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Religions, Volume 16, Issue 2 (February 2025) – 109 articles

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22 pages, 327 KiB  
Article
External and Internal Threats to the Freedom of Religion or Belief of Indigenous Peoples in Latin America
by Dennis P. Petri and Jason Klocek
Religions 2025, 16(2), 209; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020209 (registering DOI) - 8 Feb 2025
Abstract
Indigenous Peoples in Latin America face a dual challenge of social vulnerability and violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). Representing 8% of the region’s population yet disproportionately affected by poverty, displacement, and health disparities, these communities also endure persistent religious discrimination—a [...] Read more.
Indigenous Peoples in Latin America face a dual challenge of social vulnerability and violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). Representing 8% of the region’s population yet disproportionately affected by poverty, displacement, and health disparities, these communities also endure persistent religious discrimination—a challenge historically overlooked in policy and scholarship. This article advances the understanding of FoRB violations against Indigenous Peoples by distinguishing between external threats, targeting collective religious practices, and internal threats, undermining individual religious rights. Using a cross-case analysis of Paraguay, Mexico, and Colombia, this study illustrates the varied manifestations of these threats, relying on novel data from interviews, open-source platforms, and the Violent Incidents Database of the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Latin America and the International Institute for Religious Freedom. Focusing on Latin America as a “least likely case” for FoRB violations, the article highlights significant disparities in FoRB protections for Indigenous Peoples, challenging the assumption of Latin America as a region of relative religious freedom. By shedding light on these violations, the study underscores their broader implications for political stability and human rights. The findings call for greater attention to the intersections of religious freedom and Indigenous rights, offering a framework applicable to global contexts. This work also highlights the need for sustained data collection and targeted interventions to address these challenges effectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Right to Freedom of Religion: Contributions)
17 pages, 303 KiB  
Article
The Pact of the Catacombs as a Pathway for a Poor-Servant Church
by Valentine Ugochukwu Iheanacho
Religions 2025, 16(2), 208; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020208 (registering DOI) - 8 Feb 2025
Abstract
On 16 November 1965, three weeks before the end of the Second Vatican Council, about forty conciliar bishops gathered to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in the Catacombs of St. Domitilla. The Mass was presided over by Msgr. Charles-Marie Himmer (1902–1994). At the end [...] Read more.
On 16 November 1965, three weeks before the end of the Second Vatican Council, about forty conciliar bishops gathered to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in the Catacombs of St. Domitilla. The Mass was presided over by Msgr. Charles-Marie Himmer (1902–1994). At the end of the Mass, the assembled bishops walked up to the altar and appended their signatures to what is now known as “The Pact of the Catacombs.” This document later went into oblivion and suffered obscurity for half a century. Nevertheless, its significance was never lost on some of the bishops who pledged themselves, among other things, to work for the emergence of a “poor and servant Church” with a commitment to justice and charity. The bishops seemed to have followed the example of Pope Paul VI, who on 12 September 1965, in the same Catacombs of St. Domitilla, had spoken about the lessons of simplicity, poverty, charity, and justice that are historically engraved in the Church’s memory of the catacombs. This research examines “The Pact of the Catacombs”, its recent coming to light, and its significance as a pathway for a possible poor-servant church. As a qualitative research, its approach is historical, and its analysis of primary and secondary sources will be both narrative and descriptive in connecting it to other important documents of the same milieu. Full article
6 pages, 177 KiB  
Editorial
On the Entanglements of Heritage—Afterword to the Special Issue Sacred Heritage: Religions and Material Culture
by Simon Coleman
Religions 2025, 16(2), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020207 (registering DOI) - 8 Feb 2025
Abstract
A sign of a productive sub-field is that it can develop ramifying links with other areas of research whilst retaining the distinctiveness that first brought it into being [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sacred Heritage: Religions and Material Culture)
13 pages, 224 KiB  
Article
A Doctrinal and Practical Continuity: Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis on the Ecological Crisis
by Tibor Görföl
Religions 2025, 16(2), 206; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020206 (registering DOI) - 8 Feb 2025
Abstract
The question of a possible discontinuity between the papacies of Benedict XVI and Francis are broadly discussed in the Catholic public square, as well as in the literature. This paper aims at demonstrating the continuity of the two papal magisteria in a special [...] Read more.
The question of a possible discontinuity between the papacies of Benedict XVI and Francis are broadly discussed in the Catholic public square, as well as in the literature. This paper aims at demonstrating the continuity of the two papal magisteria in a special area, the assessment of the ecological crisis. While Benedict XVI approached the issue from a theological and theoretical point of view, he was not indifferent to the practical consequences, which were then highlighted in a sometimes harsh and passionate manner by Francis. I argue that Francis’ alarmist claims about the ecological situation are partly based on the theological imagination of Benedict XVI (while, of course, having other sources, as well). Continuity between the two Popes can also be observed in their relation to Orthodox ecological thought, a relation deserving careful attention. Full article
14 pages, 269 KiB  
Article
Logos and Garden: Joseph Ratzinger—Benedict XVI on Eco-Theology
by Aidan Nichols
Religions 2025, 16(2), 205; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020205 (registering DOI) - 8 Feb 2025
Viewed by 73
Abstract
The Logos has made a Garden. That short sentence might sum up the ‘eco-theology’ (or, as some would have it, theo-ecology) of Joseph Ratzinger—Benedict XVI. It is ripe for unpacking, by considering not only his general approach to the God–world relation (always presupposed [...] Read more.
