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Forthtellers Not Foretellers: The Origins of a Liberal Orthodoxy about the Prophets
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Islamic Hermeneutics of Nonviolence: Key Concepts and Methodological Steps
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Embodying Theology: Trauma Theory, Climate Change, Pastoral and Practical Theology
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Humanism Reformed: Narrative and the Divine-Human Encounter in Paul Ricoeur
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“There Is No ‘Away:’” Ecological Fact as Jewish Theological Problem
Journal Description
Religions
Religions
is an international, interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed, open access journal on religions and theology, published monthly online by MDPI.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within Scopus, AHCI (Web of Science), ATLA Religion Database, Religious and Theological Abstracts, and many other databases.
- Journal Rank: CiteScore - Q1 (Religious Studies)
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision provided to authors approximately 20.3 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 5.9 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2021).
- Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.
Latest Articles
‘Small Fires Causing Large Fires’: An Analysis of Boko Haram Terrorism–Insurgency in Nigeria
Religions 2022, 13(6), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060565 (registering DOI) - 17 Jun 2022
Abstract
Since July 2009, when the popular founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, was extrajudicially killed by the police, the group has become radicalised. Boko Haram started by terrorising the country, particularly the northeastern zone, which extends to Cameroon, Niger, and Lake Chad. Several
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Since July 2009, when the popular founder of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, was extrajudicially killed by the police, the group has become radicalised. Boko Haram started by terrorising the country, particularly the northeastern zone, which extends to Cameroon, Niger, and Lake Chad. Several works on the group, mostly by foreign commentators and scholars, have mainly attributed its rise to political and economic factors. Many of those works have not also recognised the metamorphosis from terrorism to insurgency, wherein the group is now replacing the secular status of Nigeria’s configuration with a monolithic Islamic caliphal rule in the swathes of land that it has captured. Even though the Nigerian government has adopted the factors canvassed by those scholars and also denies the group an ideological anchorage, I argue that Boko Haram’s ideological scaffolding is hinged on ultra-jihadi Salafism. Relying on qualitative sources, I employ a historical and interpretive framework in explicating the origin of Boko Haram and in content analysing President Muhammad Buhari’s 2015 inaugural speech, which denies the group of any ideological leaning on Islam. I then contend that such a denial has made counter-insurgency measures of the government counter-productive, as efforts at meeting political and economic factors are difficult to achieve in the present circumstance. I, therefore, recommend counter-insurgency measures, which include, amongst others, Western education, Islamic de-radicalisation processes, and counter-insurgency narratives, as well as ideas to cut off the recruitment of youth into the group and military engagement, as both short- and long-term strategies.
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Open AccessArticle
Baptists in Scotland and Their Publications in the Long 20th Century
Religions 2022, 13(6), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060564 (registering DOI) - 17 Jun 2022
Abstract
The impression is given in studies of theological books published in Scotland in the long twentieth-century that Scottish Baptists produced few significant works of academic scholarship. There is also no indication of any significant contribution made by more popular studies in theology or
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The impression is given in studies of theological books published in Scotland in the long twentieth-century that Scottish Baptists produced few significant works of academic scholarship. There is also no indication of any significant contribution made by more popular studies in theology or in church history. There is no doubt that only a very small number of scholars from this constituency have produced notable works in the fields of biblical studies missiology or theology, though a much larger number of works were produced for the benefit of the members of Christian congregations in this country. In the field of church history, very few works were published in the first half of the twentieth century, but by contrast, an increasing number of authors contributed to a flourishing area of studies in more recent decades. However, this study seeks to demonstrate that far more books were published than had been expected, and further studies are likely to increase this total in due course. It will be argued that Scottish Baptists, therefore, made a small but also significant contribution to both academic and more popular publishing in these fields in the long twentieth century.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Christianity in Scotland in the Long 20th Century)
Open AccessArticle
Recapturing the Oral Tradition of Storytelling in Spiritual Conversations with Older Adults: An Afro-Indigenous Approach
Religions 2022, 13(6), 563; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060563 (registering DOI) - 17 Jun 2022
Abstract
The historical value of the oral tradition permeates literature as represented in multiple disciplines, including theology. An aspect of this tradition has proven viable in spiritual conversations with older adults. This paper will discuss the oral tradition’s medium of storytelling and listening to
