Comparative Perspective)

13 pages, 349 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simeon the God-Receiver (Luke 2:21–35) as a Translator of the Septuagint: Investigating the Sources of a Popular Hagiographic Legend in Orthodox Christianity

by Constantin Horia Oancea

Religions 2024, 15(11), 1409; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111409 - 20 Nov 2024

Abstract

The legend of the old man Simeon, who received Jesus in his arms and was one of the Septuagint translators, is almost unknown in Western Christianity but is very popular today among Orthodox Christians. The version circulating in Orthodox churches is based on [...] Read more.

The legend of the old man Simeon, who received Jesus in his arms and was one of the Septuagint translators, is almost unknown in Western Christianity but is very popular today among Orthodox Christians. The version circulating in Orthodox churches is based on the account in Demetrius of Rostov’s Lives of the Saints. The article explores the occurrences of the legend in modern, medieval Slavonic, Byzantine, and oriental writings and attempts to identify the stages of the transmission of the legend from antiquity to modern times. The historical analysis and the comparison of the motifs found in these writings make the hypothesis of a Byzantine archetype of the legend plausible. This writing has been lost, but it was previously translated into Syriac, Arabic, and Slavonic, contributing to the spread of the legend in Eastern and Slavic Christianity. The legend builds on the identification of Simeon in Luke’s Gospel with Shimʿon ha-Tsaddiq. It interprets Luke 2:26 by constructing a pre-history of the episode that places Simeon into the time of the Septuagint translation. The miracle of prolonging Righteous Simeon’s life functions as a reconfirmation of the fundamental character of Isaiah 7:14 for Christianity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Witness of the Orthodox Church in the Political Context of the Secularized Modern State)

21 pages, 563 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sacred Space, Material Culture, and Ritual Practice for Installing Parasols in Dunhuang

by Xin Yu

Religions 2024, 15(11), 1408; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111408 - 20 Nov 2024

Abstract

This paper aims to shed new light on the religious function and symbolic meaning of parasols (san 傘) in Buddhist ritual practices, tracing the origins of the concept and examining its representations in texts and art. The author focuses on manuscripts, particularly [...] Read more.

This paper aims to shed new light on the religious function and symbolic meaning of parasols (san 傘) in Buddhist ritual practices, tracing the origins of the concept and examining its representations in texts and art. The author focuses on manuscripts, particularly the “Liturgies for Installing Parasols” (Ansan wen 安傘文) from Dunhuang, and argues that parasols were used as special ritual instruments to guard the local community. Their sacred power stemmed from the apotheosis of the parasol’s practical function of shielding and protecting people, which was further enhanced by beliefs surrounding the “Mother of Buddhas with Great White Canopy” (Da bai sangai fomu 大白傘蓋佛母) in the late Tang and Five Dynasties. Erecting parasols or carrying them in processions around the city was considered equivalent to demarcating boundaries, establishing defenses, and creating sanctuaries. Whether worn as a protective object, placed at the city’s four gates as a symbol of safeguarding passage, or installed in processions, the Great White Canopy Dhāraṇī and the practice of installing parasols distinguished the inside from the outside, self from others, and purity from impurity. This practice not only had the power to expel plagues and disasters, but also solemnified spaces, bringing blessings, purification, health, and peace. The parasol’s practical functions were continuously extended and mythologized, becoming a central object in rituals aimed at sanctifying space. The rise of the Great White Canopy Dhāraṇī belief in Dunhuang further reinforced its role in local customs. This method of spatial sanctification reflects the internal logic of esoteric Buddhist practices while sharing conceptual and technical similarities with traditional Chinese apotropaic arts (fangshu 方術) and Daoist exorcistic rituals. Through the grand and regular performance of these ceremonies, political legitimacy and communal well-being were successfully established. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The History of Religions in China: The Rise, Fall, and Return)

10 pages, 296 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Tension Between Buddhism and Science Within Contemporary Chinese Buddhists: A Case Study on the Religious Conversion Narrative Among Monastics in Larung Gar Buddhist Academy

by Yingxu Liu and Saiping An

Religions 2024, 15(11), 1407; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111407 - 20 Nov 2024

Abstract

This article delves into the perception of monastics from Larung Gar Buddhist Academy of Western China concerning the intertwining relationship between Buddhism and science, along with the impact of this perception on their worldview and life trajectory. Many monastics at Larung Gar Buddhist [...] Read more.