The Logos has made a Garden. That short sentence might sum up the ‘eco-theology’ (or, as some would have it, theo-ecology) of Joseph Ratzinger—Benedict XVI. It is ripe for unpacking, by considering not only his general approach to the God–world relation (always presupposed as this is in his comments on environmental issues) but also how his theological insights into the created realm, understood as humanity’s common home (oikos), might now be taken further in the great pope’s footsteps, drawing on the doctrinal and hagiographical traditions of the Church. Full article
20 pages, 277 KiB  
Article
Philosophy of Religion: Taking Leave of the Abstract Domain
by Philip Wilson
Religions 2025, 16(2), 204; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020204 (registering DOI) - 8 Feb 2025
Viewed by 76
Abstract
John Cottingham argues that traditional university modules in the philosophy of religion take us into a ‘very abstract domain that is often far removed from religion as it actually operates in the life of the believer’. This paper makes four moves based on [...] Read more.
John Cottingham argues that traditional university modules in the philosophy of religion take us into a ‘very abstract domain that is often far removed from religion as it actually operates in the life of the believer’. This paper makes four moves based on Cottingham. First, it argues that the application of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s methods supports and facilitates a shift to the anthropological in the philosophy of religion (as evidenced in the work of Mikel Burley). Second, literature is examined as a tool for doing the philosophy of religion, following Danielle Moyal-Sharrock’s notion of the literary text as surveyable representation. Three works are investigated, namely Silence by Shūshaku Endō, The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky, and the Gospel of John. It is argued that, far from being merely illustrative of religion, story is (in its widest sense) constitutive of belief. Third, it is shown how Wittgenstein’s remarks on mysticism in the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus can be read as a transmutation of literary writing that creates a non-abstract mysticism of the world. Wittgenstein’s remarks are placed in dialogue with Angelus Silesius’s poetry and Leo Tolstoy’s The Gospel in Brief. Fourth, the relevance of Wittgenstein to the current debate on cultural Christianity is brought out. Philosophers of religion must take leave of the abstract, if only to return to it and to view it differently. Wittgenstein’s thought is too important to ignore in this venture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Work on Wittgenstein's Philosophy of Religion)
21 pages, 343 KiB  
Article
Framing and Controlling Islam: The Interplay of Knowledge Production and Governmental Regulation in C.H. Becker’s Scholarship
by Brenda Otufowora
Religions 2025, 16(2), 203; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020203 (registering DOI) - 8 Feb 2025
Viewed by 85
Abstract
This article examines the role of knowledge production in shaping racialized religious difference and its entanglement with governmental interventions, focusing on C.H. Becker’s contributions to Islamic Studies in the 19th and 20th centuries. Situated within the colonial–imperial context of the German Empire, C.H. [...] Read more.
This article examines the role of knowledge production in shaping racialized religious difference and its entanglement with governmental interventions, focusing on C.H. Becker’s contributions to Islamic Studies in the 19th and 20th centuries. Situated within the colonial–imperial context of the German Empire, C.H. Becker’s work exemplifies how secular knowledge framed Islam as both a problem and a resource for governance. His framing of religious difference reveals how tolerance operated as a political technique—performing inclusion while simultaneously reinforcing control. The analysis explores the epistemological foundations of C.H. Becker’s approach, demonstrating the intersection of Orientalism, secularism, and racism in producing religious difference and translating academic inquiry into political regulation. By juxtaposing the “Islamfrage” with the “Judenfrage” of the 19th century, this study reveals shared patterns in the regulation of racialized religious difference through secular frameworks, where tolerance functions as both a mechanism of inclusion and a tool of control. These processes not only defined normatively but also aligned knowledge production with national and colonial strategies, illustrating how C.H. Becker’s conceptualization of Islampolitik is characterized by broader dynamics of liberal governance and colonial control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Race, Religion, and Ethnicity: Critical Junctures)
14 pages, 231 KiB  
Article
In the Lap of the Buddha: Intimacy in Tibetan Ritual
by Cameron David Warner
Religions 2025, 16(2), 202; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020202 (registering DOI) - 8 Feb 2025
Viewed by 78
Abstract
Following the re-opening of the Rasa Trulnang Tsuklhakhang, the central temple in Lhasa, all of the new images of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and famous lamas were placed behind glass except for those in the sancta sanctorum, the “Jokhang”. When a pilgrim approaches the [...] Read more.
Following the re-opening of the Rasa Trulnang Tsuklhakhang, the central temple in Lhasa, all of the new images of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and famous lamas were placed behind glass except for those in the sancta sanctorum, the “Jokhang”. When a pilgrim approaches the central figure, the Jowo Śākyamuni, she climbs a ladder on his right side, lays a ceremonial scarf across his lap, and then lays her head there, like a child seeking solace from her mother. A wealthy pilgrim might return in the late afternoon, when the temple is closed to visitors, to sponsor a regilding ceremony, in which the sponsor can spend up to an hour nearly alone with the Jowo watching his whole body be repainted in gold. Based on participant observation, pilgrimage guides, and verses of praise offered to the Jowo, this paper considers how the cult of the Jowo uses moments of private intimacy to bridge the distance, both physically and historically, between a devotee and the Buddha. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Materiality and Private Rituals in Tibetan and Himalayan Cultures)
24 pages, 295 KiB  
Article
Religion, Power, and National Identity: The Dual Role of Islam in the History and Modernization of the Maldives
by Jiayu Cui and Tao Li
Religions 2025, 16(2), 201; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020201 (registering DOI) - 8 Feb 2025
Viewed by 98
Abstract
Islam in the history and modernization of the Maldives demonstrates an intrinsic tension, serving both as the foundational cornerstone of national identity and as the source of social conflict and political division. On the one hand, the narrative of being a “100% Muslim [...] Read more.
