Search Results (43)

Using Demeterio’s modified ideological spectrum, this article examines the dominant political ideologies reflected in the pastoral statements of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) under the administrations of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Through a hermeneutic lens grounded in a two-dimensional spectrum, progressive–retrogressive and libertarian–authoritarian, the analysis reveals that under Marcos Sr., the UCCP adopted a conservative and authoritarian position. From 1973 to 1975, its pastoral statements issued general appeals for peace and human dignity, while avoiding direct criticism of the regime. However, by the mid to late 1970s, the UCCP began to exhibit signs of quiet resistance. In contrast, during the administration of Marcos Jr., the UCCP’s stance became more assertive and prophetic. These statements directly addressed issues such as human rights violations, environmental justice, and the defense of historical truth. In Demeterio’s spectrum, this contemporary position aligns with moderate progressivism, occasionally leaning toward radical progressivism, particularly in its advocacy for grassroots movements and democratic participation. This study is therefore significant as it illustrates the ideological transformation of the UCCP, from conservative restraint to active resistance, and underscores the capacity of religious institutions to evolve from passive complicity into agents of prophetic resistance. Full article

This article examines Rabbi Moshe Avigdor Amiel’s concept of “Torah and Work” (Torah va’avoda) as a central tenet of Religious Zionism. Rabbi Amiel, a prominent ideologue of the Mizrahi movement who served as Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv (1936–1945), viewed the integration of spirituality and materiality as representing complete Judaism. Using Hegelian dialectics, Amiel explained his approach: the thesis (spirit) and antithesis (matter) unite to form a synthesis (complete Judaism). He argued that exile transformed Jewish identity from a multidimensional biblical identity to a one-dimensional rabbinical identity focused solely on spirituality. Religious Zionism aimed to restore Judaism to its original completeness. Amiel criticized both ultraorthodox Jews who embraced only the spiritual aspect (Torah) and secular Jews who embraced only the material aspect (work), asserting that only “the complete matter, not half the matter” represents authentic Judaism. He boldly claimed that partial perspectives constitute idolatry. The article explores Amiel’s position on “Hebrew labor”, which he viewed as a national commandment without limitation, contrary to the ultraorthodox view that restricted it to charity considerations. His relationship with labor movements and socialism is also examined—he identified commonalities between Judaism and socialism while highlighting fundamental differences. In 1938, Rabbi Amiel established “Hayishuv Hahadash”, Israel’s first yeshiva high school combining religious and secular studies, as a practical manifestation of his vision of complete Judaism integrating Torah and work. Amiel’s critical stance toward various groups—including Religious Zionism, ultraorthodoxy, and secular Zionism—stemmed from his commitment to revitalizing biblical Jewish identity that harmoniously combines Torah study and productive labor. Full article

The growing global demand for sustainable energy solutions has led to increased interest in kinetic energy harvesting as a viable alternative to traditional power sources. High-foot-traffic environments, such as public spaces and religious sites, generate significant mechanical energy that often remains untapped. This study explores energy-harvesting technologies applicable to public areas with heavy foot traffic, focusing on Al-Haram Mosque in Saudi Arabia—one of the most densely populated religious sites in the world. The research investigates the potential of piezoelectric, triboelectric, and hybrid systems to convert pedestrian foot traffic into electrical energy, addressing challenges such as efficiency, durability, scalability, and integration with existing infrastructure. Piezoelectric materials, including PVDF and BaTiO₃, effectively convert mechanical stress from footsteps into electricity, while triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) utilize contact electrification for lightweight, flexible energy capture. In addition, this study examines material innovations such as 3D-printed biomimetic structures, MXene-based composites (MXene is a two-dimensional material made from transition metal carbides, nitrides, and carbonitrides), and hybrid nanogenerators to improve the longevity and scalability of energy-harvesting systems in high-density footfall environments. Proposed applications for Al-Haram Mosque include energy-harvesting mats embedded with piezoelectric and triboelectric elements to power IoT devices, LED lighting, and environmental sensors. While challenges remain in material degradation, scalability, and cost, emerging hybrid systems and advanced composites present a promising pathway toward sustainable, self-powered infrastructure in large-scale, high-foot-traffic settings. These findings offer a transformative approach to energy sustainability, reducing reliance on traditional energy sources and contributing to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 for renewable energy adoption. Full article

