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Religions
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The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Times of Crisis
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The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Times of Crisis

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 19793

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fides del Castillo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Theology and Religious Education Department, De La Salle University, Manila 1004, Philippines
Interests: intercultural theology; empirical theology; psychology of religion; spirituality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Ron Scapp

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Mount Saint Vincent, 6301 Riverdale Ave, The Bronx, New York, NY 10471, USA
Interests: cultural theory; multiculturalism; values; ethnic studies; immigration; philosophy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Religion and spirituality play a significant role in human existence (Koenig, 2012). Durkheim (1982) defined religion as "a system of beliefs and practices concerning sacred things". Spirituality, however, represents a search for and discovery of the transcendent (Koenig et al., 2012). While some argue that religion is irrelevant and spirituality is broad and difficult to define, some studies have attempted to redefine their meaning and investigate their effects on humanity. Some people find great comfort in the sacred and transcendent, and there have been scientific investigations into religion's/spirituality's effects on mental health and other health-related cases. There are, however, limited resources that explore the impact of religion and health during crisis situations.

This Special Issue will focus on the substantial role of religion/spirituality in human wellbeing, especially during times of crisis. Humans face many challenges every day, and throughout the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost loved ones. Children who lost their parents to COVID-19 experienced trauma. The sudden death of loved ones led to feelings of abandonment. Burnout plagued healthcare workers and other responders, while others lost their jobs and became homeless as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, which disproportionately affected vulnerable populations. As a result, the gap between the rich and the poor widened. There are parts of the world in which millions of civilians continue to live in fear of war and rage, and this violence affects individuals’ physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being. Therefore, we hope to investigate the critical role religion and spirituality play in helping people cope with distressing situations.

Original articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to):

  • Religious coping;
  • Public health crisis;
  • Near-death experience;
  • War, inequality, and social issues;
  • War, inequality, and social issues;
  • Climate change and anthropocene;
  • Trauma, suffering, and injustices;
  • Disaster, calamities, and predicaments;
  • Turning points and crossroads.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Fides del Castillo
Prof. Dr. Ron Scapp
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • religion
  • spirituality
  • crisis
  • religiosity
  • religious coping
  • well-being

