Search Results (98)

This article explores the specificity of social assistance conducted by the Romanian Orthodox Church (ROC) compared to Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) in the UK, USA, and France. The article is a secondary qualitative analysis of a circumscribed subset of the interview material assembled in a wider mixed-methods study on the professionalization of charity in the ROC, pursuing a different research question—the configurational specificity of the Orthodox model—than the parent study itself. Using Grounded Theory methodology on the corpus of nineteen interviews with clergy, social workers, and experts from Northeastern Romania, the analysis develops the category of the sacralization of social assistance—a configuration of practices and meanings in which the spiritual dimension is structurally integrated, sacramentally obligatory, and clerically authorized. While each of these features has been documented individually in Protestant and Catholic faith-based organizations, their joint configuration in the Romanian Orthodox case differs in degree and arrangement from patterns reported in the Western literature. A theoretically informed contrast with that literature highlights six dimensions along which the ROC configuration, as articulated by providers, diverges from the patterns most frequently reported in that literature: (1) the spiritual dimension is structurally integrated in ROC versus optional in UK/USA or institutionally absent in France; (2) leadership remains predominantly clerical versus secularly professionalized in the West; (3) the beneficiary is conceptualized as a living icon of Christ versus a person with civil rights; (4) the purpose of interventions is soteriological versus immanent social reintegration; (5) professionalization generates anxiety about secularization versus comfortable normalization; (6) volunteerism remains informal-communitarian versus formalized-systematic. The research proposes a dual-axis typology that differentiates between the presence and the nature of the spiritual dimension. Full article

Usually, people use different sets of rules that organize their moral behavior. Social scientists introduced several concepts of moral orientations supporting a better understanding of the underpinnings of moral behavior, which are the dignity-related, prosocial, reciprocal, and egoistic moral orientations. The study presents the sociological quantitative analysis of prevalence of the moral orientations in Polish society based on a survey carried out in Poland at the end of 2023 on a statistically representative sample of 1082 adults married or in an informal partnership. Various sociocultural predictors such as self-identification with religious faith, self-esteem, materialism, and classic demographic features (age, gender) were tested as predictors of the moral orientations. Comparing our findings to the latest available results, thought-provoking regularities are discovered—individual features like self-esteem and religiosity are stronger predictors in the case of the dignity-related and prosocial moral orientations. The full array of tested factors is visible particularly in the case of reciprocal moral orientation, followed by the egoistic one. The article attempts to suggest a further discussion on the possible future scenarios of morality in modern societies. Full article

The Democratic Republic of the Congo faces a high tuberculosis (TB) burden. In 2022, 61% of an estimated 402,000 TB cases were reported (World Health Organization Global tuberculosis report). To enhance case detection, the national TB program (NTP) introduced a program quality and efficiency approach (PQE), integrating systematic TB screening into outpatient departments (OPDs). Observational data of the PQE on the TB care cascade (from screening to treatment) across 70 sites in Kinshasa that initiated PQE during the first quarter of 2023 are presented. Data were collected monthly and validated during supervision visits, and disaggregated by sex, healthcare facility type (public, private, or faith-based), facility level (primary or secondary), and OPD within each facility. In 2024, 639,464 individuals were consulted in various OPDs in the participating facilities, 57% of which were female. The median number needed to screen (NNS) was 22.1, with an interquartile range of [9.5–104.3]. There was a significantly lower NNS observed in general practice and human immunodeficiency virus departments. Throughout the TB care cascade, women were less likely than men to be screened, tested, or treated. These findings, to be interpreted within the context of Kinshasa pilot facilities, provide insights to the NTP for developing PQE implementation research aimed at understanding the reasons for these discrepancies and informing NTP scale-up at the national level. Full article

This article advances a constructive theological account of Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HCAI) for Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) engaged in interreligious dialogue (IRD). Drawing on a practical–theological methodology, the study follows four interrelated steps—descriptive–empirical, interpretive, normative, and pragmatic—to examine how AI-enabled practices such as translation, textual analysis, and cross-scriptural synthesis are reshaping contemporary forms of dialogue among religious and non-religious communities. Through the empirical mapping of current AI applications, interdisciplinary interpretation informed by social and ethical analysis, and normative theological evaluation, the study identifies both the opportunities and risks of AI-mediated IRD. On this basis, it synthesizes three interdependent dimensions that structure the proposed framework: (1) Ethics, which clarifies the moral purpose and values guiding AI use; (2) Technology, which addresses mediation, governance, and power in AI systems; and (3) Humans, which centers institutional responsibility, agency, and sustainability within FBOs. From this synthesis, the article introduces an AI–IRD Integration Framework that translates theological and ethical reflection into practical guidance for responsible AI adoption. The study contributes an original interdisciplinary perspective that equips religious leaders, theologians, policymakers, and faith communities to engage AI not merely as a tool, but as a human-centered partner in fostering inclusive, sustainable, and ethically grounded dialogue in an era of AI–human coexistence. Full article

