Religions

11 pages, 283 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Corporate Social Responsibility: Does Religious Community Matter?

by Yugang He and Wanting Tian

Religions 2022, 13(10), 1006; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13101006 - 21 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2162

Corporate social responsibility is crucial to the sustainability of a firm, yet its motivating forces remain obscure. Therefore, this paper uses 1130 listed firms over the period 2010–2021 as the sample to explore the effect of religious community on corporate social responsibility in [...] Read more.

Corporate social responsibility is crucial to the sustainability of a firm, yet its motivating forces remain obscure. Therefore, this paper uses 1130 listed firms over the period 2010–2021 as the sample to explore the effect of religious community on corporate social responsibility in China. Using a firm and year-fixed effects model for empirical analysis. The findings reveal that the number of religious communities around a firm within a radius of less than 10, 50, and 100 km all has a favorable influence on corporate social responsibility. Moreover, the results of heterogeneity analysis show that religious community has a smaller positive impact on corporate social responsibility in low-polluting firms than in high-polluting ones. Additionally, using the robustness test, it is conceivable to conclude that the findings presented in this study are reliable and robust. This paper contributes to and broadens the existing body of research on corporate social responsibility and religious community, which has significant ramifications for the importance of religious community in the conduct of business. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Communities)

12 pages, 263 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Endurance, Acceptance, or Constitutional Gratitude: Non-Theistic and Theistic Attitudes to Suffering

by Caleb M. Cohoe

Religions 2022, 13(10), 1005; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13101005 - 21 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1413

Abstract

Against those who think that only believers in a personal God are entitled to be grateful for their existence and for reality itself (cosmic gratitude), I show that there are non-theistic views on which everything that happens is part of an overall good [...] Read more.

Against those who think that only believers in a personal God are entitled to be grateful for their existence and for reality itself (cosmic gratitude), I show that there are non-theistic views on which everything that happens is part of an overall good order, supporting gratitude toward that order’s source. However, most non-theist views that affirm reality’s goodness, including pantheism, axiarchism, and ultimism, hold that an individual’s existence has value as part of a larger whole. Some things may be bad for me but good for the whole. In such cases, acceptance is the best available positive attitude. Many versions of theism, by contrast, support constitutional gratitude, a characteristic attitude of thankfulness toward the ultimate source of goodness. Using Marilyn Adams’ distinction between global and local goods, I show how Christianity, Islam, and other theistic views that affirm a personal God who cares for the well-being of each individual as such enable constitutional gratitude. If the evils you experience will be defeated by greater goods that you personally experience, you can be grateful to God for God’s presence and plan even in suffering. Whether this attitude is more appropriate than acceptance or endurance depends on facts about reality and value. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gratitude to God)

10 pages, 230 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Origins of Dualism and Nondualism in the History of Religion and Spiritual Practice

by Hans Henning and Max Henning

Religions 2022, 13(10), 1004; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13101004 - 21 Oct 2022

Viewed by 3684

Abstract

In a previous article we proposed that spiritual traditions and practices emerged to counterbalance humans inherent “dualism”, or perceived separation from the world around us, by cultivating experiences of “subject-object nonduality” more commonly referred to as “unification with the divine” or “enlightenment”. This [...] Read more.

In a previous article we proposed that spiritual traditions and practices emerged to counterbalance humans inherent “dualism”, or perceived separation from the world around us, by cultivating experiences of “subject-object nonduality” more commonly referred to as “unification with the divine” or “enlightenment”. This implies that religions (social and political institutions ostensibly based in spiritual practices) similarly aim towards overcoming the separation of self and other. However, many religions include dualistic elements. In particular, many religions incorporate “ethical dualism” in which certain individuals and groups are seen as essentially “good” or “bad”, a feature not seen in nondual traditions. Here, we explore this seeming paradox, highlighting an intriguing correspondence between the degree to which religions include dualistic or nondualistic elements and, respectively, the prevalence of conflict or cooperation as the organizing principle in their associated social context. We find major “dualistic” religions to be generally traceable to pastoral societies largely organized around intergroup conflict, whereas major “nondual religions” are generally traceable to societies in which large-scale cooperation and rule-based behavior was necessary for collective survival. Finally, we apply this pattern to the modern world, speculating that large-scale cooperation and rule-based behavior in modern society may be currently encouraging the renewal of nondual practices in modern social and political institutions that is indicated by the growing popularity of “spiritual but not religious” groups, and that this renewal of nondual practices may in turn set the frame for and reinforce behavior that will be necessary to address the historic challenges of our day like climate change and democratic backsliding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meditation and Spiritual Practice)

13 pages, 270 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Expansion of Consciousness during Mystical Experiences: The Example of Moses

by Mona Jahangiri

Religions 2022, 13(10), 1003; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13101003 - 21 Oct 2022

Viewed by 2027

Abstract

What happens in the brain during meditation? Neuroscientists such as Andrew Newberg, who studies religious experiences on the neural level, may provide an answer. He calls the devolution, which is similar to all mystical experiences in different faiths, self-transcendent experience (STE); in a [...] Read more.