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The historical value of the oral tradition permeates literature as represented in multiple disciplines, including theology. An aspect of this tradition has proven viable in spiritual conversations with older adults. This paper will discuss the oral tradition’s medium of storytelling and listening to demonstrate its relevance in therapeutic conversations with older adults. Therapeutic storytelling is a distinct intervention prevalent in the African oral tradition This approach is also gaining attention in the contemporary context, blending seamlessly within the narrative approach. Using the quantitative research method of ethnography and autoethnography, I analyze specific therapeutic encounters that employ a storytelling/listening approach in spiritual conversations. The analysis reveals the relevance of storytelling in specific therapeutic encounters. Storytelling is gaining interest and reclaiming space in therapeutic settings with diverse populations, but mostly with older adults. The study also highlights the apparent similarities between the traditional approach to storytelling and the narrative approach in the contemporary therapeutic milieu.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spirituality and Aging: Finding Meaning in the Context of Personal and Societal Change)
Open AccessArticle
Going to the Morgue with Andres Serrano: Provocation as Revelation
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Religions 2022, 13(6), 562; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060562 (registering DOI) - 17 Jun 2022
Abstract
Originally displayed in Paula Cooper Gallery in New York City’s SoHo district, Andres Serrano’s The Morgue series continued the artist’s controversial and transgressive work. Set against a black backdrop in a mortuary, he photographed dead bodies in different stages of decomposition. In this
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Originally displayed in Paula Cooper Gallery in New York City’s SoHo district, Andres Serrano’s The Morgue series continued the artist’s controversial and transgressive work. Set against a black backdrop in a mortuary, he photographed dead bodies in different stages of decomposition. In this article, I borrow from Charles Taylor’s cultural analysis of the secular and Flannery O’Connor’s literary theory of the revelatory power of the grotesque to discuss Serrano’s artistic choices. In essence, I argue that his work is not a desecration of humanity but a stark reminder of the sacralization of humanity. As such, Serrano’s work is not provocative for provocation’s sake, but a provocation to poke holes in a disenchanted age. Underneath Serrano’s images is the question: if this is a heap of flesh, why are you provoked? In a culture that avoids death at all costs, Serrano reminds the contemporary world of their mortality with an updated form of memento mori art.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conceptual Art and Theology)
Open AccessArticle
Sexual Complexity: A Comparison between Men and Women in a Sexual Minority Sample of Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Religions 2022, 13(6), 561; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060561 (registering DOI) - 17 Jun 2022
Abstract
We report here some of the results from an online survey of 1612 LGBTQ members and former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS, Mormon). The data permitted an exploration of diversity—individual similarities and differences within and between the
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We report here some of the results from an online survey of 1612 LGBTQ members and former members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJCLDS, Mormon). The data permitted an exploration of diversity—individual similarities and differences within and between the sexes. Men and women were compared with respect to sexual identity self-labeling and behavior (i.e., identity development, disclosure, activity), orientation change efforts, marital relationships, and psychosocial health—these variables in the context of their religious lives. More women than men self-identified in the bisexual range of the sexual attraction continuum. Both men and women had engaged in extensive effort to change their sexual orientation. Only about 4% of the respondents claimed that those efforts had been successful, and the claims were for outcomes other than an alteration in erotic feeling. In general, only those who identified as bisexual reported success in maintaining a mixed-orientation marriage and continuing activity in the church. For both men and women, measures of psychosocial and sexual health were higher for those in same-sex relationships and those disaffiliated from the church.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Gender and Sexuality)
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Open AccessArticle
Exploring Motivation and Engagement: Voices of Adolescent Non-Arab Muslim Learners of Arabic at Australian Islamic Schools
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Religions 2022, 13(6), 560; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060560 (registering DOI) - 16 Jun 2022
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This article explores the motivation and engagement of adolescent non-Arab Muslim learners of Arabic (a-MLA) enrolled at Australian Islamic Schools (AIS). To this end, the ‘L2 Motivational Self System’ was used as a theoretical lens. This research gives ‘voice’ to learners and is
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This article explores the motivation and engagement of adolescent non-Arab Muslim learners of Arabic (a-MLA) enrolled at Australian Islamic Schools (AIS). To this end, the ‘L2 Motivational Self System’ was used as a theoretical lens. This research gives ‘voice’ to learners and is dialogic, ‘speaking with’ rather than ‘speaking for’ learners in Islamic schools. It also responds to calls for the ‘renewal’ of Islamic Schools in the Western context, including in Australia, through a focus on Arabic learning. A basic interpretive qualitative approach was used, and data were collected from 40 participants using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were supplemented by classroom observations. In keeping with the emphasis placed on learners’ voices, the data presented focus on the students’ own words and perspectives. The findings suggest the presence of predominantly religious orientations to learning Arabic, but that a subset of other orientations also exists. The findings also indicate that several contextual factors can lead to disengagement and that the L2 Motivational Self System might not fully explain the situation of these learners. Nonetheless, these findings can inform the practice of teachers engaged with a-MLA and provide grounds for further research.