Islam in the history and modernization of the Maldives demonstrates an intrinsic tension, serving both as the foundational cornerstone of national identity and as the source of social conflict and political division. On the one hand, the narrative of being a “100% Muslim nation” has shaped a highly unified national identity, achieving legalization and institutionalization within the power structure and becoming a critical pillar of state legitimacy and social integration. On the other hand, the politicization and homogenization of religion have weakened social inclusivity, exacerbating religious extremism and social tensions in the face of globalization. The Maldivian experience not only reveals how religion undergoes self-transformation through power negotiation and legal reform but also reflects how the tension between traditional religion and the modern state shapes the dynamic framework of national governance. As a microcosm of global religious renaissance and geopolitical interaction, the Maldives offers a vital theoretical perspective and practical insights for understanding the complex interplay among religion, power, and national identity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traditional and Civil Religions: Theory and Political Practice)
19 pages, 318 KiB  
Article
National Populism and Religion: The Case of Fratelli d’Italia and Vox
by Carmen Innerarity and Antonello Canzano Giansante
Religions 2025, 16(2), 200; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020200 (registering DOI) - 8 Feb 2025
Viewed by 104
Abstract
Religion has become increasingly important in the discourse and ideology of the ‘fourth wave’ of the populist radical right which began in 2000 in Europe. To achieve its normalization in the political contest, these formations have shifted from openly racist positions to other [...] Read more.
Religion has become increasingly important in the discourse and ideology of the ‘fourth wave’ of the populist radical right which began in 2000 in Europe. To achieve its normalization in the political contest, these formations have shifted from openly racist positions to other arguments that, like religion, can be used to present their proposals in terms that are, at least apparently, democratic. This paper analyzes how Fratelli d’Italia and Vox appeal to religion in their efforts to construct national identity and differentiate from the “Other”. To develop our research, we have carried out a qualitative analysis of the programs, founding documents, speeches, parliamentary interventions, interviews, and key messages of the leaders of both parties from their foundation until the European elections of June 2024. Despite the differences, the emergence of religion in a broad sense, as a form of a sacralization of politics, can be observed in both parties. In both cases, there is also a “politicization” of religion, which emerges as a secularized Christianity. Both parties appeal to a “Christian secularity”, which, in their opinion, must be defended against Islam. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Sociological Study of Religion)
13 pages, 241 KiB  
Article
The Conflicts and Compromises of the Two Cosmologies Making Korean Shamanism
by Dongkyu Kim
Religions 2025, 16(2), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020199 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 256
Abstract
This article explores how the unique cosmology of Korean shamanism, which continues to function as a living religion in contemporary Korea, has been shaped. A key characteristic of the cosmology in Korean shamanism is its combination of two cosmological beliefs. First, it adheres [...] Read more.
This article explores how the unique cosmology of Korean shamanism, which continues to function as a living religion in contemporary Korea, has been shaped. A key characteristic of the cosmology in Korean shamanism is its combination of two cosmological beliefs. First, it adheres to the general shamanistic cosmology of protection, where suffering caused by supernatural beings can be overcome through the protection of even more powerful beings, who also assist in predicting the future. Second, it incorporates the belief that human life and the universe operate according to specific cosmological principles. The coexistence of these two distinct cosmologies which form an explanatory system of modern Korean shamanism reflects the historical experiences of Koreans with Confucianism during the Joseon dynasty and with Western modernity. In this paper, I analyze the dynamics of conflict and compromise between the two cosmologies through a historical approach and case studies. Specifically, I examine the use of the terms ‘unse (wheel of fortune)’ and ‘spirit’s intervention’ as conceptual metaphors representing each cosmology, as they are employed in interactions between shamans and their clients. Furthermore, I maintain that contemporary Korean shamanism is a form of religious practice constructed as a compromise between various worldviews, including those of shamans and their clients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Conflict and Coexistence in Korea)
16 pages, 275 KiB  
Article
“Sleeper Awake, Rise from the Dead”: Future Resurrection and Present Ethics in Ephesians
by Eric Covington
Religions 2025, 16(2), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020198 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 241
Abstract
Within Ephesians, resurrection is the defining evidence of God’s divine power. A scholarly consensus contends that the letter is characterized by a realized eschatology in which the two references to individuals’ resurrection in Eph 2:5–6 and Eph 5:14 refer to an already accomplished [...] Read more.