What happens in the brain during meditation? Neuroscientists such as Andrew Newberg, who studies religious experiences on the neural level, may provide an answer. He calls the devolution, which is similar to all mystical experiences in different faiths, self-transcendent experience (STE); in a further instance, he also calls it the feeling of Absolute Unitary Being (AUB). A more detailed consideration of related issues is done by examining the human expansion of consciousness in Islamic mysticism based on an event depicted in the Qurʾān, namely Mosesʾ desire to talk to or see God, his subsequent unconsciousness due to the awe of God, and his subsequent attainment of a new consciousness. The following paper will have a brief look at the case of Moses and aims to investigate the states of consciousness during such experiences. Here, an attempt will be made to trace and prove a connection between neuroscience and the mystical state of the feeling of union with God. In doing so, particular attention will be paid to the state of the encounter between Moses and God. From a neuropsychological point of view, the question will be investigated whether the special spiritual experiences such as those of Moses can be measured, and within this framework, different consciousness models will be presented. Can Newberg’s STE or AUB theory be regarded equally with the fanāʾ state? Finally, which kind of psychological experience is applicable to Moses will be examined. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Philosophy of Mystical Experience)

20 pages, 348 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Compulsory Heterosexuality in Indonesia: A Literary Exploration of the Work of Ayu Utami

by Santi Widianti

Religions 2022, 13(10), 1002; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13101002 - 21 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1408

Abstract

The fall of Suharto from the presidency in the Reformation of 1998 created space for greater freedom of expression, including for women, in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia. Ayu Utami is an Indonesian writer whose first novel, Saman, was published at [...] Read more.

The fall of Suharto from the presidency in the Reformation of 1998 created space for greater freedom of expression, including for women, in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia. Ayu Utami is an Indonesian writer whose first novel, Saman, was published at the time of the Indonesian Reformation to critical and commercial acclaim. Other women writers followed her lead, expressing their work on women and sexuality. Through her writing, Utami challenges a patriarchal culture which continues to marginalise women. This paper focuses on the two of Utami’s literary works, Si Parasit Lajang: Seks, Sketsa dan Cerita (The Single Parasite: Sex, Sketches and Stories) (2003) and Pengakuan Eks Parasit Lajang (Confessions of a Former Single Parasite) (2013). These two books have parallel themes, representing Utami’s challenges to dominant discourses on women and marriage. In the first book, Utami shows that women face discrimination if they remain single. Her political stance to remain unmarried is a way to show that women can choose alternative ways of life, rather than submit to the valorised option: to get married. Utami’s shift of position, as elaborated in the second book through the story of her autobiographical character A, who is a Catholic, has to do with a developing tendency of the Islamic conservatism in Indonesia to silence the expression of minority groups, including minority religious communities. This paper argues that to understand Utami’s shift in position on marriage, we must understand the ways in which her position as a member of a minority and, sometimes endangered, religious community shapes her position. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Approaches to the Study of Religion and Media)

18 pages, 2118 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Embodying Legacy by Pursuing Asymmetry: Pushou Temple and Female Monastics’ Ordinations in Contemporary China

by Amandine Péronnet

Religions 2022, 13(10), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13101001 - 21 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1684

Abstract

This paper focuses on ordination procedures specific to women in Chinese Buddhism, and on the positions adopted by bhikṣuṇīs regarding the procedures’ asymmetrical nature in contemporary China. Dual ordinations, according to which aspiring bhikṣuṇīs must [...] Read more.

This paper focuses on ordination procedures specific to women in Chinese Buddhism, and on the positions adopted by bhikṣuṇīs regarding the procedures’ asymmetrical nature in contemporary China. Dual ordinations, according to which aspiring bhikṣuṇīs must present themselves in front of both an assembly of fully ordained nuns and of monks in order to be “properly” ordained, were restored by Longlian (隆莲 1909–2006) in 1982. Śikṣamāṇā ordinations, which postulate that women should train for an additional two years before receiving full ordination when their male counterparts do not have to, have also become increasingly common since the 1980s. Based on fieldwork conducted between 2015 and today, both on-site and online, this paper asks whether asymmetry should be considered similar to subordination with regard to ordination procedures. It looks into Rurui’s (如瑞, 1957–) position on the matter, as Longlian’s student and one of the most influential bhikṣuṇī of her generation. While recent survey data will be useful in addressing the issue of representation, qualitative data will question the role of vertical networks in perpetuating a teacher’s legacy, ultimately leaving us to wonder if asymmetry might not be actively sought after by contemporary Chinese Buddhist bhikṣuṇīs in order to improve their status. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gender Asymmetry and Nuns’ Agency in the Asian Buddhist Traditions)

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15 pages, 292 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Young People and the Process of Secularisation in Contemporary Greek Society

by Alexandros Sakellariou

Religions 2022, 13(10), 999; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100999 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1511

Abstract

During the last twenty years, a significant shift has taken place in Greek society. On the one hand, the religious context has been altered due to the arrival of immigrants and refugees with different religious backgrounds. On the other hand, young people seem [...] Read more.

During the last twenty years, a significant shift has taken place in Greek society. On the one hand, the religious context has been altered due to the arrival of immigrants and refugees with different religious backgrounds. On the other hand, young people seem to distance themselves from religion and the Orthodox Church in various ways. With the above in mind, this article will try to answer a number of questions: Are young people in contemporary Greek society religious? What do they think about the role of the Orthodox Church? How do they value the Church’s public discourse on issues such as immigration, gender equality, and homosexuality? Where do they stand on state–Church relations? How close are they to the Orthodox Church? Based on theoretical discussions about secularisation, secularism, and the post-secular, this article builds upon quantitative and qualitative research on young people from 17 to 35 years of age. The main argument is that young people seem to gradually move away from religion and the Orthodox Church, while in some cases, religion becomes a private matter; this indicates that there seems to be a process of secularisation underway, although further research is needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Secularism and Religious Traditions)

21 pages, 1000 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Four Approaches to Daodejing Translations and Their Characteristics in Korean after Liberation from Japan

by Heejung Seo-Reich

Religions 2022, 13(10), 998; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100998 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2604

Abstract

This article gathered and analyzed the Daodejing (DDJ) translations in Korean that appeared after the liberation from Japan and classified them into four perspectives: the perspective continuing Gyeonghak 經學 (Traditional Confucian exegetics), the literary and linguistic perspective, the religious perspective, and the philosophical [...] Read more.