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Open AccessArticle
Looking beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Congregants’ Expectations of Future Online Religious Service Attendance
Religions 2022, 13(6), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060559 (registering DOI) - 16 Jun 2022
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Many religious congregations in the United States have adapted to COVID-19 lockdowns by offering religious services online. This study aims to understand whether congregants from a diverse set of faith traditions expect to attend online or in-person religious services after the pandemic. First,
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Many religious congregations in the United States have adapted to COVID-19 lockdowns by offering religious services online. This study aims to understand whether congregants from a diverse set of faith traditions expect to attend online or in-person religious services after the pandemic. First, it examines how members of different religious traditions vary in their expectations of future attendance. Second, it explores whether respondents’ habituation to online attendance during the pandemic might result in greater preference for future online attendance. This study draws on a non-representative sample of 1609 members of Christian, Jewish, and Hindu communities in four US states surveyed in late 2020 and employs logistic regression models. The findings first suggest a divergence between congregation types that require in-person attendance for certain rituals versus those that do not. Second, habituation of the practice of online attendance may cultivate the desire to sustain this practice into the future. Online religious services have been well received by most congregants, and online services will likely play a useful role across congregation types, albeit at differing levels and with different audiences. Our finding that marginal congregants were more likely to prefer online religious services, while more engaged members preferred in-person attendance, is of relevance to faith leaders.
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Open AccessArticle
Freedom of Conscience of Healthcare Professionals and Conscientious Objection in the European Court of Human Rights
Religions 2022, 13(6), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060558 (registering DOI) - 16 Jun 2022
Abstract
The recent social and legal debate in several European countries on abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide has caused a strong resurgence of the concerns of healthcare personnel as to the real possibility of protecting their consciences in their professional sphere. Individual refusal for
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The recent social and legal debate in several European countries on abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide has caused a strong resurgence of the concerns of healthcare personnel as to the real possibility of protecting their consciences in their professional sphere. Individual refusal for religious, moral, deontological, or ethical reasons to participate in activities that directly or indirectly could result in the termination of a human life constitutes the most extreme manifestation of the legal phenomenon of conscientious objection. Although the European Convention on Human Rights does not recognize a general right to conscientious objection, since Bayatyan v. Armenia, the case law of the European Court of Human Rights has identified a connection between conscience-related claims to compulsory military service and Article 9 of the Convention. However, to this date, this doctrine has not been applied to cases that affect health-sensitive areas like abortion and contraception. This article analyzes the activity of the European Court of Human Rights in relation to the right to freedom of conscience and to conscientious objection, particularly in healthcare, and offers several final observations projected to possible future conflicts.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
Open AccessArticle
Just War and Anti-War: Two Stances of the Japanese Methodist Church toward the Russo-Japanese War
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Religions 2022, 13(6), 557; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060557 (registering DOI) - 16 Jun 2022
Abstract
If the Christian Church prioritizes its existence and expansion, it will turn to the entity that approves of it and protects it. When the Modern Japanese emperor’s state approached the church as his grace, the Japanese Christian Church showed its gratitude and pledged
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If the Christian Church prioritizes its existence and expansion, it will turn to the entity that approves of it and protects it. When the Modern Japanese emperor’s state approached the church as his grace, the Japanese Christian Church showed its gratitude and pledged its allegiance to the emperor. In the Sino-Japanese War, which assisted modern Japan in becoming an imperial-ist country, the Japanese Christian community was in favor of a war under the pretext of a “righteous war” to maintain a lasting peace in the East. However, during the Russo-Japanese War, when most of the Christians were actively in favor of the war, there were a few anti-war voices among small groups of Christians that had not been heard during the Sino-Japanese War. There was a tension that could not be easily resolved in the Japanese Christian Church. In particular, Gokyō, a Christian journal published by the Japanese Methodist Church, one of the major Protestant denominations, simultaneously presented two interesting and conflicting stances regarding the Russo-Japanese War (just war vs. anti-war). In this paper, we examine the diverging perspectives presented in Gokyō and explore various patterns of religion–war relations. Through this, we can see an example of two opposing arguments of just war and anti-war that coexisted and competed on the grounds of Christianity.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Representations in and around War)
Open AccessArticle
Everyone’s Accountable? Peer Sexual Abuse in Religious Schools, Digital Revelations, and Denominational Contests over Protection
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Religions 2022, 13(6), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060556 (registering DOI) - 16 Jun 2022
Abstract