Within Ephesians, resurrection is the defining evidence of God’s divine power. A scholarly consensus contends that the letter is characterized by a realized eschatology in which the two references to individuals’ resurrection in Eph 2:5–6 and Eph 5:14 refer to an already accomplished salvation. This article, however, argues that interpreting the reference to believers’ resurrection in overly realized terms breaks the logic by which the letter roots Christian ethical action in future expectation. It reevaluates both references to resurrection within its epistolary context, demonstrating how the already accomplished resurrection of Christ is the surety of believers’ future resurrection and the basis for life in the present. This analysis challenges the overly realized interpretation of Ephesians’ eschatology and suggests that, rather than an already accomplished event or a spiritualized metaphor, Ephesians’ references to resurrection refer to the future hope that Christian believers will be bodily resurrected—a hope that is patterned on Christ’s resurrection in history. It is this vision of future hope, then, that acts as the foundation for ethical action within the letter. Christ’s resurrection light—the light that will fully be realized in the eschatological resurrection—becomes the evaluative measure of ethical action in the present. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Resurrection and New Creation in Ephesians)
22 pages, 528 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Intersection of Hunting Practices and Buddhist Non-Killing Doctrines in the 3rd to 6th Centuries AD in China: An Analysis of Memoirs of Eminent Monks
by Meizi Xie, Jing Liu and Yuanlin Wang
Religions 2025, 16(2), 197; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020197 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 268
Abstract
This paper explores the complex interaction between Buddhist non-killing doctrines and the pervasive hunting culture in China during the 3rd to 6th centuries AD. While Buddhist teachings emphasized abstaining from killing, they also had to adapt to a society where hunting was common, [...] Read more.
This paper explores the complex interaction between Buddhist non-killing doctrines and the pervasive hunting culture in China during the 3rd to 6th centuries AD. While Buddhist teachings emphasized abstaining from killing, they also had to adapt to a society where hunting was common, impacting behavior at personal, royal, and state policy levels. The conflict between Buddhist values and hunting practices was not just an ethical opposition but also a reflection of deeper societal dynamics involving political power and cultural adaptation. Through a detailed analysis of the Memoirs of Eminent Monks and other historical texts, this paper examines how monks balanced religious precepts with the realities of their time. It also investigates Buddhism’s influence on royal hunting activities and state policies, particularly its contribution to hunting bans. By doing so, the study sheds light on how Buddhism shaped Chinese society and governance, offering new perspectives on the long-lasting cultural and political effects of Buddhist doctrines. Full article
18 pages, 7717 KiB  
Article
An Eschatological Framework and Social Identity in 1QM 1:1–15 and 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
by Gijsbert van Appeldoorn
Religions 2025, 16(2), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020196 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 314
Abstract
In the Qumran War Scroll (1QM) 1:1–15 and 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11, almost the same eschatological interpretative framework is created with words from the semantic domains of light and darkness, kinship, war, ethics, divinity and time. Although the constructed frameworks in these texts look [...] Read more.
In the Qumran War Scroll (1QM) 1:1–15 and 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11, almost the same eschatological interpretative framework is created with words from the semantic domains of light and darkness, kinship, war, ethics, divinity and time. Although the constructed frameworks in these texts look alike, their impact on the self-understanding of the respective Qumran and Thessalonian communities is different. This article aims to reconstruct these frameworks from the texts by using semantic dictionaries and to reconstruct the probable impact of these frameworks on the self-understanding of the communities by utilizing some insights from sociolinguistics. It shows that although communities around the beginning of the era used almost the same frameworks, the effect on group identities could be significantly different. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Theologies)
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6 pages, 166 KiB  
Editorial
Introduction to the Special Issue “Religious Experience and Metaphysics”: A Brief Overview of Husserl’s Concept of Metaphysics
by Olga Louchakova-Schwartz
Religions 2025, 16(2), 195; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020195 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 256
Abstract
Over the past decade, the recognition of connections between phenomenology and metaphysics has transformed our understanding of phenomenology quite significantly [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Experience and Metaphysics)
30 pages, 13358 KiB  
Article
The Dual Ethical Dimensions of “Tian” in Xizi-Belief: Unveiling Tianming and Tianli Through a Hunan Case Study
by Xin Zhang, Lei Liao and Xubin Xie
Religions 2025, 16(2), 194; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020194 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 325
Abstract
This study focuses on Xizi-belief (惜字信仰) and provides a comparative analysis of the religious philosophies of Tianming (天命) and Tianli (天理), using the Hunan region as a case study. Through anthropological methods and fieldwork, this study explores how Classical Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism [...] Read more.
This study focuses on Xizi-belief (惜字信仰) and provides a comparative analysis of the religious philosophies of Tianming (天命) and Tianli (天理), using the Hunan region as a case study. Through anthropological methods and fieldwork, this study explores how Classical Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism shape and guide word-cherishing behaviors based on the conceptual philosophies of Tianming and Tianli. The Tianming conception views characters as revelations of heavenly destiny. Through religious rituals, people cherish words to honor heaven and seek to change their destinies through heavenly forces, reflecting worldly desires and spiritual pursuits and emphasizing heaven with personhood. In contrast, the Tianli conception sees words as carriers of moral and natural laws. Guided by Confucian ethics and the concept of karma and retribution, it influences people’s moral norms and behavioral practices, reflecting the metaphysical moral law of a just and righteous heaven. Both conceptions not only involve the worship and protection of words but also profoundly embody a deep understanding and pursuit of the order of the universe, moral norms, the ethics of life, and the meaning of life. This study reveals three modes of influence: the religious philosophy integration model, the ritual practice model, and the architectural embodiment model. These models emphasize the positive impact of Xizi-belief on ethics and social life, prompting people to demonstrate positive guidance in human behavior through reverence for Tianming (mandate of heaven), adherence to Tianli (principle of heaven), and respect for nature. Under the guidance of classical religious ethical principles, the spread of Xizi-belief and the practice of Xizi religious ceremonies promote the harmonious development of individual virtues and social order, achieving harmony between humans and the universe. Full article
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14 pages, 1692 KiB  
Article
Relationships Matter Most: A Mixed Methods Study into Meaning in Life in Personality Disorder, Before and After Treatment
by Angelien Steen, Pauline Sam, Carmen Schuhmann and Arjan W. Braam
Religions 2025, 16(2), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020193 - 7 Feb 2025
Viewed by 305
Abstract
Meaning in life is often at stake in patients with personality disorder (PD) and associated with a lack of self-direction. Meaning in life, including religion and spirituality, seems to contain facets within personality and facets independent of personality and might change during treatment. [...] Read more.