This article gathered and analyzed the Daodejing (DDJ) translations in Korean that appeared after the liberation from Japan and classified them into four perspectives: the perspective continuing Gyeonghak 經學 (Traditional Confucian exegetics), the literary and linguistic perspective, the religious perspective, and the philosophical perspective according to the academic perspective and methodology of translation. Simultaneously, this paper clarified the translation characteristics by comprehensively examining the formation process of each perspective in their historical contexts. Although Daoism had been excluded from the academic curriculum during the pre-liberation era along with Buddhism as heresy, it was later hastily embraced within the category of Oriental Studies to build a cultural consensus when the modern and contemporary educational system was established. In the post-liberation era, the formation of each DDJ translation perspective is directly related to the academic status of Daoism during the modernization of the Korean educational system—a process in which the years 1990 and 2015 stand out as essential turning points. The characteristics of DDJ translations in Korean can be analyzed from five perspectives depending on the Ur-text, ideological perspective, linguistic methodology, national characteristics, and relation to Christianity. Full article

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

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11 pages, 274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Glocal Zen in Italy: A Preliminary Exploration of the Underlying Dynamics

by Ugo Dessì

Religions 2022, 13(10), 997; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100997 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1131

Abstract

This article focuses on three Zen meditation groups operating in Italy from the perspective of glocalization. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and practitioners’ narratives, it explores the dynamics underlying the making of glocal Zen with reference to the internal structure of individual religious worlds [...] Read more.

This article focuses on three Zen meditation groups operating in Italy from the perspective of glocalization. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and practitioners’ narratives, it explores the dynamics underlying the making of glocal Zen with reference to the internal structure of individual religious worlds and its reshaping through the creative incorporation of zazen or zazen-like meditation. My analysis also indicates that there are at least three main factors constraining these processes of glocalization: Availability, or the way in which Zen meditational techniques become accessible (or not) to individual practitioners through global religious exchanges; global consciousness, which relates to the way in which changes in collective consciousness encourage individuals to see themselves as global actors and their Zen practice as globally relevant; and resonance, which speaks of the way in which Zen meditation is selected by individual practitioners for their glocal practices based both on its perceived congruence with their preexisting religious worlds and its usefulness for the solution of specific problems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Globalization and East Asian Religions)

19 pages, 680 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Christianity and Liberation: A Study of the Canadian Baptist Mission among the Savaras in Ganjam (Orissa), c.1885–1970

by Tiasa Basu Roy

Religions 2022, 13(10), 996; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100996 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1808

Abstract

Liberation is a psychological attribute that primarily aims towards peace of mind followed by emancipation from fetters. Every individual covets liberation through their actions and expects a conducive milieu to experience the same. However, for oppressed people, the journey to liberation is convoluted [...] Read more.

Liberation is a psychological attribute that primarily aims towards peace of mind followed by emancipation from fetters. Every individual covets liberation through their actions and expects a conducive milieu to experience the same. However, for oppressed people, the journey to liberation is convoluted as it involves escape from many elements. In a hierarchical society like India, liberation means liberation from the whole structure in which religious affiliation plays an important role. The marginalized section of the population seldom has the liberty to choose for their lives and they continue to remain subordinated under age-old power relations, which are garbed in the names of destiny and ordinance. For them, liberation is a quest to make an identity and reinstate the value of self-worth. Christianity, with the Church as its mission partner, seeks to liberate these caged souls from their precarious standings. This study will try to show how the Canadian Baptist Mission, with a primary objective to evangelize, left a trail of aspiration among the tribal Savaras of Ganjam to undertake the pursuit of liberation and fight oppression on their own. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue World Christianity in History and in Culture)

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15 pages, 356 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Richard Simon, Biblical Criticism and Voltaire

by Jan Starczewski

Religions 2022, 13(10), 995; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100995 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1803

Abstract

French Enlightenment philosophe Voltaire’s ambivalence vis-à-vis the biblical text is well documented. On the one hand he highlights irregularities and contradictions in Scripture to undermine the clergy’s authority and legitimacy. On the other, he clearly was fond of reading it and the sheer [...] Read more.

French Enlightenment philosophe Voltaire’s ambivalence vis-à-vis the biblical text is well documented. On the one hand he highlights irregularities and contradictions in Scripture to undermine the clergy’s authority and legitimacy. On the other, he clearly was fond of reading it and the sheer volume of his work devoted to it confirms that he was certainly not indifferent to its content. This article shows how Voltaire’s use of different biblical scholars, particularly the seventeenth-century French biblical critic Richard Simon, informed his understanding of Scripture and how it manifested in his works, both those of a satirical and of a serious tone. This analysis problematizes the role of religion and of biblical criticism in French seventeenth and eighteenth-century literature. If Richard Simon’s method was not always welcomed during his lifetime, his main goal was to pursue truth. Voltaire, however, used the tools of Simon to undermine traditional Christianity and to emphasize his own understanding of what religion entails. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Bible in Literature: New Approaches to Literary Engagement with the Bible)

16 pages, 348 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Was a Confessional Agreement in Early Modern Europe Possible? On the Role of the Sandomir Consensus in the European Debates

by Maciej Ptaszyński

Religions 2022, 13(10), 994; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100994 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1253

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to present the continuity of irenic thought in early modern times using the example of a confessional agreement concluded in 1570 in Poland, called the Sandomir Consensus (Consensus of Sandomierz). The initiators and authors of [...] Read more.