This article delves into the perception of monastics from Larung Gar Buddhist Academy of Western China concerning the intertwining relationship between Buddhism and science, along with the impact of this perception on their worldview and life trajectory. Many monastics at Larung Gar Buddhist Academy initially held a high regard for science, dismissing Buddhism as superstition. However, upon gaining a comprehensive understanding of Buddhism through various opportunities, they came to believe that certain tenets of Buddhism are compatible with science, even suggesting that Buddhism could address some of the methodological and epistemological limitations of science and offer solutions to some issues that science is unable to resolve. This ultimately led them to embrace Buddhism and renounce worldly life. This study employs a case study to investigate the understanding of the relationship between Buddhism and science amongst the general public in contemporary China, an area underexplored by previous scholarship that predominantly concentrated on the philosophical scrutiny of the apologetic discourses towards the reconciliation between Buddhism and science of influential Buddhist ascetics and lay practitioners. Also, this study endeavors to demonstrate that despite the ongoing secularization of contemporary Chinese Buddhism in the “public sphere”, within the “private sphere” of Chinese Buddhism, there remain individuals who are pursuing the religious, sacred, and transcendental dimensions of Buddhism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Sociological Study of Religion)

16 pages, 357 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Prophet Problem

by Reuven Firestone

Religions 2024, 15(11), 1406; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111406 - 20 Nov 2024

Abstract

Because scripture represents the direct word of God, it is the most sacred source for authority in the scriptural monotheisms. Scripture is conveyed to humanity through extraordinary individuals known as prophets. But if the purported prophet is a false prophet, then the conveyed [...] Read more.

Because scripture represents the direct word of God, it is the most sacred source for authority in the scriptural monotheisms. Scripture is conveyed to humanity through extraordinary individuals known as prophets. But if the purported prophet is a false prophet, then the conveyed message is false, resulting in the collapse of the structure upon which religious authority rests. This problem was recognized in the Hebrew Bible, and accusations of flawed prophecy and deceitful prophets figure prominently in relations between the scriptural monotheisms. Jews do not accept the authenticity of Jesus’ role as messiah (and prophet) in the NT, and Jews and Christians do not accept the authenticity of Muhammad’s role as prophet in the Qur’an. But the rejection is unidirectional. As a rule, established religions cannot accept new prophets, while new religions accept the prophets that lived before, though with certain qualifications. Each of the three classic scriptural monotheisms also declares an “end” to prophecy after the canonization of its scripture. Yet despite these deadlines, each acknowledges that God could nevertheless send another prophet, leaving open the wild card for new prophecy, new revelation, and even new religion; within each of the classic scriptural monotheisms, individuals arose after the canonization of scripture who were deemed by many to be prophets or something “like” prophets. This essay presents a preliminary phenomenology of prophethood, around which much of the religious polemics between the scriptural monotheisms are constructed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfaith Encounters: Religious Polemics from the Middle Ages to the Modern Period)

11 pages, 231 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ecospiritual Praxis: Cultivating Connection to Address the Climate Crisis

by Cherice Bock

Religions 2024, 15(11), 1405; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111405 - 20 Nov 2024

Abstract

This article suggests ecospirituality as a connection point between religion, science, and other disciplines, as well as the relationships between people, the land and waters, the community of all life, and the Divine. Ecospirituality connects different disciplines and highlights the interconnectedness between people [...] Read more.

This article suggests ecospirituality as a connection point between religion, science, and other disciplines, as well as the relationships between people, the land and waters, the community of all life, and the Divine. Ecospirituality connects different disciplines and highlights the interconnectedness between people and the rest of the natural world, and it also catalyzes action through spiritual experience and meaning-making. A review of different disciplines’ research on ecospirituality is provided. A description of an ecospiritual praxis cycle is offered, based on interviews and survey data. This ecospiritual praxis cycle may be able to help move people toward practical and efficacious actions of care for the community of all life to participate in the collective transformation that needs to occur in order to address the climate and ecological crises. This article identifies disconnection between theory and action regarding climate and environmental knowledge and collective action as one of the main problems, which “undisciplining” religion and science can help overcome. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Undisciplining Religion and Science: Science, Religion and Nature)

18 pages, 332 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Exploratory Study of the Moderating Effect of Religious Service Attendance on the Relationship Between Discrimination and Suicidal Behaviors in an Immigrant Sample

by Karen Mason, Anthony Rando, Susanna Im, Valter F. De Souza, Jr., Bellanira Rynbrandt, Dylan O’Shell and Bianca Floresde Oliveira

Religions 2024, 15(11), 1404; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111404 - 20 Nov 2024

Abstract

This cross-sectional study explored the moderating effect of religious service attendance on the relationship between discrimination and suicidal behaviors in a community sample of immigrants. A convenience sample of 348 individuals with immigrant experience to the U.S. completed a survey in either English, [...] Read more.

This cross-sectional study explored the moderating effect of religious service attendance on the relationship between discrimination and suicidal behaviors in a community sample of immigrants. A convenience sample of 348 individuals with immigrant experience to the U.S. completed a survey in either English, Portuguese or Spanish. The relationship between discrimination and suicidal behaviors was moderated by religious service attendance, equipping help from religious communities (RCs) and not having experienced discrimination in RCs. Other protections included being born outside the U.S. First-generation immigrants also reported less discrimination, which was a risk factor for suicidal behaviors. Other risk factors were refugee status, higher acculturation, discrimination in RCs, and certain types of help from RCs. Help that equipped them to navigate the U.S. system was associated with lower suicide risk. Community partners and RCs can help immigrants by collaborating to promote immigrant mental health because of the high religious affiliation of immigrants. Full article

16 pages, 329 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Where You Go I Will Go and Where You Stay I Will Stay”: How Exegetical Poetry Enriches Our Understanding of Ruth 1:16–17 and 1:20–21

by Erin Martine Hutton

Religions 2024, 15(11), 1403; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111403 - 18 Nov 2024

Abstract

It is easy to underestimate Ruth. The story is short and sweet, in elementary Hebrew, about a loyal and obedient daughter-in-law, or so we have been led to believe. The book and its eponymous character are surprisingly complex. Although Ruth is an exemplar [...] Read more.