This paper examines the intersection between Christian theological principles and contemporary cybersecurity challenges, with a focus on the specific vulnerabilities and responsibilities of faith-based organizations. Recognizing that digital threats emerge not only from technological weaknesses but also from human motives and ethical failings, this study introduces a Biblically Framed Cybersecurity (BFCy) Model that integrates scriptural ethics with established security practices. Through a narrative literature review and comparative analysis, the research synthesizes Christian concepts, such as stewardship, vigilance, and integrity, with technical standards (including the CIS Controls v8, NIST CSF 2.0, and ISO 27001:2022), mapping biblical narratives to contemporary risks like social engineering, insider threats, and identity theft. The findings underscore that robust cybersecurity requires more than technical solutions; it also demands a culture of moral accountability and spiritual awareness. Practical recommendations, including tables linking biblical values to operational controls, highlight actionable steps for church leaders and faith-based organizations. This study concludes that effective cybersecurity in these contexts is best achieved by aligning technical measures with enduring ethical and spiritual commitments, offering a model that may inform religious and broader organizational approaches to digital risk and resilience. Full article

This conceptual paper analyzes the effects of Donald Trump’s 2025 authoritarian regime on refugees, the US Refugee Admissions Program, and resettlement. The second Trump presidency resumed his first term’s attempt (2017–2021) at seizing power. This time, his regime launched a more sophisticated authoritarian plan to destroy the US. His 2025 term is consolidating power in the president to target all forms of migration to the US, including dismantling the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) through executive overreach, circumventing statutory refugee procedures, violating human and civil rights, and disregarding judicial constraints. On 20 January 2025, he used Executive Order 14163, “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program,” to indefinitely suspend the admission and resettlement of refugees for 90 days. Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis, with national interest and plans for a white nationalist state driving the decision. Refugees at any phase of the vetting process will be denied entry. Simultaneously, Executive Order 14169, “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid,” was signed on 20 January 2025, to pause the US dissemination of foreign aid for 90 days. Resumption would depend on a review determining foreign assistance alignment with national interests. The implementation of Executive Order 14169 further dismantled the USRAP infrastructure by stripping federal agencies of personnel and budgets that support resettled refugees through a “stop work order” issued by the Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) on 24 January 2025. Refugee resettlement agencies, non-profits, and faith-based organizations are vital to welcoming and assisting refugees as they adjust to their new lives. These critical organizations are now struggling to provide services to resettled refugees. Additionally, escalated, arbitrary, racially profiled deportations of alleged criminal undocumented immigrants have increased anxiety and fear among resettled refugee communities. Subsequently, the Trump administration’s indefinite suspension of the USRAP, effective from 2025 to 2028 and beyond, will impact refugees, their families, and the resettlement network. Truly, the survival of the USRAP depends on an administration that upholds the Constitution, democratic values, and the significance of US diplomatic global leadership, replacing this regime. Full article

High blood pressure, or hypertension, remains a leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease, contributing significantly to global morbidity and mortality, particularly in Caribbean island nations like Curaçao. This pilot study assessed the impact of a health fair led by Community Health Workers (CHWs) or Promotornan di Salú and organized in collaboration with local faith-based organizations to increase hypertension awareness and promote preventive behaviors. The study utilized a cross-sectional design, and data were gathered from attendees at a health fair held on 29 June 2024, at the Iglesia House of Worship in Willemstad, Curaçao. A structured questionnaire was used to collect demographics, event satisfaction, health behavior intentions, and qualitative feedback data from participants aged 12 years and older. Of the 145 participants, 78.6% rated the event as excellent, 83.4% expressed plans to change their health behaviors, 80.6% intended to share information with family and friends, and 59.7% intended to follow up with a general practitioner (GP)/doctor. These findings highlight the effectiveness of culturally tailored, community-based initiatives to raise hypertension awareness, improve health literacy, and promote preventive health behaviors. The success of this intervention emphasizes the potential of CHW-led health fairs as valuable public health strategies and practical training opportunities for reducing the burden of chronic conditions like hypertension. Full article