The purpose of this article is to present the continuity of irenic thought in early modern times using the example of a confessional agreement concluded in 1570 in Poland, called the Sandomir Consensus (Consensus of Sandomierz). The initiators and authors of the document were Calvinists at the time, but the document’s theologians soon attributed it to the post-Hussite community of the Bohemian Brethren. Here, the point of departure is the 1605 publication of the history of the Bohemian Brethren in Heidelberg, with an appendix containing the Consensus. The article explains the meandering origins of this historical interpretation: its roots in confessional polemics, as well as its legacy, to prove that irenicism was not a marginal or apolitical movement but actively contributed to shaping modern attitudes toward religion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue History of Christianity: The Relationship between Church and State)

25 pages, 412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Connection 100—An Auto-Ethnography of My (Mystical) Connection Experiences

by Mike Sosteric

Religions 2022, 13(10), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100993 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1320

Abstract

This paper provides an autoethnographic accounting and analysis of my own mystical experiences, called connection experiences in this paper. This account, which is structured around a description of my early experiences, attempts to weave together psychological, sociological, historical, and methodological themes into a [...] Read more.

This paper provides an autoethnographic accounting and analysis of my own mystical experiences, called connection experiences in this paper. This account, which is structured around a description of my early experiences, attempts to weave together psychological, sociological, historical, and methodological themes into a coherent contribution that advances our understanding of connection experience. The paper includes an explication of the four stages of the research project that developed as a consequence of these experiences as well as an examination of the processes, tools (i.e., MediWiki), and emotional, psychological, professional, and scholarly challenges of collecting and analyzing the autoethnographic data of mystical experiences. The denouement of the paper is the presentation of a conceptual schema aimed at overcoming nomenclature confusion and providing a basis for description, analysis, and discussion of connection and connection experiences. The utility of the schema is demonstrated when it is used to provide a clear overview of my own connection experiences, and the connection experiences of others. In order to facilitate critical discussion of the conceptual framework, a glossary of terms developed and presented in this paper is provided at the end. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Autoethnographic Reflection on Spirituality, Mysticism and Consciousness: Transformations in the Academy and Beyond)

25 pages, 38892 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study on the Literacy Rate of Buddhist Monks in Dunhuang during the Late Tang, Five Dynasties, and Early Song Period

by Shaowei Wu

Religions 2022, 13(10), 992; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100992 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2059

Abstract

Among the Dunhuang documents, when examining some of the monk signature lists, name list of monks copying scriptures and name list of monks chanting scriptures in monasteries, we can estimate a relatively accurate literacy rate of the Buddhist sangha. Generally speaking, the literacy [...] Read more.

Among the Dunhuang documents, when examining some of the monk signature lists, name list of monks copying scriptures and name list of monks chanting scriptures in monasteries, we can estimate a relatively accurate literacy rate of the Buddhist sangha. Generally speaking, the literacy rate of the sangha during the Guiyi Army 歸義軍 period (851–1036) was lower than that during the Tibetan occupation period (786–851). The reason for this change is closely related to each regime’s Buddhist policy, the size and living situation of the sangha, and the Buddhist atmosphere. The decrease in the literacy rate of the sangha had great negative consequences, but when viewed under the context of the stay at home monks and the secularization of Buddhism, the number of literate monks had actually increased. They were more closely integrated with the secular society and their functions in the regional society were more pronounced. At the same time, the changes in the literacy rate of the monks in Dunhuang can also serve as an important reference for understanding the development of Buddhism in the Central China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Life History of Chinese Buddhist Monks)

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10 pages, 278 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Folk Religion in Transformation: A Religious Studies Perspective Based on Examples from Romania

by Alina Patru

Religions 2022, 13(10), 991; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100991 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1260

Abstract

The present study deals with some changes identifiable on the level of folk religion, i.e., of the religious expression of ordinary people. Its premises are that folk religion is a subsegment of religion, fulfilling specific functions which official or elite religion fail to [...] Read more.

The present study deals with some changes identifiable on the level of folk religion, i.e., of the religious expression of ordinary people. Its premises are that folk religion is a subsegment of religion, fulfilling specific functions which official or elite religion fail to satisfy. The paper lies on a theoretical grounding stemming mainly from the Scandinavian school of comparative religion and folkloristics and applies these theories to examples from Romania. In this way, the specific functions of folk religion are analyzed, and the question is asked how these needs come to be met once people detach from the rural values. It is found that individuals which have lost their connection to traditions also head with their needs to cognitively lees costly religious forms, this time to global forms, which had become contents of the now enlarged pool of tradition. These contents are actualized in accordance with the concrete personal needs. In different forms of new spiritualities many characteristics of folk religion can be identified, moreover, they take similar roles. This demonstrates that folk religion has its own dynamism, transforming to reflect social and cultural change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Folk Religion: Today and Yesterday)

17 pages, 380 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Re-Evaluating the Notion of Isrâ and Mi’râj in Ibadi Tradition: With Special References to the Modern Sirah Readings

by Ismail Albayrak and Sulaiman Al Shueily

Religions 2022, 13(10), 990; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100990 - 20 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1579

Abstract

The notion of mi’râj (the heavenly journey of Prophet Muhammad) is an important non-homogenic topic, although it is not often handled in Ibadi intellectual, sīrah (biography of the Prophet) and exegetical traditions. In this article, we analyse the treatment of the subject chronologically [...] Read more.