This study clarifies the religious traditions underlying the façade-type clay architectural models unearthed from ancient Western Asia by analyzing their iconography apropos each period. The façade-type models considered in this study are one-storied, with a distinct façade, one large opening, and the cella crafted in the niche, three-dimensional, or jar style. The analysis reveals (a) the distribution areas of the most common niche style shifted from the third millennium BC Mesopotamia, through the Middle and Late Bronze Ages and the early Iron Age Levant area, to the Iron Age IIB–C Phoenician areas; (b) the jar style is known only from the second millennium BC Levant and eventually merged with the niche style; and (c) the three-dimensional style is found sporadically. The earlier examples have either a male or a female figure inside the gate, although some have neither. The Levantine examples are without figural representations or with a bird, lions, and female figurines. It may be concluded that two competing religious traditions continued for three millennia, wherein the models with a male figure or without figures represent the tradition of the sovereign god originated in Sumer, whereas those with female figures and decorative motifs reflect the Inana-Ištar cult. Full article

The emergence of Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity in Ghana has historically been characterized by a perceived schism between faith and science. This schism was particularly evident in some Ghanaian Pentecostal-Charismatic Churches (PCCs), where the use of both orthodox and herbal medications was prohibited. The rift between the two domains within the African Pentecostal-Charismatic tradition, which persisted until recent times, highlights significant implications for the intersection of religious beliefs and scientific practises within various African contexts. This traditional one-dimensional approach adopted by PCCs in Africa influenced their interpretation of the Great Commission and has resulted in the oversight of important aspects of their mission, particularly the lack of attention to the well-being of the natural environment and other non-human entities. However, there is a noticeable shift in this narrative in Ghana, as shown in the case of the Church of Pentecost, which is increasingly becoming involved in initiatives aimed at preserving the earth and its inhabitants. This article utilizes document reviews, a survey, and personal observations to examine the extent to which this emerging eco-mission is embraced within the Church of Pentecost and explores its potential as a model for PCCs in Ghana and beyond. The article proposes strategies for reimagining traditional doctrines to enable the full integration of eco-missions within the broader mission of the church. Full article

The relations between religion and the state in the socialist-governed states of Eastern Europe in 1945–1989 are generally framed using the term “persecution of religion”. On the other hand, significant differences existed in the region, from limited freedom of religion in Yugoslavia to a prohibition of religious practice in Albania. From the side of religion, these relations were significantly formed by the attitudes and activities of religious leaders. Which options were adopted by key religious actors in a political environment hostile to religion? What is to be learned about religion in authoritarian systems? This qualitative study draws on the case of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), governed in 1949–1989 by the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. We studied professional biographies of prominent religious dignitaries and a comprehensive volume of files from the Ministry for State Security of the GDR in order to conceptualize their attitudes and activities according to a two-dimensional classification (towards the state and towards society), which enabled an overview of the range of their options, and identified the types of religious dignitaries in authoritarian systems. This analysis revealed that a variety of attitudes and activities of religious leaders existed in the GDR. Full article

The background and motivation of the research presented in this article is the obligation of Public Theology to do justice to young Muslim refugees as a minority group in German society regarding the role of religiosity in the way they are coping with life. In the research process, the authors became increasingly aware that most instruments to measure religiosity have a Western and/or Protestant bias in that they are more interested in religious attitude than in religious practice and/or religious lifestyle, which is very important for Muslim religiosity. Therefore, this article focuses on the distinction between halal and haram as indicators of religious practice according to Muslim benchmarks. Both the concept and the operationalization of a two-dimensional instrument of living a halal life are described. The instrument distinguishes between the individual importance of halal goods (food, medicine, cosmetics) and services (doctors) and their availability in the local environment. Each of the two dimensions comprises four items. Construct validity is shown by confirmatory factor analysis (CFI_robust = 0.934, TLI_robust = 0.902, RMSEA_robust = 0.114 [0.073; 0.156]) of a sample of N = 155 Muslim adolescents who have fled to Germany from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. External validity is tested by analyzing the correlation of the measurement instrument developed by the authors with the Centrality of Religiosity Scale. The presented halal instrument offers an approach to Muslim lifestyle that meets the orthopractic character of this religion. At the same time, it addresses the consequential dimension of religion within quantitative research. Full article

