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Volume 17
Issue 7
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Religions, Volume 17, Issue 7 (July 2026) – 124 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): The 1944 ‘Butler’ Education Act consolidated the ‘dual’ system, a unique partnership between the Catholic Church and the State, in England and Wales, which has been of benefit to both. However, developments over the past eighty years, and more recently, the conversion of Catholic schools to academisation, have given rise to potential tensions in the relationship. By adopting an autobiographical narrative, this article provides an opportunity to examine different perspectives through the lens of personal experience, providing illuminative insight into the opportunities and challenges that face Catholic education today and to consider implications for its future. View this paper
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25 pages, 786 KB  
Article
Reconsidering the Identity of Pseudo-Eupolemus: Mount Gerizim and Cult Centralization in Hellenistic Palestine
by Isaac Israel
Religions 2026, 17(7), 870; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070870 - 22 Jul 2026
Viewed by 355
Abstract
The Greek fragments conventionally known as Pseudo-Eupolemus, preserved by Eusebius via Alexander Polyhistor, offer a striking Hellenistic rewriting of the Abraham traditions, weaving together biblical narrative, mythographic genealogy, antediluvian wisdom, and accounts of the transmission of culture. Since Freudenthal, these fragments have generally [...] Read more.
The Greek fragments conventionally known as Pseudo-Eupolemus, preserved by Eusebius via Alexander Polyhistor, offer a striking Hellenistic rewriting of the Abraham traditions, weaving together biblical narrative, mythographic genealogy, antediluvian wisdom, and accounts of the transmission of culture. Since Freudenthal, these fragments have generally been ascribed to a Samaritan author, primarily because one fragment includes an account of Abraham’s encounter with Melchizedek on Mount Gerizim. The present article reassesses this attribution in light of recent work on Hellenistic Palestine, Samaritan origins, Mount Gerizim, and the pre-Samaritan textual tradition. It argues that the criteria customarily invoked in support of Samaritan identification—syncretism, “Phoenician patriotism”, the form Ἀργαριζίν, and the favorable reference to Mount Gerizim—are less decisive than has commonly been assumed. Read against the fluid Yahwistic landscape of pre-Hasmonean Palestine, these features need not presuppose a hardened Judean–Samaritan divide. The article accordingly contends that a Judean-Hellenistic author, distinct from Eupolemus himself, should be considered as a serious historical possibility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)
17 pages, 280 KB  
Article
“A Godly Man, a Family Man”: Religiosity, Eudaimonic Well-Being, and Positive Outcomes in Black Masculinity and Fatherhood
by T. J. Moore, Sam Richardson and Loren Marks
Religions 2026, 17(7), 869; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070869 - 22 Jul 2026
Viewed by 375
Abstract
How do the frameworks of religion and spirituality influence perceptions of what it means to be a Black man and a family man? This study explores how increases in religiosity and spirituality influence Black masculinity and fatherhood among 33 Black Christian couples ( [...] Read more.
How do the frameworks of religion and spirituality influence perceptions of what it means to be a Black man and a family man? This study explores how increases in religiosity and spirituality influence Black masculinity and fatherhood among 33 Black Christian couples (n = 66). Qualitative interviews and analysis examine how religious beliefs and practices may facilitate shifts from independence-centered views of masculinity to family-oriented, spiritually grounded ideals. Participants described how deepened religiosity and spirituality were perceived as assisting with greater marital fidelity, fatherly involvement, and relational commitment, regardless of denominational affiliation, socioeconomic status, or education. Key mechanisms included (1) personal crises and faith community engagement, (2) divine interventions, (3) scripture study, and (4) recovering traditional religious masculinity roles. Findings suggest that religion and spirituality may provide an alternative framework for Black masculinity, one that emphasizes relationality, moral integrity, and family leadership. These processes are interpreted through Ryff’s six-factor model of eudaimonic well-being and mapped onto positive psychology constructs such as resilience, meaning-making, and the sanctification of family roles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Spirituality, Well-Being and Positive Psychology)
34 pages, 508 KB  
Article
Between Constantinople and Moscow: Autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church—Archbishopric of Ohrid
by Jovan Jonovski
Religions 2026, 17(7), 868; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070868 - 22 Jul 2026
Viewed by 759
Abstract
The article examines the history and the mechanism of obtaining autocephalous status for the Macedonian Orthodox Church—Archbishopric of Ohrid, from the early initiatives in 1944, through the self-decared autocephalous status in 1967, the appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 2018, and [...] Read more.