The notion of mi’râj (the heavenly journey of Prophet Muhammad) is an important non-homogenic topic, although it is not often handled in Ibadi intellectual, sīrah (biography of the Prophet) and exegetical traditions. In this article, we analyse the treatment of the subject chronologically in the Ibadi tradition. We discuss the Ibadis’ main concerns on the subject, how they differ, what inferences they make from the related verses, sīrah, hadith and exegetical (tafsir) reports, and most importantly whether they accept the notion of mi’râj. This article analyses the notion of isrâ because of its close relationship to mi’râj. In summary, there are variations on the issue of mi’râj among the North African and Omani Ibadis. Even more interesting is the existence of significant nuances among the Omani Ibadis. In short, while all North African Ibadis accept mi’raj as an event, it is observed that some Omani Ibadis accept it, while others sometimes reject it for religious and sometimes rational grounds. Full article

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

16 pages, 616 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Buddhist Religious Care Is Incorporated for End-of-Life Stroke Patients Receiving Palliative Care at Home during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Revisiting Constructivist Grounded Theory

by Jinpitcha Mamom and Hanvedes Daovisan

Religions 2022, 13(10), 1000; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13101000 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2206

Abstract

Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic has involved unprecedented health challenges, impacting not only the receipt of palliative care, but also that of religious care. The present article aimed to explore how Buddhist religious care is incorporated for end-of-life stroke patients receiving palliative care [...] Read more.

Coping with the COVID-19 pandemic has involved unprecedented health challenges, impacting not only the receipt of palliative care, but also that of religious care. The present article aimed to explore how Buddhist religious care is incorporated for end-of-life stroke patients receiving palliative care at home during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. A constructivist grounded theory (CGT) was utilised with theoretical sampling of 30 respondents in the Angthong, Ayutthaya, and Pratumthani provinces, central Thailand, from June 2020 to March 2022. Online in-depth interviews were video-recorded and transcribed, using written memos and constant comparative methods. Data transcripts were analysed using open, axial, selective coding, categorising, and themes. Our CGT study identified five themes of Buddhist religious care incorporated for end-of-life stroke patients receiving palliative care at home, namely Buddhist therapies, religious beliefs, religious life satisfaction, religious mental care, and religious needs. The implications of Buddhist religious care being incorporated for end-of-life stroke patients receiving home palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious and Spiritual Needs in Palliative Care)

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12 pages, 1077 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Ritualization of Classic Confucian Spirit of Jing (Reverence and Respect): Evidence from Traditional Chinese Capping Ritual

by Yue Wu, Hui’e Liang, Yijun Shen and Qianling Jiang

Religions 2022, 13(10), 989; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100989 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2845

Abstract

In ancient China, all moral concepts are based on Li 禮 (ritual). Jing 敬 (reverence and respect) is one of the core categories of Confucian ritual spirituality and has rich ideological connotations. This study discusses how Confucianism realizes the ritualization of jing and [...] Read more.

In ancient China, all moral concepts are based on Li 禮 (ritual). Jing 敬 (reverence and respect) is one of the core categories of Confucian ritual spirituality and has rich ideological connotations. This study discusses how Confucianism realizes the ritualization of jing and constructs its symbolic system in the capping ritual to strengthen adult consciousness and social responsibility. First, based on relevant classic texts, we clarify the internal relationship between traditional ritual spirituality and jing. Then, we present an overview of the coming-of-age ceremony and discuss how religious beliefs and rituals incorporate Confucian ethical values and aesthetics. Finally, from the ritual uses of time, space, and behavior, we examine the meaning of jing in the specific practice of the traditional Chinese capping ritual and how it is conveyed to participants and observers through ritual implements and behaviors. The results show the capping ritual as an important life etiquette, and Confucianism injects the spirit of jing into every phase to cultivate an emotional response that will instantiate a moral ideal applicable to individuals and the state. In complex, modern societies, it is important to condense the Confucian spiritual connotation of jing and integrate it into modern coming-of-age rites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Discussing the Relationship between Individual and Community: From the Perspective of Confucianism)

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25 pages, 326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Explanation and Defense of the Free-Thinking Argument

by Timothy A. Stratton and J. P. Moreland

Religions 2022, 13(10), 988; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100988 - 19 Oct 2022

Viewed by 5888

Abstract

This paper is a defense of the big ideas behind the free-thinking argument. This argument aims to demonstrate that determinism is incompatible with epistemic responsibility in a desert sense (being praised or blamed for any thought, idea, judgment, or belief). This lack of [...] Read more.