This study employs a multi-dimensional approach to analyze the impact of Islamic education on the Balkans’ religious, educational, and socio-political landscapes. Using descriptive, historical, and analytical methods, it examines the evolution and influence of Islamic educational institutions under Ottoman rule and their continued development through the 20th and early 21st centuries. The research evaluates the curricula, teaching methods, and societal roles of these institutions, exploring their contribution to Islamic knowledge dissemination and community building. Further, it investigates the complex interactions between these institutions, Middle Eastern NGOs, state power, and societal changes, aiming to provide a nuanced understanding of their legacy and relevance today. This study addresses the critical role of these institutions and NGOs in shaping Islamic religious education and their broader implications for the Muslim communities in the Balkans. Full article

Religious tourism holds a significant place in travel experiences, particularly at monasteries, where visitors often encounter profound emotional experiences. This study aims to investigate the emotional experiences and place attachment of religious tourism at monasteries in Serbia, utilizing quantitative methods and an online survey approach. Through an online survey administered to visitors of Serbian monasteries, this study seeks to quantify and analyze the emotional experiences and two-dimensional place attachments reported by participants during their sacred journeys. The survey instrument includes measures to understand place attachment through place dependence and place identity, satisfaction, emotional experience, and destination loyalty under one framework. Additionally, demographic variables will be examined to identify potential differences in emotional experiences and place attachment among different visitor groups. The results indicate that place attachment is influenced by emotional experience and satisfaction, which further influences destination loyalty. The findings of this study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the destination loyalty and place attachment aspects of religious tourism at Serbian monasteries, providing valuable insights for tourism management and destination marketing efforts. Full article

Pagodas and pavilions (ge 閣) are the most popular and representative multi-story buildings since Buddhism was introduced to China. While providing visitors with a new visual experience, they have also largely reshaped the urban space and skyline in medieval China. The former originated from India and Central Asia and was transformed in China, developing a unique style; The latter originated more from the creation of Chinese architects and became a model of typical Chinese-style Buddhist architecture. Briefly, the pagoda matured earlier than the pavilion, and continuously developed while maintaining its basic style; the pavilion-style Buddhist architecture gradually developed later and finally matured after the Tang and Song dynasties (618–1276), partially presenting a different spatial logic from the pagoda, and bringing a new visual experience. In my opinion, although the pavilion may not necessarily be as large as the pagoda in terms of volume and absolute height, it can provide believers with greater visual impact in the internal space for worship, due to the cross-story giant Buddhist statues; the closer integration of Buddha statues and architecture makes it replace or share the core position of the pagoda in some monasteries and even become the visual center of the entire religious space. Due to the existence of the pavilion, viewers can not only worship the Buddhist statues on a two-dimensional plane or by looking up at the statues from the bottom, but have also gained a three-dimensional perspective, to worship directly at the Buddha’s shoulders, neck, and head. In the Buddhist grottoes, the layout of the early single-layer or multi-layer horizontally distribution of caves on cliff was also changed due to the excavation of the cross-layer giant statue grottoes, covered by multi-story pavilion-style buildings, providing viewers with a visual experience similar to that of the pavilions of great statues. Additionally, there is a new visual experience of worshiping the Buddha in a vertical circle, in cases such as Bamiyan and the Leshan Giant Buddha. Full article

Nowadays, scholars expect to measure religiosity in different ways, but these measurements run counter to the purpose for which “religiosity” was originally coined, which was to be highlighted and differentiated from “religion” under the “the crisis of modernity of religion”; so, this important concept should be redefined. However, the redefinition and analysis of religiosity needs to include the contribution of religious studies, thus correcting the bias of sociology of religion towards sociology, as well as the reflection on pluralism of religions. Among them, thinking about Buddha nature can provide a valuable reference for the redefining of “religiosity”. First of all, the discussion of Buddha nature can provide a philosophical and value-level supplement to the understanding of “religiosity”, making the originally flattened empirical interpretation three-dimensional; secondly, the reflection on Buddha nature influenced by Chinese culture can provide oriental wisdom for the definition of religiosity. For example, Chineseized Buddhist thought incorporates the traditional Chinese understanding of human nature. On the basis of the discussion of Buddha nature, it can be seen that “religiosity” has different emphases in different religions, but there are still areas of consistency under these different understandings and expressions. Thus, the redefinition of “religiosity” should both reflect these consistencies and address the reasons for the inconsistencies through a hierarchical division. Since the redefinition of “religiosity” is not only conducive to inter-religious dialogue, but also relates to the answer to a series of important questions, such as the prediction of the future of religions, its meaning needs to be updated in accordance with the changes in the times. Full article