Since the emergence of the #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements, online tracts have been employed to publicly reveal experiences of sexual abuse and assault among women and men in religious institutions and to shame abusers, which tend to be examined as an issue of
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Since the emergence of the #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements, online tracts have been employed to publicly reveal experiences of sexual abuse and assault among women and men in religious institutions and to shame abusers, which tend to be examined as an issue of women’s rights or child protection from adult predators. Drawing on the use of digital reporting platforms to testify against peer offences within religious schools, this paper asks how do such testimonies reveal adolescent agency and provoke policy re/actions about the accountability of religious institutions? Digital revelations submitted anonymously to Everyone’s Invited are analysed alongside interviews conducted with educators, parents, and youths in Jewish schools in Britain. Findings indicate how adolescent digital revelations of peer sexual abuse call for accountability by implicating the faith schools in question, which in turn triggers pedagogical and policy debates from educators. Public responses reflect diverging denominational positions on how to balance the protection of young people and safeguard religious self-protectionism. The paper spotlights the agency of youth in shaming peer abusers as much as faith schools and structures of religious authority, and in turn, how online shaming reveals frictions over accountability.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Youth and Religion)
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Open AccessEditorial
Introduction: Spirituality and Addiction
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Religions 2022, 13(6), 555; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060555 (registering DOI) - 16 Jun 2022
Abstract
This collection of papers is inspired by years of collaboration in delivering academic programmes in Applied Spirituality [...]
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spirituality and Addiction)
Open AccessArticle
A Golden Treasure from Korea: The Gilt-Bronze Bodhisattva Statue of Silla
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Religions 2022, 13(6), 554; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060554 - 16 Jun 2022
Abstract
A gilt-bronze statue of a standing bodhisattva was discovered at the Sŏllimwŏn Temple site. The statue is notable as its halo and pedestal were found intact at the time of discovery, and the bodhisattva figure itself is almost perfectly preserved. There are only
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A gilt-bronze statue of a standing bodhisattva was discovered at the Sŏllimwŏn Temple site. The statue is notable as its halo and pedestal were found intact at the time of discovery, and the bodhisattva figure itself is almost perfectly preserved. There are only a few instances of gilt-bronze statues from the Unified Silla kingdom that can be definitively linked to the site of their original placement. Sŏllimwŏn was physically distant from the royal palace, but its status as a central temple of the Sŏn School 禪宗 and the activities of pre-eminent monks in the ninth century made it important enough to become the site for a splendid gilt-bronze bodhisattva statue. Based on physical, stylistic, and scientific evidence, the statue dates to the latter half of the ninth century and has ties to the Buddhist monk Master Honggak 弘覺禪師. A unique example of a gilt-bronze sculpture, the Sŏllimwŏn bodhisattva is a valuable part of Buddhist material culture in Korea.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)
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The Evolution of Chinese Muslim’s Classical Learning and Schools in the Ming and Qing Dynasties
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Religions 2022, 13(6), 553; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060553 - 16 Jun 2022
Abstract
Around the middle of the Ming Dynasty, with the Chinese language becoming the mother tongue of Muslims in mainland China, the religious education of Chinese Muslims faced a dilemma. Meanwhile, a rejuvenated educational system was established by Hu Dengzhou (胡登洲) in Shaanxi during
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Around the middle of the Ming Dynasty, with the Chinese language becoming the mother tongue of Muslims in mainland China, the religious education of Chinese Muslims faced a dilemma. Meanwhile, a rejuvenated educational system was established by Hu Dengzhou (胡登洲) in Shaanxi during the Wanli (萬歷) period. This system, which was called Jingtang education (經堂教育) after a long time, has epoch-making significance in the history of Chinese Islamic thought. Through Hu Dengzhou’s disciples, this educational system gradually spread to North China and Jiangnan, where Shandong School and Jinling School were formed. Sufism played an important role in the two early schools’ teaching arrangements and academic activities. In the middle and late Qing periods, Shaanxi School and Yunnan School emerged one after another. Scholars of these two schools paid more attention to rational sciences represented by philosophical theology and attempted to use theological theories to explain Sufi texts. Overall, the establishment of Jingtang education was not only an urgent requirement for Muslims in mainland China to explain Islamic classics in Chinese, but also a fruitful attempt to replace official schools with private schools. The early Shandong School and Jinling School attached great importance to Sufism for two reasons: (1) Sufism became a prominent study after the 12th century, and most of the teachers of early Jingtang education had a close relationship with the Sufis. (2) These scholars live in a Chinese cultural background with Neo-Confucianism as the mainstream, and there are many commonalities between Sufism and Confucianism, which helps Muslim scholars to use Confucian terms to explain Islamic teaching. In the later period, Shaanxi School and Yunnan School turned to pay more attention to philosophical theology for two reasons: (1) In order to deal with the emergence and ideological differences of Chinese Islamic sects in the mid-Qing era. (2) This change was not unrelated to the influence of the Shixue (實學) thought trends in China, especially the Qianjia School.