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 173 KiB  
Article
The Faith at the End of Knowing
by Kevin MacDonald
Religions 2024, 15(10), 1184; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15101184 - 29 Sep 2024
Viewed by 461
Abstract
This essay explores the complexity of faith in our time. The continued belief in religion indicates, at least to some extent, the failure of science to fully demonstrate its absoluteness to a convincing degree for many believers. And, in Kantian terms, the reason [...] Read more.
This essay explores the complexity of faith in our time. The continued belief in religion indicates, at least to some extent, the failure of science to fully demonstrate its absoluteness to a convincing degree for many believers. And, in Kantian terms, the reason for that is because it cannot. This essay will focus on the point at which faith and reason intersect and become neither each other nor themselves but share in an unspoken and unintended complicity of belief in order to negotiate the impossible truth of the matter, which is just that—the true is the impossible. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Times of Crisis)
12 pages, 199 KiB  
Article
Observations about Holistic Care from the Experience of a Medical Student Shadowing a Chaplain
by Anna Krauss and Robert T. Carter, Jr.
Religions 2024, 15(7), 826; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15070826 - 9 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1070
Abstract
The project was initiated when a medical student expressed interest in shadowing a chaplain during their third-year clinical rotations. The Hospital Library Service supported this inquiry by providing readings about intentional programs and a medical practitioner spiritual screening for both the chaplain and [...] Read more.
The project was initiated when a medical student expressed interest in shadowing a chaplain during their third-year clinical rotations. The Hospital Library Service supported this inquiry by providing readings about intentional programs and a medical practitioner spiritual screening for both the chaplain and student to review. By coordinating with the student’s medical supervision, different times were found throughout the day such that a variety of pastoral care instances could be observed. As part of the welcome extended to each patient, the chaplain introduced the medical student and obtained consent for them to be present during the care conversations that followed. These visits occurred over two months in the spring of 2024. This experience provided an opportunity for both the chaplain and student to reflect on the process of acknowledging, confirming, affirming, and encouraging patients and their families. Additionally, through these visits and subsequent conversations, a holistic health and wellness model was used to emphasize compassionate and spiritual patient care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Times of Crisis)
9 pages, 204 KiB  
Article
Guidance from Unexpected Places after COVID-19: Learning from Jesus and the Early Christian Communities in Responding to Trauma
by Scott Geminn
Religions 2024, 15(7), 800; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15070800 - 30 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 801
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic proved challenging and traumatic for many, with its effects still being felt four years later. This article contends that the witness of Jesus of Nazareth and the early Christian communities can serve as guides for navigating post-pandemic life. This article [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic proved challenging and traumatic for many, with its effects still being felt four years later. This article contends that the witness of Jesus of Nazareth and the early Christian communities can serve as guides for navigating post-pandemic life. This article will do so by examining the historical context of first-century Jewish Palestine with attention given to the Roman Empire’s brutality and traumatizing impact. It will then provide an analysis of the Matthean Jesus’ call to love one’s enemies and the Markan Jesus’ emphasis on bearing the cross as constructive responses to the trauma Matthew and Mark’s communities went through. Lastly, it will show how Jesus and the early Christian communities reveal that pain and trauma can be healthily transcended for better ways and behaviors. Thus, what has happened to us, however painful, can bear the seeds of a healthy purpose and meaning that can lead to us and our world becoming more humanized. The research methodology in this article is interdisciplinary, employing biblical theological, historical, and psychological methodologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Times of Crisis)
11 pages, 320 KiB  
Article
Responses to Climate Change and Natural Disasters in Pre-Modern Korea: Missional Implications for the Korean Church
by Bright Myeong Seok Lee
Religions 2024, 15(6), 691; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15060691 - 31 May 2024
Viewed by 614
Abstract
The relationship between natural cycles and human actions in causing climate change and its impacts on society have been a subject of debate. This paper explores the responses of pre-modern Koreans to climate change and natural disasters. The focus of this paper is [...] Read more.
The relationship between natural cycles and human actions in causing climate change and its impacts on society have been a subject of debate. This paper explores the responses of pre-modern Koreans to climate change and natural disasters. The focus of this paper is on the societal reactions to these natural calamities and disasters during the Koryŏ dynasty (936–1392 A.D.) and their influence on Korea afterwards. This paper investigates the reasons behind the retention of primal religious worldviews in the face of ecological crises while other major imported religions were abandoned. The research method involved in this paper is archival research, and the literature sources include ancient records and other ecotheological resources. Through an analysis of the archival research and ecotheological resources, this study sheds light on the interpretation of climatic events in pre-modern Korea. Furthermore, based on the research findings, it presents missional implications for the Korean church in the post-pandemic era. This study underscores the importance of the church’s responses to environmental awareness, collective responsibility, and spiritual support in addressing the challenges of climate change and provides missional implications for the Korean Church in response to the post-COVID-19 era based on the results of the research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Times of Crisis)
19 pages, 5214 KiB  
Article
Religion and Strategic Disaster Risk Management in the Better Normal: The Case of the Pagoda sa Wawa Fluvial Festival in Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines
by Arvin Dineros Eballo and Mia Borromeo Eballo
Religions 2024, 15(2), 223; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15020223 - 16 Feb 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4105
Abstract
Religion involves expressing beliefs, performing practices, and obeying norms about what is considered sacred and worthy of worship. While some argue that religion has become irrelevant due to the widespread influence of secularism and scientific reasoning, many still find comfort in the sacred. [...] Read more.
Religion involves expressing beliefs, performing practices, and obeying norms about what is considered sacred and worthy of worship. While some argue that religion has become irrelevant due to the widespread influence of secularism and scientific reasoning, many still find comfort in the sacred. Scientific research has shown that religion can positively impact health and safety, especially during disasters. Accordingly, religion plays a crucial role in one’s wellbeing. In the Philippines, the sound of church bells calls for parishioners to gather and celebrate, and acts as a warning system for different types of danger, such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods, raids, uprisings, and fires. Filipinos are warned to leave their houses and come to the church to take shelter. Thus, churches have been considered evacuation centers and loci for disaster risk-reduction undertakings. The proponents conducted a qualitative study investigating the disaster risk management strategies developed and implemented by St. Martin of Tours Parish Church in Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines, during the “Pagoda sa Wawa” fluvial festival, where safety measures and crowd control are essential in maintaining a prayerful and peaceful experience. The objective of the study was to investigate how festival organizers prioritize the safety of devotees after a tragedy occurred 30 years ago, which resulted in the deaths of 266 people. Furthermore, this study explores the precautionary measures taken during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing devotees’ compliance and resilience for the common good. This study utilized a tripartite method, including reviewing relevant literature, participating in a pagoda fluvial parade, and conducting semi-structured interviews. The results were presented in a format that consisted of context, content, and challenges for the sake of coherence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Times of Crisis)
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14 pages, 1174 KiB  
Article
Associations between Prayer and Mental Health among Christian Youth in the Philippines
by Fides A. Del Castillo, Clarence Darro B. Del Castillo and Harold George Koenig
Religions 2023, 14(6), 806; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14060806 - 19 Jun 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 10661
Abstract
Religion/Spirituality (R/S) has been associated with mental health. Although most Filipinos are Christian, little research has been done on how R/S affects their mental health. To address this research gap, an open-ended questionnaire was conducted on forty-three Filipino Christian youths regarding their thoughts, [...] Read more.
Religion/Spirituality (R/S) has been associated with mental health. Although most Filipinos are Christian, little research has been done on how R/S affects their mental health. To address this research gap, an open-ended questionnaire was conducted on forty-three Filipino Christian youths regarding their thoughts, motives, and emotions about private prayer. Responses were coded and analyzed with the qualitative data analysis software NVivo. A traditional coding method was also employed to contextualize the data. Results show that most respondents define prayer as a way to communicate with God and personally encounter the transcendent. In general, prayer was used to express gratitude, request something, seek guidance, ask for forgiveness, or find psychological comfort. In most cases, participants prayed when they were feeling down or troubled. The majority prayed in silence and with their eyes closed. Most respondents felt calm and relaxed when praying. Many respondents also noted that their conversation with God provided comfort, reassurance, and relief. A theoretical model of causal pathways for the effects of prayer on mental health was used to examine how Filipino Christian youths’ emotional health—a component of mental health—is affected by prayer. Research suggests that prayer guides many respondents in their decisions and life choices. Prayer also may evoke human virtues, such as gratitude, patience, and honesty. For many, prayer is critical to their cognitive appraisal of stressful events and serves as a coping resource. This study has important implications for R/S as a resource for mental well-being among youth in a country with limited mental health services. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Times of Crisis)
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