This paper is a defense of the big ideas behind the free-thinking argument. This argument aims to demonstrate that determinism is incompatible with epistemic responsibility in a desert sense (being praised or blamed for any thought, idea, judgment, or belief). This lack of epistemic responsibility is problematic for the naturalist. It seems to be an even worse problem, however, for the exhaustive divine determinist because not only would humanity not stand in a position to be blamed for any of our thoughts and beliefs, but it also surfaces a “problem of epistemic evil”, which can be raised against the knowledge of God, the rationality of humans, and the trustworthiness of Scripture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Philosophical Theology)

15 pages, 981 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Commentarial Interpretations of the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa in the Controversy over Requiring Buddhist Monastics to Pay Homage to the Emperor during the Sui and Tang Dynasties

by Kai Sheng

Religions 2022, 13(10), 987; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100987 - 19 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1406

Abstract

Once Buddhism had become established in China, one of the central issues in the relations between the Saṃgha and the state was the ongoing controversy over requiring Buddhist monastics to pay homage to the emperor. When this controversy resurfaced at the end of [...] Read more.

Once Buddhism had become established in China, one of the central issues in the relations between the Saṃgha and the state was the ongoing controversy over requiring Buddhist monastics to pay homage to the emperor. When this controversy resurfaced at the end of the Sui dynasty and the beginning of the Tang dynasty, the participants in the debate frequently referred to the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa to support their arguments. In this paper, I discuss these references to the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa and how they were interpreted by various participants. I argue that the ideas of “the distinction between expedient means and monastic conventions” and “the distinction between individual realization and general ethics” prevalent in the Buddhist circles of the Sui and Tang dynasties are in line with the concepts of “veneration out of gratitude” and “signless veneration” used for interpreting the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa, indicating that the Sui and Tang Buddhist communities had a common understanding on this issue. A more extreme position was that of Kuiji, who interprets the relevant passages in the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa in terms of “forgetting decorum out of ignorance” in his arguments against the institutional feasibility of requiring monastics to pay homage to the emperor. The arguments put forth in this debate clearly reflect the interaction between Buddhism, absolute monarchy, and historical events in China, in a fusion of intellectual and social history. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Life History of Chinese Buddhist Monks)

12 pages, 284 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Religious Education in Transition: From Content-Centred to Student-Centred

by Carl-Mario Sultana

Religions 2022, 13(10), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100986 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2063

Abstract

Catholic Religious Education as a subject in school curricula is an area in which the need for change is constantly felt. This change is driven by the paradigm shift in anthropology brought about by Vatican Council II, which sought to put the human [...] Read more.

Catholic Religious Education as a subject in school curricula is an area in which the need for change is constantly felt. This change is driven by the paradigm shift in anthropology brought about by Vatican Council II, which sought to put the human being at the centre. Notwithstanding this shift proposed more than 50 years ago, we are still struggling to handle and implement this change. In practice, this calls for a re-evaluation of the traditional doctrinal methods, which have been associated with teaching Religious Education in the past and seeking to adopt new methods which are more anthropological and depart from where the human being actually stands and seek to answer the existential questions which contemporary human beings pose. The point of departure for such a vision is the etymological meaning of the term ‘education’ from the Latin root educere. In practical terms, such a shift from a content-centred to a more student-centred approach entails adopting a constructivist approach and putting into practice the principles of what is referred to as ‘Adaptive Religious Education’, which seeks to educate children in all the six dimensions of the human being simultaneously in a holistic way. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Education)

14 pages, 286 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Narrative and Atonement: The Ministry of Reconciliation in the Work of James H. Cone

by Jonathan C. Rutledge

Religions 2022, 13(10), 985; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100985 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1646

Abstract

Contemporary analytic theological discussions of atonement do not attend extensively to questions of how narrative might relate to the atoning work of Christ. Liberation theologians, on the other hand, utilize narrative in their scholarly method regularly and often employ it when discussing atonement [...] Read more.

Contemporary analytic theological discussions of atonement do not attend extensively to questions of how narrative might relate to the atoning work of Christ. Liberation theologians, on the other hand, utilize narrative in their scholarly method regularly and often employ it when discussing atonement or reconciliation. This essay argues that analytic theologians should consider the notion of narrative (and narrative identity) as a mechanism of atonement in the broad sense of the term introduced when William Tyndale coined ‘atonement’ to translate 2 Corinthians 5. I then offer some psychological grounds for thinking that reframing one’s self-narrative in terms of a transcendent narrative is often conducive to human flourishing, and I consider the work of James H. Cone as an instance of such transcendent narrative reframing at work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atonement: Classic and Contemporary, Sacred and Secular)

14 pages, 271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conceptual Art, Theology, and Re-Presentation

by Jonathan A. Anderson

Religions 2022, 13(10), 984; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100984 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1903

Abstract

Within the vast and varied scholarship of contemporary art, the relations between conceptual art and religion generally have not received careful investigation. There are, however, potentially quite subtle and complicated interrelations in play here that warrant closer study. This article develops and expands [...] Read more.

Within the vast and varied scholarship of contemporary art, the relations between conceptual art and religion generally have not received careful investigation. There are, however, potentially quite subtle and complicated interrelations in play here that warrant closer study. This article develops and expands such study, first, by clarifying how procedural and re-presentational ways of thinking function in conceptual art, and, second, by showing how these help us to identify six general “logics” within which the interrelations of conceptual art and religion might be reexamined in the histories of contemporary art, both critically and constructively. These six categories are helpful heuristic guides, but each must be substantiated through fine-grained investigations of particular artists and artworks, and each involves “religion” in ways that open into and require particular theological modes of questioning. Therefore, third, this article then turns to a case study of contemporary Belgian artist Kris Martin, focusing especially on For Whom (2012), a work featuring a readymade two-ton church bell that swings on the hour but without a clapper (and thus without sound). Martin’s work consistently re-presents Christian forms and artifacts in compromised states—vacant altarpieces, broken statuary, etc.—invoking histories of European secularization while also retrieving and reactivating theological questions and grammars within those histories. By clarifying these various points of reference, particularly in dialogue with John Donne (from whom Martin borrows his title), this study attends to one instance of a significant interfacing of conceptual art, religion, and theology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conceptual Art and Theology)

16 pages, 314 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Mystical Experience Give Access to Reality?

by Paul Marshall

Religions 2022, 13(10), 983; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100983 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2873

Abstract

Mystical experiences can bring an overwhelming sense that deeper realities have been contacted or that the everyday world has been apprehended as it truly is. Philosophical study of the experiences has not given much attention to their metaphysical significance, especially to the insights [...] Read more.