This article explores the rise of organized crime and violence within the Palestinian community in Israel, focusing on the past two decades. It examines the internal fragmentation of the community, Israeli policies that exacerbated these divisions, and the impact of these factors on the surge in criminal activity. The article further analyzes community responses, highlighting faith-based initiatives like the Committee for Spreading Peace (CSP), led by Sheikh Raed Salah. This initiative, although limited in resources, seeks to address the cycle of violence through prevention, mediation, and collaboration with local authorities in Israel. However, the CSP faces significant challenges, including distrust in Israeli government efforts and the deep-rooted involvement of criminal organizations in local politics. The article concludes that while initiatives like CSP offer hope, a more comprehensive and collaborative approach is needed to effectively combat organized crime and restore community cohesion. Such approaches will also have implications for the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and possible future community-based initiatives. Full article

Objectives: To determine the aspects of religion and spirituality among those who belong to an organization for Christian healthcare providers that may contribute to personal and professional well-being and protect against burnout. Participants: Members and affiliates of the Christian Medical and Dental Association (n = 450). Study Method: A cross-sectional study based on survey results of validated instruments and original questions that measured aspects of faith, professional fulfillment, personal fulfillment, and mental health. Findings: This sample of Christian healthcare providers experienced lower rates of burnout than the general population of healthcare providers. Personal aspects of religion and spirituality were negatively associated with anxiety and depression and positively associated with personal flourishing. Conclusions: Calling, virtues, and belonging are possible attributes of Christian faith that are associated with well-being and may be protective against burnout and mental health conditions. Future research can explore these findings among providers of other faith traditions. Full article

Many pastors, faith leaders, and community organizers are isolated and under-connected to communities of praxis that can accompany them as they go about their social change work, helping them to ground their organizing in their faith lives. There is a crisis of leadership development and training. This paper argues for a rethinking of leadership development as grounded in conceptions of relational power, value-based organizing, and deep solidarity. Leaders, it is often said, are those who have followers. This definition takes for granted models of leadership that were first developed in the 1940s in Alinsky-style networks and adapted in the 1980s and 1990s in the neo-Alinskyite movement. This article extends this approach to home in on what leadership development amounts to in broad-based community organizing so as to help congregations and faith leaders see how community organizing can be an enactment and expression of their faith lives. Organizing strategies of leadership development can sit at the heart of congregational development. Developing leaders is about transformative critical reflection on premises of meaning schema. Leadership development is connected to leaders developing in the sense of exploring new ways of seeing the world and acting on them. By refocusing the organizing strategy of leadership development around relational power and deep solidarity, pastors, faith leaders, and community organizers can build stronger institutions. Full article

This article is written as part of the ongoing multidisciplinary inquiry into how ecologically focused Buddhism is and whether or not the faith-based “Buddhist ecology” and the natural scientifically conceived discipline of ecology—which studies the relation of organisms to their physical environments—communicate well and are mutually complementary with each other. It addresses these questions by linking regionally specific Buddhist traditions with modern Buddhism and Buddhist studies in the West, which are, respectively, known for initiating Buddhist environmentalism in the public sphere and shaping Buddhist ecology as an academic field. Situated in the eastern Himalayan-Tibetan highlands, this article offers a twofold argument. First, many ecological practices in Buddhist societies of Asia originate in pre-Buddhist indigenous ecological knowledges, not in the Buddhist canon. Second, understood either from the Buddhist environmentalist perspective or as an academic field, Buddhist ecology originates in the modern West, not in Asia, as a combined outcome of Western Buddhists’ participation in the greater environmental movement and their creative interpretation of Buddhist canonical texts for the purpose of establishing a relational understanding of ecobiologically conceived lifeworlds. This argument is based on the case studies of long se, or spirit hills, in Dai villages in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, and of lha-ri, or deity mountains, in the Tibetan Plateau. Both long se and lha-ri are often discerned as a spiritual-environmental basis of Buddhist ecology. While Dai and Tibetan societies are predominantly Buddhist, the cultural customs of long se and lha-ri are pre-Buddhist. Through the comparable cases of human-spirit-land relations among the Dai and the Tibetans, this article concludes that, conceived in the West, Buddhist ecology entails a body of syncretized approaches to the relational entanglements of all life communities. These approaches find their origins mostly in the ecologically repositioned Buddhist soteriology and ethics as well as in the modern scientific environmentalist worldview. Full article