The article examines the history and the mechanism of obtaining autocephalous status for the Macedonian Orthodox Church—Archbishopric of Ohrid, from the early initiatives in 1944, through the self-decared autocephalous status in 1967, the appeal to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 2018, and finally the granting of a Tomos by the Serbian Orthodox Church in 2022 and further steps toward obtaining full recognition by all other Orthodox Churches. In a situation of division in the Orthodox world, with churches gravitating around Constantinople and those around Moscow, there are differences in ecclesiological understandings of the processes for obtaining autonomy and autocephaly. In this dilemma, political motives prevail rather than dogmatic and canonical ones. These differences are profoundly influenced by geopolitics, particularly in light of the Ukrainian Civil War that began in 2014, which escalated into the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2022. The Macedonian case is compared to the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in 2019 granted by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Full article
18 pages, 221 KB  
Article
Arcadia: The Cinematic Image of the Amish and Its Construction
by Yaping Pan
Religions 2026, 17(7), 867; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070867 - 22 Jul 2026
Viewed by 369
Abstract
The Amish are among the most recognizable religious minorities in the United States. Their religious convictions lead them to refuse participation in filmmaking, yet they have become a subject of sustained interest in cinema. To date, more than forty films have featured the [...] Read more.
The Amish are among the most recognizable religious minorities in the United States. Their religious convictions lead them to refuse participation in filmmaking, yet they have become a subject of sustained interest in cinema. To date, more than forty films have featured the Amish as their primary subject or a significant narrative backdrop, with three-quarters of these appearing in the twenty-first century. Drawing on close reading and content analysis of this complete corpus, spanning from 1955 to 2025, Amish society is repeatedly rendered on screen as an “Arcadian” ideal: vast and tranquil pastoral landscapes, a simple and unhurried life of self-sufficiency, and warm, close-knit families and communities. While individual films vary in genre, style, and narrative focus, and the overall tone has grown lighter and more consumer-oriented in the twenty-first century, the Arcadian character of this image has remained largely intact across seven decades of filmmaking. The Amish image on screen is, however, largely romanticized, diverging considerably from the complex realities of Amish life. Because the Amish do not participate in filmmaking or public self-representation, their image has been shaped almost entirely from the outside—by a wider society that has long projected its anxieties about modern life and its longings for a simpler world onto this community, and by a film industry that has gradually settled into a fixed set of narrative conventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Film in the 21st Century: Perspectives and Challenges)
21 pages, 835 KB  
Article
Mystical Expression and Teresian Parallels in the Work of Sóror Isabel Do Menino Jesus (Portugal, Seventeenth–Eighteenth Centuries)
by Rosa María Sánchez
Religions 2026, 17(7), 866; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070866 - 21 Jul 2026
Viewed by 249
Abstract
The present study focuses on the Portuguese Franciscan nun Sóror Isabel do Menino Jesus (1673–1752), a religious of the Convent of Santa Clara in Portalegre (Portugal), and the author of several writings of mystical, ascetical, and autobiographical content. Two of these texts were [...] Read more.