Meaning in life is often at stake in patients with personality disorder (PD) and associated with a lack of self-direction. Meaning in life, including religion and spirituality, seems to contain facets within personality and facets independent of personality and might change during treatment. The sample included patients with PD (pre-treatment n = 125, post-treatment n = 85) and a control group (n = 69). To clarify (changes in) facets of meaning in life, open interview questions on meaning, meaninglessness, recovery, and supportive resources were subjected to a qualitative and quantitative analysis. The results show that significant others are the primary, most important source of meaning in life and support for PD patients and controls. Negative feelings, feelings of loss, and a psychiatric disorder are the three most frequent “causes” of meaninglessness in patients, stressing the importance of therapy to treat these issues. In the PD group, pets are a relevant source of meaning in life. Treatment is likely to contribute to the restoration of meaning in life. Here, addressing interpersonal functioning represents a key element, probably by improving connectedness with loved ones. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Spirituality and Psychotherapy)
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31 pages, 327 KiB  
Article
Al-Insāniyya by Sīdī Salāma al-Rāḍī: A Sufi Treatise Against Modernity
by Francesco Alfonso Leccese
Religions 2025, 16(2), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020192 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 484
Abstract
The Sufi dimension is usually underestimated within the debate on Islam and modernity as well as in discussions about resistance to Western ideas within contemporary Islamic culture. In contrast, Islamic modernism is often defined as the result of a coherent process of modernization [...] Read more.
The Sufi dimension is usually underestimated within the debate on Islam and modernity as well as in discussions about resistance to Western ideas within contemporary Islamic culture. In contrast, Islamic modernism is often defined as the result of a coherent process of modernization and reform, which stems from cultural confrontation with European Western thought and is accelerated by certain key historical events between the 19th and 20th centuries. This modernization, in the last decades of the 19th century, led to the emergence of a cultural Arab renaissance, known as naḥḍa, and a religious reform, iṣlāḥ; both are strongly influenced by modern Western thought. At the opposite end of this current of thought is the perspective of Sīdī Salāma al-Rāḍī, who denounced the damage that the scientistic view of Western origin was doing to Egyptian culture. His most important work, from this point of view, is an untranslated book entitled al-Insāniyya (“Humanity”), in which the author criticizes, from a traditional perspective, the biochemical, medical, evolutionary, and spiritualist conceptions of the physical, psychic, and spiritual constitution of the human being. The general tenor of this work is highly critical of modern Western civilization and represents an attempt to propose a traditional Islamic viewpoint, which is of extreme interest due to its uniqueness. Al-Insāniyya highlights a topic rarely addressed in academic literature on early twentieth-century Sufism: the involvement of a Sufi master in the dialogue between Western modernity and the Sufi Islamic tradition. This reveals a historical framework in which the Sufis of Cairo’s cosmopolitan environment, while mastering scientistic themes, reject modernity in favor of a classical Sufi vision of evolution understood as an initiatory path of spiritual perfection. Full article
15 pages, 323 KiB  
Article
Sacred Speech and Written Word: Hebrew–Yiddish Diglossia in Hasidic Homiletics
by Daniel Reiser
Religions 2025, 16(2), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020191 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 301
Abstract
This article examines the complex linguistic phenomenon of Hebrew–Yiddish diglossia within Hasidic homiletic literature, particularly focussing on sermons from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While previous scholarship has emphasised Hebrew’s dominance in Hasidic written works, this study demonstrates how Yiddish has played a [...] Read more.
This article examines the complex linguistic phenomenon of Hebrew–Yiddish diglossia within Hasidic homiletic literature, particularly focussing on sermons from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While previous scholarship has emphasised Hebrew’s dominance in Hasidic written works, this study demonstrates how Yiddish has played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting Hasidic teachings. Through analysis of primary sources, three distinct models of Hebrew–Yiddish integration are identified: parallel texts in both languages within the same volume, limited Yiddish passages integrated within predominantly Hebrew texts, and a complete amalgamation where the languages become nearly inseparable. Analysis indicates that Hasidic authors and editors deliberately preserved Yiddish elements to maintain the authenticity of the tzaddik’s original oral teachings while adhering to Hebrew’s traditional status in religious literature. This linguistic practice elevated Eastern Yiddish’s cultural position concurrent with similar (but different) developments in Haskalah literature. Furthermore, the study demonstrates how Hasidic literature’s incorporation of spoken Yiddish into sacred texts contributed to the language’s legitimisation as a medium for religious discourse. This examination offers new perspectives on linguistic hierarchies in religious Jewish texts and illuminates how Hasidic literature developed innovative solutions to balance authenticity and tradition in religious writing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jewish Languages: Diglossia in Judaism)
13 pages, 195 KiB  
Article
Playful Pulpits: Exploring Multicultural Preaching Practices Through the Lens of Theology of Play
by Namjoong Kim
Religions 2025, 16(2), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020190 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 275
Abstract
This article explores the symbiotic relationship between the theology of play and preaching in diverse cultural contexts. Through a comprehensive examination of the nature of play from various scholarly perspectives, it serves as a bridge connecting individuals across varied cultural backgrounds. Delving into [...] Read more.