Mystical experiences can bring an overwhelming sense that deeper realities have been contacted or that the everyday world has been apprehended as it truly is. Philosophical study of the experiences has not given much attention to their metaphysical significance, especially to the insights they may offer on fundamental issues such as the nature of reality, self, consciousness, and time. There are reasons for the neglect, and in the present article I consider two major theoretical obstacles to finding metaphysical significance in the experiences: a radical form of contextualism and a reductionist approach to neuroscience. With these obstacles addressed, there is room to consider how mystical experience and metaphysics can be brought into dialogue, a task facilitated by the contemporary resurgence of interest in alternatives to materialist metaphysics and a renewed interest in mystical experience encouraged by psychedelic research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Philosophy of Mystical Experience)

10 pages, 283 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A New Hermeneutical Approach to the Qur’an with Special Reference to the Narrative of Prophet Yaḥyā (John the Baptist) in the Qur’an and the Bible

by Hakan Çoruh

Religions 2022, 13(10), 982; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100982 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1508

Abstract

Prophet Yaḥyā (John the Baptist) is considered to be a bridge between Islam and Christianity. Both traditions emphasize that he is a ‘rightly-guided’ figure and among the company of ‘the righteous’ such as Abraham and Moses. The story of Yaḥyā is included in [...] Read more.

Prophet Yaḥyā (John the Baptist) is considered to be a bridge between Islam and Christianity. Both traditions emphasize that he is a ‘rightly-guided’ figure and among the company of ‘the righteous’ such as Abraham and Moses. The story of Yaḥyā is included in two chapters (Q. 3: 39 and Q. 19: 12–14) in the Qur’an. Canonical Gospels also provide various aspects of John the Baptist. Muslim commentators have used biblical and other sources in their interpretation of the Qur’an, elaborating some aspects of his life within the Qur’anic theological framework. Whereas various similarities may be seen in narratives of Islamic sources and the biblical sources regarding Prophet Yaḥyā, some differences are present. Therefore, this article seeks to provide an analysis on the story of Prophet Yaḥyā through Qur’anic narratives. It also investigates the classical exegetical approach to such a comparative reading (isrā’īliyyāt, biblical materials) and a modern tendency of direct citations from the Bible. Relying on the framework of comparative theology, considered as “welcoming wisdom wherever it exists” and “faith seeking understanding” in light of truth seen deeply in other religious tradition, such mutual close readings and interactions across religious traditions could be a good model for the Muslim world, instead of a fully rejectionist fundamentalist discourse against other traditions. Such a pluralist approach emphasizes a global raising of awareness and mutual understanding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Approaches to Qur'anic Hermeneutics in the Muslim World)

21 pages, 2618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Clothes That Make the Man: Understanding How the Extended Self Is Formed, Expressed and Negotiated by Male Tablighi Jamaat Adherents

by Ateeq Abdul Rauf

Religions 2022, 13(10), 981; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100981 - 18 Oct 2022

Viewed by 2255

Abstract

Deviating from the predominantly women-focused investigations on Islamic clothing in anthropology, religion and consumer studies, this research places men’s Islamic clothing under the spotlight to understand how the notion of the extended self is evidenced in a religious context. Using a multi-sited ethnographic [...] Read more.

Deviating from the predominantly women-focused investigations on Islamic clothing in anthropology, religion and consumer studies, this research places men’s Islamic clothing under the spotlight to understand how the notion of the extended self is evidenced in a religious context. Using a multi-sited ethnographic and in-depth interview approach to study the context of middle-class Pakistani male participants of the traditional revivalist movement the Tablighi Jamaat, this study finds that possessions such as clothing serve as a conduit to participants’ sense of extended self. In this case, the extended self is associated with the Muslim nation, its Prophet and his work. This investigation furthers the concept of the extended self by implicating the consumption of religiously identified clothing as an entity that becomes associated with the self. Moreover, this study concludes that possessions and the extended self are imbricated into one’s religious career path. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Muslim Identity Formation in Contemporary Societies)

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13 pages, 276 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Social Justice and Inclusive Education in Holy Cross Education in Bangladesh: The Case of Notre Dame College

by Md Shaikh Farid

Religions 2022, 13(10), 980; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100980 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1692

Abstract

This paper examines how Holy Cross missionaries in Bangladesh have interpreted the Catholic Church’s teachings on social justice and inclusive education and have implemented its recommendations at Notre Dame College. The Catholic Church’s documents on education provide direction, purpose, and rationale for Catholics [...] Read more.