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Theological Valorization of the Other from an Orthodox Christian Perspective: Dorin Oancea’s Model of Theology of Religions in Relation to Social and Theological Developments of Modernity
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Religions 2022, 13(6), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060552 - 15 Jun 2022
Abstract
This paper analyzes the model of theology of religions elaborated by the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dorin Oancea and highlights the possibilities for openness towards other religious realms and for real theological validation of non-Christian religions. It focuses both on the modern premises of
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This paper analyzes the model of theology of religions elaborated by the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dorin Oancea and highlights the possibilities for openness towards other religious realms and for real theological validation of non-Christian religions. It focuses both on the modern premises of this model and on the ways in which the author ensures its continuity inside the Tradition and its acceptance within the Orthodox-Christian world. Dorin Oancea’s construct, a unique system of pluralistic inclusivism, elaborated by an Orthodox theologian who wants to remain aligned with the Eastern Orthodox patristic and traditional theological thinking while still addressing current topics by means of contemporary instruments and present-day language, is a valuable example of religious change that takes place within Orthodoxy, which is regarded as a traditional branch of Christianity. This paper identifies forms of theological newness in Dorin Oancea’s manner of addressing the challenges of present times in relation to the dynamics of the field of theology of religions and of Orthodox theology.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
Open AccessArticle
Religious Freedom, Cybersecurity, and the Stability of Society: Problems and Perspectives from a European Perspective
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Religions 2022, 13(6), 551; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060551 - 15 Jun 2022
Abstract
Although religious freedom significantly affects certain people, the guarantees for its observance also have implications for the quality of social life and the security of the state. Polarization and conflict between religious groups is not only a conflict for new believers, but also
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Although religious freedom significantly affects certain people, the guarantees for its observance also have implications for the quality of social life and the security of the state. Polarization and conflict between religious groups is not only a conflict for new believers, but also contributes to the weakening of the internal state. It seems that one of the elements of such a destabilization of states is the promotion and lack of reaction to the phenomenon of ridiculing religion and its followers in cyberspace. As can be seen from reports on the situation in Poland, there are increasing signs of hostility to religion, stereotyping, and discrimination. The issues can be considered on two levels: individual protection for freedom of speech, and state protection. At the end of this paper, proposals for measures to prevent crimes based on religion or belief are presented.
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Open AccessEditorial
What the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Revealed about Religions
Religions 2022, 13(6), 550; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060550 - 15 Jun 2022
Abstract
The beginning of year 2020 will be remembered as a turning point within several societies [...]