This article explores the symbiotic relationship between the theology of play and preaching in diverse cultural contexts. Through a comprehensive examination of the nature of play from various scholarly perspectives, it serves as a bridge connecting individuals across varied cultural backgrounds. Delving into the theological foundations of play and its integration into preaching practices, this article articulates its transformative potential in multicultural congregations. The article also examines practical strategies to infuse a playful dimension into sermons, encompassing both their outward structure and internal content. Through exemplifying instances of playful preaching in multicultural contexts, this paper illustrates how incorporating play can significantly enhance the effectiveness of sermons. Addressing challenges linked to this approach, the discussion underscores the paramount importance of multicultural sensitivity. The article advocates for an inclusive preaching style that not only acknowledges but also celebrates the diversity present within congregations during the event of preaching. By framing preaching as a manifestation of play and incorporating the defining characteristics of play into sermons, the article prompts thoughtful reflection on the evolving role and function of preaching in multicultural contexts. Consequently, this will prompt preachers to reassess their roles and purposes within culturally diverse congregational settings. Furthermore, this article presents the collaborative nature of preaching, where both preacher and congregation actively engage in shaping meaning together, as creating a playful pulpit that fosters an interactive and transformative preaching experience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Preaching in Multicultural Contexts)
18 pages, 331 KiB  
Essay
Tracing the Extended Mind
by Timothy Stanley
Religions 2025, 16(2), 189; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020189 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 314
Abstract
The following essay evaluates the concept of the trace within extended mind (EM) theory. It begins by differentiating Andy Clark’s complementarity from several competing models. Second, it demonstrates how an undeveloped concept of the trace arises in Clark’s debate with internalist critics. In [...] Read more.
The following essay evaluates the concept of the trace within extended mind (EM) theory. It begins by differentiating Andy Clark’s complementarity from several competing models. Second, it demonstrates how an undeveloped concept of the trace arises in Clark’s debate with internalist critics. In response, I introduce Paul Ricoeur’s metaphor of the imprint in Memory, History, Forgetting. Fourth, the recent debate about the plastic trace will be applied in this context. In so doing, the legacy of Jacques Derrida will be rehabilitated. I conclude with EM’s renewed promise to model deliberations between religiously diverse people. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Situating Religious Cognition)
15 pages, 213 KiB  
Article
Interconnectivity in Logic-Based Therapy
by Elliot D. Cohen
Religions 2025, 16(2), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020188 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 236
Abstract
One salient feature of Logic-Based Therapy (LBT), a form of philosophical counseling based on Rational–Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), is its inclusion of a set of guiding virtues that provide transcendent goals in overcoming self-destructive forms of thinking called “cardinal fallacies”. This paper discusses [...] Read more.
One salient feature of Logic-Based Therapy (LBT), a form of philosophical counseling based on Rational–Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), is its inclusion of a set of guiding virtues that provide transcendent goals in overcoming self-destructive forms of thinking called “cardinal fallacies”. This paper discusses modes of interconnectivity between these virtues and some prominent types of cardinal fallacies and between each virtue and each fallacy. In comparison to other psychotherapeutic approaches, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Positive Psychology, it shows how clients who embrace these virtues can transcend matching fallacies that create states of negative emotions, such as anxiety and depression, and how these virtues can, in turn, interconnect human beings and promote positive growth. Full article
23 pages, 258 KiB  
Article
On the Tension Between the Elemental Nature and the Ethical Other in Levinas’s Thought: An Interpretation Conducted with the Body as a Clue
by Kai Qi and Guangyao Wang
Religions 2025, 16(2), 187; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020187 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 244
Abstract
The article discusses the irreducible tension between the elemental nature and the ethical Other in Levinas’s philosophy. Firstly, the article indicates that Levinas, as a phenomenologist, uncovers that the relationship between humans and nature is primarily characterized by sensitive enjoyment, where the sensitive [...] Read more.
The article discusses the irreducible tension between the elemental nature and the ethical Other in Levinas’s philosophy. Firstly, the article indicates that Levinas, as a phenomenologist, uncovers that the relationship between humans and nature is primarily characterized by sensitive enjoyment, where the sensitive body bathes and immerses itself in the elemental nature. Secondly, the paper reveals how Levinas, as both a disciple and a sharp critic of Heidegger, elucidates the anteriority of the elemental nature over the equipmental world, further illustrating how the elemental nature transforms into the world of equipment. Thirdly, the paper indicates that, as a prominent pioneer of the ethics of the Other, Levinas emphasizes the tension between nature and ethics: on one hand, the enjoyment immersing in the elemental nature leads to an egoistic way of life, while the ethical relation with the Other disrupts and breaks this egoism; on the other hand, the subject’s enjoyment and possession of nature is a necessary prerequisite for responding to the Other. Finally, the paper reveals that, when elucidating the irreducible tension between nature and ethics, Levinas, as a Jewish philosopher, is profoundly influenced by the absolute separation between the transcendence and the world that Judaism upholds. Full article
12 pages, 198 KiB  
Article
God Unhinged? A Critique of Quasi-Fideism
by Zoheir Bagheri Noaparast
Religions 2025, 16(2), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020186 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 226
Abstract
Drawing on Wittgenstein’s On Certainty, Duncan Pritchard argues for a position he calls quasi-fideism. Quasi-Fideism is the view that hinge commitments such as “God exists” are exempt from rational scrutiny within the language game of religion. However, other religious beliefs, which are [...] Read more.