This paper examines how Holy Cross missionaries in Bangladesh have interpreted the Catholic Church’s teachings on social justice and inclusive education and have implemented its recommendations at Notre Dame College. The Catholic Church’s documents on education provide direction, purpose, and rationale for Catholics across the globe. These documents advocate Catholic educators toward social justice in education by making education available, accessible, and affordable to all. This leads to the question of how Holy Cross adopts social justice and inclusive education at its elite educational institutions such as NDC, which charges high tuition and enrolls mostly urban meritorious students. The paper is based primarily on a combination of the examination of written documents and fieldwork involving interviews with Holy Cross personnel. The study reveals that the Catholic concept of social justice, social teachings and inclusive education are applied partially at NDC. As recommended by the Catholic Church, Holy Cross educators have taken different educational programs and social projects—both formal and non-formal—to serve the poor and underprivileged at Notre Dame College. However, as the admission policy of the college is based on the results of previous examinations, there is very little scope for the poor and underprivileged groups to get admitted to the college. Furthermore, the institution fails to include children with special educational needs because there are no special opportunities at the college for students with special educational needs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Perspectives on Catholic Education)

43 pages, 1379 KiB

Open AccessReview

‘Existential’ in Scandinavian Healthcare Journals: An Analysis of the Concept and Implications for Future Research

by Marianne Rodriguez Nygaard, Anne Austad, Torgeir Sørensen, Oddgeir Synnes and Wilfred McSherry

Religions 2022, 13(10), 979; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100979 - 17 Oct 2022

Viewed by 2273

Abstract

The concept of ‘existential’, used frequently in Scandinavian healthcare journals, is associated with various, often unclear, meanings, highlighting the need for a more accurate understanding of the concept. In this integrative review we analyse how the concept has been used in Scandinavian healthcare [...] Read more.

The concept of ‘existential’, used frequently in Scandinavian healthcare journals, is associated with various, often unclear, meanings, highlighting the need for a more accurate understanding of the concept. In this integrative review we analyse how the concept has been used in Scandinavian healthcare journals from 1984 to 2020, exploring the trajectory of the concept, its definitions and its applications. A secondary aim is to offer some clarity regarding how the concept may be used in future healthcare research and provide a definition of ‘existential’ based on our findings. Our findings show that while the concept is increasingly used, it is rarely defined, and there appears to be no consensus on the concept’s meaning. We categorise applications of the concept into five overarching themes: (1) Suffering and re-orientation, (2) Meaning and meaninglessness, (3) Existential philosophy in relation to health (4) Existential questions as approaches to care and (5) Usage and demarcation of existential, spiritual and religious concepts. Based on the findings, we propose a definition of the concept of ‘existential’ in the healthcare context. The study contributes to, and underscores advantages and limitations of, the use of the concept in healthcare research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spirituality and Existential Issues in Health)

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18 pages, 601 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preferences and Consensus in the Philosophy of Xunzi

by Yurui Yao

Religions 2022, 13(10), 978; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100978 - 17 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1479

Abstract

To understand Confucian ethics as a “hierarchical mode of association” is to think that it is incapable of dealing with a society of strangers or to understand Confucian ethics as “authoritarian” or “collectivist”, and to criticize that it ignores human characteristics and freedoms [...] Read more.

To understand Confucian ethics as a “hierarchical mode of association” is to think that it is incapable of dealing with a society of strangers or to understand Confucian ethics as “authoritarian” or “collectivist”, and to criticize that it ignores human characteristics and freedoms is to mistake one part of Confucianism for the whole. The Confucian theory of the individual and community actually has a tightly woven structure wherein its recognition of the plurality of diverse individuals and its appeal the unity of a common consensus are combined. From an exploration into the relationship between Xunzi’s concepts of “preference” (teyi 特意) and “consensus” (gongshi 共予) and from the way he uses such concepts as “similarity and difference” (tongyi 同異), “one and ten thousand” (yiwan 一萬), and “unity and division” (tongfen 統分), I show how Xunzi included the diversity of individuals within a pluralist society in a unified community with a collective consensus where this community at the same time guarantees the freedoms and preferences of each individual member that belongs to it. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Discussing the Relationship between Individual and Community: From the Perspective of Confucianism)

14 pages, 245 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Is There a Right to Hope That God Exists? Evil and the Principle of Non-Parity

by Jacqueline Mariña

Religions 2022, 13(10), 977; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13100977 - 17 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1197

Abstract

In this paper, I respond to James Sterba’s recent book ‘Is a Good God Logically Possible?’ I show that Sterba concludes that God is not logically possible by ignoring three important issues: (a) the different functions of leeway indeterminism (and the [...] Read more.

In this paper, I respond to James Sterba’s recent book ‘Is a Good God Logically Possible?’ I show that Sterba concludes that God is not logically possible by ignoring three important issues: (a) the different functions of leeway indeterminism (and the political freedom presupposed by it) and autonomy (the two are very different things, even though both go under the name of freedom), (b) the differences in the conditions of agency in God and in creatures, (there is non-parity in how each must apply the single moral law), and (c) the non-parity between our knowledge and God’s. I provide a brief summary of Sterba’s arguments, and I develop the following points: 1. Sterba’s argument against a Free-Will Defense hinges on his conflation of political freedom and autonomy; 2. Sterba’s crucial premise for his argument against soul-making theodicies (namely, that the “Pauline Principle” should be applied univocally across God and creatures) is false; 3. Sterba’s arguments against skeptical theism depend on his assumption that our knowledge is comparable to that of God. In each case, Sterba either does not recognize non-parity between God and creatures or does not recognize the difference between the profane (e.g., political matters) and the sacred, (e.g., spiritual matters having to do with the inner nature of the soul’s development). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Do We Now Have a Logical Argument from Evil?)

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Religions, Volume 13, Issue 10 (October 2022) – 131 articles

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