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pandemic, Religion and Non-religion)
Open AccessArticle
Change: Thinking through Sāṅkhya
Religions 2022, 13(6), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060549 - 15 Jun 2022
Abstract
This paper explores the ways change is addressed in Sāṅkhya, one of the major Hindu schools of philosophy, specifically in light of the classical debate between Hindu and the Buddhist philosophers regarding intrinsic nature (svabhāva) and the concept of transformation (
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This paper explores the ways change is addressed in Sāṅkhya, one of the major Hindu schools of philosophy, specifically in light of the classical debate between Hindu and the Buddhist philosophers regarding intrinsic nature (svabhāva) and the concept of transformation (pariṇāma). When we closely analyze Sāṅkhya categories, the issue of temporality stands out, because for Sāṅkhya philosophers time is not a distinct category and is infrequently addressed in classical Sāṅkhya. Nonetheless, we can still extract two different notions related to time, dynamism intrinsic to rajas, and temporality that is enclosed within the notion of space and spatial objects. What this implies is that the temporality implicit within the concept of change is only applicable to the last of the evolutes, according to Sāṅkhya cosmology. However, the Sāṅkhyan idea of 16 transformations (pariṇāma) applies to all categories, except puruṣa. By exploiting the parameters of these arguments, this paper makes the case for a closer analysis of the category of transformation in classical Sāṅkhya. Reading about change in the light of svabhāva, the intrinsic nature of an entity, versus the idea of its termination, allows us to have a wider conversation on what it means for something to change from within the Sāṅkhya paradigm.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Continuity and Change according to Hindu and Buddhist Religious Philosophies)
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Mark’s Endings in Context: Paratexts and Codicological Remarks
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Religions 2022, 13(6), 548; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060548 - 14 Jun 2022
Abstract
This article addresses the problem of the perception of Mark’s endings as expressed in its manuscript tradition. I will argue that, unlike the modern standardized image, manuscript evidence offers a complex phenomenon in which the endings were perceived in diverse ways that move
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This article addresses the problem of the perception of Mark’s endings as expressed in its manuscript tradition. I will argue that, unlike the modern standardized image, manuscript evidence offers a complex phenomenon in which the endings were perceived in diverse ways that move across the threshold that separates a text from paratexts. Further, the manuscripts show an influence between the endings and their associated paratexts. I will show this phenomenon by examining (i) the hypotheses before the Gospel, (ii) marginalia that engaged Mark 16, and (iii) postscripts after the Gospel. In conclusion, the article recommends revisiting the standard perception of the “endings” within their larger paratextual ecosystem.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Titles, Paratexts, and Manuscript Communication: Jewish and Christian Literature in Material Context)
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A Liturgical Model for Worship in the Multireligious Context: A Case Study Based on the Interfaith Service Held on September 25, 2015, at 9/11 Museum in New York City
Religions 2022, 13(6), 547; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060547 - 14 Jun 2022
Abstract
This article proposes a liturgical model for multireligious worship, namely the Pilgrim’s Service for the Ultimate Goodness of Humanity. Three key humanitarian liturgical principles buttress the proposed model; story-sharing, agreed symbols (metaphors), and de-centering. The model also proposes an overarching onto-narrative image—the pilgrim
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This article proposes a liturgical model for multireligious worship, namely the Pilgrim’s Service for the Ultimate Goodness of Humanity. Three key humanitarian liturgical principles buttress the proposed model; story-sharing, agreed symbols (metaphors), and de-centering. The model also proposes an overarching onto-narrative image—the pilgrim weaving and holding various liturgical threads as a whole. The end goals of this multireligious worship include, among others; (1) renewed awareness of the all-encompassing Transcendent and Its Peace, (2) interreligious dialogue and collaboration, (3) raised consciousness and the practice of radical hospitality for “strangers”, and (4) appreciation of the (religiously) marginalized. The interfaith service held on September 25, 2015, at the 9/11 Museum in New York City is analyzed and annotated, along with further suggestions, as a demonstration of the proposed model.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multicultural Worship: Theory and Practice)
Open AccessArticle
Description or Truth? A Typology of New Testament Theology
Religions 2022, 13(6), 546; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060546 (registering DOI) - 14 Jun 2022
Abstract
This essay develops a typology to divide the overcrowded disciplinary space of New Testament theology into eight approaches based on subject matter. After describing and analyzing the approaches, it argues that descriptive New Testament theology becomes unworkable due to internal tensions. Next, it
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This essay develops a typology to divide the overcrowded disciplinary space of New Testament theology into eight approaches based on subject matter. After describing and analyzing the approaches, it argues that descriptive New Testament theology becomes unworkable due to internal tensions. Next, it evaluates a recent proposal by Robert Morgan for “implicit” theological interpretation in New Testament theology. After finding Morgan’s approach to insufficiently distinguish itself from a descriptive history-of-religions account, it argues that the future of New Testament theology must consist in a move away from description and toward a search for truth. It encourages Christians to read the New Testament in ways consistent with their own beliefs. The essay concludes by arguing that the future of New Testament theology is one of self-sacrifice in order that something better may appear.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of New Testament Theology)
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Religions
Myth-Making in the Hebrew Bible
Guest Editor: Debra Scoggins BallentineDeadline: 25 June 2022
Special Issue in
Religions
Advances in the Psychology of Eastern Religions
Guest Editor: Jonathan E. RamsayDeadline: 25 July 2022
Special Issue in
Religions
Religion and Public Health Threats in the 21st Century
Guest Editor: Magdalena SzaflarskiDeadline: 31 July 2022