Drawing on Wittgenstein’s On Certainty, Duncan Pritchard argues for a position he calls quasi-fideism. Quasi-Fideism is the view that hinge commitments such as “God exists” are exempt from rational scrutiny within the language game of religion. However, other religious beliefs, which are not part of the framework of hinge commitments, can be rationally assessed and evaluated. This view is to be contrasted with pure fideism, in which all aspects of religion are exempt from rational scrutiny. The success of quasi-fideism depends on demonstrating that “God exists” is, indeed, a hinge commitment. In this paper, I will review and criticize some of Pritchard’s reasons for arguing that God’s existence should be considered a hinge commitment. Additionally, I will offer reasons why “God exists” cannot be a hinge commitment. Considering the rational problem of evil, single and multiple divine attributes, and the emotional problem of evil, I will show that the non-circular rational criticism of God’s existence is possible. Following the distinction between subjective and objective certainty in Wittgenstein’s On Certainty, I will suggest that a more fruitful line of inquiry for Wittgensteinians is to examine God as a subjective certainty. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Work on Wittgenstein's Philosophy of Religion)
19 pages, 286 KiB  
Article
Memory as Part of an Event, and Events as Signification of Memories: Focusing on Philippe Claudel’s Brodeck’s Report
by Yongtaek Jeong
Religions 2025, 16(2), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020185 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 528
Abstract
This paper attempts to reconceptualize memory as an event from a theological perspective, drawing on the recent dialog between memory studies and Critical Event Studies. To this end, it analyzes the narrative and themes of the 2007 novel Brodeck’s Report by Philippe Claudel, [...] Read more.
This paper attempts to reconceptualize memory as an event from a theological perspective, drawing on the recent dialog between memory studies and Critical Event Studies. To this end, it analyzes the narrative and themes of the 2007 novel Brodeck’s Report by Philippe Claudel, classified as a third-generation Holocaust (narrative) writer in France, within the framework of event studies. The novel has been praised for successfully depicting the tragedy as a universal event transcending spatial–temporal specificity by utilizing the genre of allegory while minimizing references to the historical and geographical specificity of the Holocaust. Extending this evaluation, this paper particularly focuses from a theological perspective on how the protagonist and narrator, Brodeck, simply names the subject of his report—a past event that happened to an unidentified other (Autre) called the ‘Anderer’—as ‘Ereignis’ (event). This is noteworthy because Ereignis is not only the most famous concept representing late Heideggerian philosophy but also holds significant importance in post-Heideggerian modern philosophy as the speculative source of the ‘evental turn’, which, along with the ‘material turn’, constitutes one axis of the ‘ontological turn’ in contemporary humanities and social sciences. In this regard, this work, which narrativizes the universality of the Holocaust, provides interesting implications for the possibility of a disjunctive synthesis between memory studies in the humanities and social sciences and theological event studies. Above all, it stimulates a reconsideration of the conventional dichotomy between memory and event—namely, the commonplace premise of “events that occurred in the past” and “present memories of past events”—as revealed in the definition of memory studies as “naming pasts, transforming futures”. Thus, this paper explores the possibility of reconceptualizing the moment of memory as part of the ongoing event itself from past to present, and the event as a process of symbolic construction of meaning through memory. Full article
19 pages, 434 KiB  
Article
Is Emptiness Non-Empty? Jizang’s Conception of Buddha-Nature
by Jenny Hung
Religions 2025, 16(2), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020184 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 270
Abstract
Jizang (549–623) is regarded as a prominent figure in Sanlun Buddhism (三論宗) and a revitalizer of Nāgārjuna’s Mādhyamaka tradition in China. In this essay, I argue that Jizang’s concept of non-empty Buddha-nature is compatible with the idea of universal emptiness. My argument unfolds [...] Read more.
Jizang (549–623) is regarded as a prominent figure in Sanlun Buddhism (三論宗) and a revitalizer of Nāgārjuna’s Mādhyamaka tradition in China. In this essay, I argue that Jizang’s concept of non-empty Buddha-nature is compatible with the idea of universal emptiness. My argument unfolds in three steps. First, I argue that, for Jizang, Buddha-nature is the Middle Way (zhongdao 中道), which signifies a spiritual state that avoids the extremes of both emptiness and non-emptiness. Next, I explore how and why Jizang believes that Buddha-nature is eternal. I examine Jizang’s notions of intrinsic eternality (dingxing chang 定性常) and conditional eternality (yinyuan chang 因緣常), aiming to demonstrate that his understanding of Buddha-nature as eternal can be framed within the concept of conditional eternality, where Buddha-nature is seen as the objective manifestation of the dharma body. Since this type of eternality aligns with the principle of universal emptiness, Jizang’s assertion that Buddha-nature is eternal is thus compatible with the notion of universal emptiness. Furthermore, I illustrate that Jizang’s theory of eternal Buddha-nature carries practical implications, suggesting that this assertion serves as encouragement rather than being merely an ontological claim. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)
23 pages, 264 KiB  
Article
Catholic, Shia and Shakta Salvation Through Mystical Sorrow: Holy Mothers and Sacred Families
by June McDaniel
Religions 2025, 16(2), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020183 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 323
Abstract
Suffering is a problem addressed by many world religions. This paper examines the understanding of suffering in three religions: Catholic Christianity, Shia Islam, and Shakta Hinduism. In each of these cases, ordinary suffering is transformed into mystical sorrow, becoming a path to closeness [...] Read more.