The management of laicity in Mexico, legally and politically, is a federal issue that involves regulating the activities of Churches and religious communities in the public space, in their practices, rituals, and relations with the organs of the state. However, in recent years, the growing presence and activity of Churches at the local level has called into question the need to observe how laicity is managed by subnational governments, both state and municipal. Are there mechanisms at the local level to regulate the presence of religion in the public space? How are religious traditions presented as culturally managed? What are the demands of Churches on local authorities and what is their political relationship with them? How is the demand for religious freedom resolved locally without violating citizens’ other freedoms, such as the freedom of conscience in issues such as education, health, traffic, and freedom of expression? All this has put into perspective whether laicity and the secular state should continue to be a national dimension or whether it is necessary to rethink legal and political forms at the local level, building new frameworks of governance and governability. This text reviews the public management of laicity in eight entities of the country, which in turn is representative of the rest of the entities with their local variations. However, they generally move in the constant dimensions of religious diversity, interreligious councils, offices, or those in charge of religious affairs, and levels of municipal participation. The construction of a new laicity is then proposed, which does not exclude religion from the public agenda but rather a new secular perspective on the participation of religious communities in public affairs. From a Latin American perspective, Mexico is seen as an effective government regime that separates religion from politics, restricting the participation of religious organizations in the public agenda. However, at the local level, this regime is changing with the inclusion of faith-based organizations in politics. This will undoubtedly lead to a change in the historical concept, a reference point in the region. The term management of laicity refers to the regulation and administration of governments (services, legal support, spaces, and dialogues) with religious communities. Management (control, regulation, permits, sanctions, and recognition) is defined by law and in public policy towards religion from the federal government, but not in local governments that lack clear regulatory frameworks, intervention guidelines, and support, hence the emphasis on the term. Full article

Providing food security has traditionally been an important motive for development cooperation. At the same time, agriculture also has a major impact on the environment, which in turn threatens food production itself. This article argues that the tension between food production and global environmental change is largely caused by a modern dualism that pits man and nature, donor and recipient, and modernity and tradition against each other. It explores whether stewardship can help Christian NGOs find a way forward. Stewardship is closely linked to a Christian view of the relationship between man and earth and the relationship of people to each other. However, it is not uncontroversial. Therefore, a reinterpretation of the concept is needed. Finally, three principles are discussed that derive from a renewed vision of stewardship and can provide strategic direction: working together with nature, empowering local communities and adaptive transformation. Stewardship does not offer ready-made solutions, but that is precisely its strength. It appeals to practical wisdom. Every context is different and requires its own balance of values and interests. Full article

Religion in international relations should not be viewed solely as a source of conflict or cultural differences; it also has a constructive dimension, as demonstrated by the international activities of faith-based organizations (FBOs). FBOs have benefited from the post-Cold War expansion of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in global affairs. Their growth is often linked to raising awareness among various social groups about security challenges or issues traditionally addressed by state and inter-governmental actors, as well as increasing international interconnectedness. While FBOs differ from classical NGOs in their strong religious motivation, they too often organize around specific missions or messages. The Community of Sant’Egidio (CSE) is a distinctive example of a faith-based organization that operates both as a religious community within the Roman Catholic Church and as an internationally active NGO. Unlike many NGOs, which are founded in response to a singular issue, CSE has broadened its scope over time, addressing a wide range of concerns, from poverty alleviation and peacebuilding to humanitarian aid and, more recently, environmental issues. This paper explores the process by which the CSE has discursively constructed its identity and examines how this process has contributed to its growing influence on the international stage. Full article

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, migrant populations remained under-immunized due to limited access to health care, language barriers, and vaccine hesitancy. The USAID-funded MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity project supported the government in collaborating with various local health and non-health partners to identify and vaccinate migrants. This case study examines the roles of project partners and the strategies each entity implemented to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake among migrants, as well as the perceptions regarding the effectiveness of these strategies. Methods: We designed a qualitative explanatory case study guided by the Behavioral and Social Drivers framework and RE-AIM implementation science frameworks. We conducted 31 focus group discussions and 50 in-depth interviews with migrants, project partners, community leaders, and government stakeholders in Tamil Nadu and Punjab. Results: In both states, partnerships with health departments, private employers, and community-based organizations were essential for identifying and vaccinating un- and under-vaccinated migrant groups. In Tamil Nadu, collaboration with the Department of Labor and mobile medical units facilitated vaccination camps at construction sites. In Punjab, religious institutions organized sessions at places of worship, and the Border Security Force enabled health workers to reach migrants living near the border. In both states, key strategies—involving influencers to discuss the importance of vaccine safety and value, bringing vaccination services to migrants’ workplaces and homes at flexible times and mandating workplace vaccination to encourage vaccination—shifted perceptions towards vaccination and increased vaccine uptake among migrants. Conclusions: The strategies and partnerships identified in this study highlight the broader implications for future public health interventions, demonstrating that collaboration with the private sector and faith-based organizations can enhance routine immunization efforts, particularly when localized to organizations that understand community needs and can address specific barriers and motivators. Full article