With 85% of this planet’s population adhering to a religion, faith communities are the largest transnational civil society actors in the world. This accords them a major role in societal processes, aincluding current global challenges as spelled out in the 17 SDGs, the core of the Agenda 2030. After decades of neglect, recent years have seen a rise in interest in the role of religion in the public agenda. Academics, policymakers and practitioners alike increasingly acknowledge the significance of faith actors for the SDGs. Key terms such as “Common Home”, shared by faith and secular actors, already indicate their mutual relevance. At the same time, there is a lack of religious literacy in recognizing and interpreting religious dimensions in a given development context. This paper therefore seeks to shed light on the often nebulous “religious factor” in the SDGs in two consecutive steps. At first, the historical part traces the rise of religion in development. In the second step, an analytical part then provides a seven-dimensional model to enhance religious literacy and to provide a better understanding of both the potential and the problems of religion in the global quest for implementing the SDGs. Full article

“Who can find a virtuous woman?” (Prov. 31:10 KJV). My entire life, I have heard and read messages about the “virtuous” woman, as depicted in Proverbs 31:10–31. Though many herald this character as the standard for godly women, I find her portrayal problematic. She is depicted as a one-dimensional worker bee, never engaged in rest, recreation, or relationship building. Further, her spiritual location and formation go unmentioned. How did such a limited illustration become the religious paradigm by which women and girls are measured? At its root is white supremacist, patriarchal, capitalistic misogyny (WSPCM), employed in churches to consign women to “safe”, secondary status while still using them as workhorses and sources of income to keep institutions viable. Once internalized, women and girls bear the crushing weight of an unhealthy, unattainable achievement, struggling to become a fictitious, unrealistic figure. In this article, I refute the WSPCM interpretation of the Proverbs 31 woman as the standard for faithful, Spirit-filled women, offering instead a liberative paradigm grounded in womanist hermeneutics, ethics, and spirituality. This approach provides a critique of and corrective for the oppressive, erroneous, and dangerous interpretations of “virtue” and “womanhood” that do violence to female personhood, especially in the name of religion. Full article

Civil religion encompasses the implicit religious values of a nation manifested through public rituals, symbols, and ceremonies at significant locations and on special occasions. The emergence of new religious symbolisms reflects the evolving structure of religious authority. The Islamic Foundation Netherlands (Islamitische Stichting Nederland (ISN)), the largest mosque umbrella organization in the Netherlands, holds significant influence in shaping the religious beliefs and ethical standards of the Turkish–Dutch Muslim community. Furthermore, the ISN possesses the ability to construct and authenticate discourses that redefine the conceptualization of the ‘self’ and the ‘other.’ In early 2017, following increased criticism of sermons written by the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs (PRA/Diyanet) in the Netherlands, the ISN, as the Dutch branch of Diyanet, started composing its own Friday sermons in both Turkish and Dutch. This article aims to examine the discursive features of the Friday sermons delivered between 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2023 and explore their connection to civil religion. The study employs Fairclough’s three-dimensional critical discourse analysis (CDA) framework and Wodak’s discourse–historical approach (DHA) to analyze the Friday sermons. The findings reveal that the civil religious discourses advanced by the ISN possess both unifying and divisive potential. However, the collected empirical evidence suggests that state-sponsored civil religion, emphasizing Turkish nationalism and Islamism, dominates the liberal and pluralistic form of civil religion. Full article

Examining the filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s engagements with religious questions with reference to his films Devi (The Goddess), Mahapurush (The Holy Man), Ashani Sanket (Distant Thunder), Sadgati (Deliverance) and Ganashatru (A Public Enemy), this essay assesses the influence of Ray’s Brahmo inheritance, his personal atheism/agnosticism and his cultural fascination with Hinduism in his representations of women’s status and caste discrimination. It concludes that although Ray’s approach to Hinduism was far from one-dimensional or sectarian, its negative social consequences were emphasized more in his work than any positive role it might play in society and culture. Full article