It is easy to underestimate Ruth. The story is short and sweet, in elementary Hebrew, about a loyal and obedient daughter-in-law, or so we have been led to believe. The book and its eponymous character are surprisingly complex. Although Ruth is an exemplar of Hebrew narrative, it contains two poetic insertions in the first chapter. Literal translations lose the poetry, and poetic translations are less faithful to the original language. Ruth has been chosen for road-testing a range of hermeneutical approaches, and here is one more. This paper approaches these poetic insertions and, indeed, the book of Ruth, as poetry and explores a new method for examining and interpreting Hebrew poetic texts, namely, exegetical poetry. I pay particular attention to poetic devices—parsing for parallelism, alliteration, and other poetic elements—and explore their significance. As I translate and exegete, I compose poetry reflecting the form, content, and theological themes of the Hebrew poetry through the use of similar English devices, imagery, and mood. The result is an amalgam of showing through exegetical poetry and telling through prose commentary, enriching our understanding of the characterization of Ruth and Naomi, and the relationship between these poetic insertions and the broader narrative. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Narrating the Divine: Exploring Biblical Hebrew Poetry and Narratives)

14 pages, 296 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Fall, Rise, and Fall of Faith: Catholic Lapsing, Belief, and the New Evangelisation in Japan

by H. Francisco Ngo and Christine Lee

Religions 2024, 15(11), 1402; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111402 - 18 Nov 2024

Abstract

This paper explores the phenomenon of lapsing among young Japanese Catholics, highlighting how both local and translocal experiences of Roman Catholicism shape the ebbs and flows of faith for our interlocutors. While global Catholic events such as World Youth Day can reignite faith [...] Read more.

This paper explores the phenomenon of lapsing among young Japanese Catholics, highlighting how both local and translocal experiences of Roman Catholicism shape the ebbs and flows of faith for our interlocutors. While global Catholic events such as World Youth Day can reignite faith by fostering a sense of belonging to a larger, global Church, the contrast with the small and socially isolated Catholic community in Japan often precipitates lapsing. This study examines the influence of the New Evangelisation, which promotes active belief and translocal unity, and argues that this movement can both strengthen global Catholic identity and exacerbate feelings of alienation in local, non-Catholic societies. Ultimately, we stress, in the context of Roman Catholicism, that lapsing should not be seen as simply a rupture in faith but as part of a continuous, if turbulent, Catholic identity, mediated by translocal flows of belief and institutional authority. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue ‘On the Lapsed’: Comparative Ethnographic Perspectives on ‘Lapsing’ among Christians around the World)

27 pages, 578 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Temple Diplomacy, Sacred Rites, and Overseas Chinese During the Reign of Song Emperor Zhenzong (997–1022)

by Gregory Sattler

Religions 2024, 15(11), 1401; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15111401 - 18 Nov 2024

Abstract

Throughout most of Chinese history, leaders viewed the migration and movement of their subjects beyond state borders as a symptom of poor governance. As a result, record keepers generally avoided addressing the topic of Chinese people traveling or residing overseas. There is, however, [...] Read more.

Throughout most of Chinese history, leaders viewed the migration and movement of their subjects beyond state borders as a symptom of poor governance. As a result, record keepers generally avoided addressing the topic of Chinese people traveling or residing overseas. There is, however, an exceptional moment in Chinese history that provides valuable insight into the early establishment of Chinese communities abroad. Facing political pressure after signing a humiliating peace treaty with foreign adversaries in 1005, the Song dynasty emperor Zhenzong (968–1022, r. 997–1022) utilized unconventional forms of religious diplomacy and revived ancient rites to shore up support for his rule. The Feng and Shan rites were the highest level of sacrifice that an emperor could undertake, and they were only carried out by several emperors prior to Zhenzong’s reign. One of the requirements of this complex ritual was for the sovereign to attract foreign peoples from afar by his virtuous character, and so Zhenzong’s reign witnessed major initiatives to attract foreign envoys from states such as Srivijaya (Sumatra), Dai Viet (northern Vietnam), Japan, and India. Zhenzong’s reign also incorporated forms of diplomacy that originated in South and Southeast Asia, namely, the construction of temples in foreign states to enhance his spiritual authority. This essay will demonstrate that Emperor Zhenzong relied on Chinese merchants residing overseas to work with foreign leaders to coordinate the participation of foreign emissaries in such forms of temple diplomacy and in the Feng and Shan sacrifices. The significance of these events brought the activities of Chinese people trading and residing overseas to the attention of the Song court and its chroniclers, and as a result, we are left with the earliest indications of Chinese communities abroad in official Chinese histories. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Beyond the “Spice Routes”: Indic and Sinitic Religions across the Asian Maritime Realm)

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