Suffering is a problem addressed by many world religions. This paper examines the understanding of suffering in three religions: Catholic Christianity, Shia Islam, and Shakta Hinduism. In each of these cases, ordinary suffering is transformed into mystical sorrow, becoming a path to closeness and divine union. This transformation makes use of religious symbolism of the family, emphasizing the role of the mother. Worldly suffering is no longer meaningless; instead, it becomes a spiritual path through which the individual person, and even the world at large, may be redeemed. Full article
16 pages, 573 KiB  
Article
Interfaith Dialogue Based on Community Action in Catalonia (Spain): Mapping, Indicators, and Conditions for a Successful Public Policy
by Anna Tarrés Vallespí, Maria Nadeu and Miquel Àngel Essomba
Religions 2025, 16(2), 182; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020182 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 492
Abstract
This paper shows the outputs of a study on interfaith dialogue based on community action in Catalonia (Spain). Our hypothesis was to check to what extent interfaith dialogue is a facilitator of community action. The study was carried out between 2023 and 2024 [...] Read more.
This paper shows the outputs of a study on interfaith dialogue based on community action in Catalonia (Spain). Our hypothesis was to check to what extent interfaith dialogue is a facilitator of community action. The study was carried out between 2023 and 2024 in three phases: the first one devoted to mapping the existing practices within the research context; a second one focused on building an indicators system as well as an instrument for monitoring and assessing interfaith dialogue practices based on community action (the questionnaire QCID_CA); and a third one oriented to identify some conditions for success. We implemented qualitative methods: document analysis, individual interviews, focus groups, active participant observation from an ethnographic position, and comparative analysis. We identified the existing interfaith dialogue practices in Catalonia that are developed under community action; we raised some indicators to assess these practices to promote community action within local contexts; we validated the QCID_CA tool by contrasting it with current interfaith dialogue practices; and we confirmed the dialectical relationship between interfaith dialogue and community action. Interfaith dialogue practices based on community action print a real influence on social interactions in the contexts where they take place. This is the reason to implement a public policy based on some principles like knowledge, acknowledgement, action, and transformation. Interfaith dialogue aims to confront individualism and social fragmentation, which may be the prelude to increasing inequalities and exclusion. It also fights against a passive understanding of citizenship by inviting participants to feel like active agents in raising their standards of living. And more: interfaith dialogue based on community action creates alliances between participants to face the lack of spirituality nowadays. Some limitations were raised from the analysis, mostly related to the number of analyzed cases and the instrument’s implementation. Further research should be required to explore that. Full article
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15 pages, 400 KiB  
Article
Taking Laozi’s Dao as the Energy God: Dialogue with Laozi’s Dao in the Frameworks of Philosophy and Religion
by Jing Tan and Xiangfei Bao
Religions 2025, 16(2), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020181 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 316
Abstract
This article seeks to introduce a novel perspective on understanding Laozi’s Dao as the “Energy God” by engaging with existing philosophical and religious frameworks. Conceptualizing Laozi’s Dao within a philosophical framework fails to capture the fluidity, simplicity, liveliness, and directness inherent in the [...] Read more.
This article seeks to introduce a novel perspective on understanding Laozi’s Dao as the “Energy God” by engaging with existing philosophical and religious frameworks. Conceptualizing Laozi’s Dao within a philosophical framework fails to capture the fluidity, simplicity, liveliness, and directness inherent in the Daodejing. Conversely, the personification and deification of Laozi within the religious framework do not sufficiently address the formlessness and namelessness of the Dao. Retaining its original characteristics, Laozi’s Dao transcends both philosophical conceptualization and religious deification. Inspired by the term “Energy God”, two fundamental attributes of Laozi’s Dao emerge. First, Laozi’s Dao reflects a specific value judgment that consistently regards the lowly and the simple as virtuous, while perceiving the high and complex as detrimental. Second, as the Energy God, Laozi’s Dao possesses a profound power that animates and propels all things, yet resists being reduced to a mere tool. In its role as the Energy God, the Dao eludes conceptualization and objectification; it is fundamentally omnipresent throughout the universe. Full article
18 pages, 8295 KiB  
Article
Sacral Architecture of Czestochowa—The “Spiritual Capital of Poland” over the Centuries and Nowadays
by Aleksandra Repelewicz and Zaruhi Mamyan
Religions 2025, 16(2), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16020180 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 325
Abstract
Częstochowa is a city known as the “spiritual capital of Poland”. The reason behind this name is the sanctuary of Our Lady—”Jasna Góra” monastery—around which a settlement was established, giving rise to the city today. The first parish was established in the 14th [...] Read more.
Częstochowa is a city known as the “spiritual capital of Poland”. The reason behind this name is the sanctuary of Our Lady—”Jasna Góra” monastery—around which a settlement was established, giving rise to the city today. The first parish was established in the 14th century. The next two parishes in Częstochowa were only established at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries: St Barbara’s in 1891 and St Joseph’s in 1910. Today, Częstochowa has a population of almost 200,000, is an industrial and academic center, and has 53 parish churches. In comparison, Warsaw, Poland’s capital, with a population of 1,861,599, has 86 parishes. The vast majority of Częstochowa’s churches were built in the 1980s and 1990s. This paper presents a short history of the city’s development with particular reference to its sacred architecture. It also attempts to present the influence of church buildings on the urban layout and religious atmosphere of the city. The paper is an attempt to present the phenomenon of Częstochowa, which attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from Poland and all over the world every year. Full article
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