The present study focuses on the Portuguese Franciscan nun Sóror Isabel do Menino Jesus (1673–1752), a religious of the Convent of Santa Clara in Portalegre (Portugal), and the author of several writings of mystical, ascetical, and autobiographical content. Two of these texts were selected as the object of study: the autobiography and the mystical treatise, which are examined in parallel with the Book of Life [El libro de la Vida] and Mansions [Mordas] by Teresa of Ávila. In the first case, the comparative analysis made it possible to identify certain parallels between the two religious women, particularly with regard to their family background, but also in the process of entering into contact with religious life and in the interior (and exterior) trials endured from the moment their mystical experiences began to manifest themselves. In the second case, through a more in-depth analysis of the ascetical writings, it was possible to discern certain doctrinal analogies in the way both religious women describe their experiences in the life of prayer, as well as their advances and setbacks along the path towards union with God. The article presents a cases study rather than a comparative analysis, which would exceed the scope of a single journal article. Its aim is to highlight the principal points of convergence between Sóror Isabel’s work and Teresian mysticism, thereby demonstrating that such affinities do indeed exist, including certain aspects of their personal biographies. The study has been situated within the broader context of Iberian mysticism, while also highlighting possible discrepancies in the mystical attitudes of the two women, arising, among other factors, from the temporal and geographical distance that separated them. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women in the Christian Tradition: Paradigms and Expressions of Religious Life in Early Modern Western Contexts)
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18 pages, 322 KB  
Article
The Community of Thought and Wisdom in Chinese and Islamic Civilizations—A Philosophical Interpretation from the Perspective of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind
by Xiping Niu
Religions 2026, 17(7), 865; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070865 - 21 Jul 2026
Viewed by 428
Abstract
This article explores, within the historical context of two-way exchanges between Chinese and Arab-Islamic civilizations, the profound relationship between the communal ethos embedded in these traditions and the construction of a “community with a shared future for mankind.” By examining and comparing the [...] Read more.
This article explores, within the historical context of two-way exchanges between Chinese and Arab-Islamic civilizations, the profound relationship between the communal ethos embedded in these traditions and the construction of a “community with a shared future for mankind.” By examining and comparing the “Tianxia worldview” and the wisdom of “harmony and integration” in Chinese civilization with the concept of “Ummah” and the peace-oriented ideal of “Salam” in Islamic civilization, this study reveals deep commonalities. Both civilizations share a focus on humanity’s collective well-being, the establishment of a moral order, the assumption of ethical responsibilities, and the management of the relationship between diversity and unity. The research demonstrates that the concept of a “community with a shared future for mankind” is deeply rooted in the philosophical traditions of both civilizations; it represents a modern transformation and integrated innovation of their core spirits. As such, it provides essential intellectual resources and practical pathways for transcending Western-centric governance paradigms, promoting substantive civilizational dialogue, and building a more just and inclusive global order. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Confluence of Islam and Confucianism: A Paradigm for Civilizational Exchange and Mutual Learning)
16 pages, 250 KB  
Article
Getting to the Roots: Critical and Transformative Engagement Between Indigenous Communities and the Synodal Church
by Alex Gruber
Religions 2026, 17(7), 864; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070864 - 21 Jul 2026
Viewed by 641
Abstract
This paper argues for the Catholic Church to receive and nurture the synod on synodality toward transformative decolonization through stronger and humbler engagement with Indigenous communities (primarily from North and South America) and their worldviews that parallel, augment, or challenge ecclesial doctrines and [...] Read more.
This paper argues for the Catholic Church to receive and nurture the synod on synodality toward transformative decolonization through stronger and humbler engagement with Indigenous communities (primarily from North and South America) and their worldviews that parallel, augment, or challenge ecclesial doctrines and praxes laid out in the synod. The paper will first analyze the trend toward decolonization in the synodal process and then propose two clear opportunities for decolonial synodality informed by Catholic–Indigenous dialogue: the church as the people of God and as a community firmly rooted in and attentive to local contexts and, thus, place and space. Following these areas of relative harmony, the paper will highlight two regions likely to produce tension. The first is the significantly different worldviews of Indigenous cultures from the West that still dominate the church’s vision, language, and practice. The second is the possible refusal of Indigenous individuals or communities to engage in an “ecclesiology of recognition” that seeks to “include” Indigenous people and perspectives while exploiting them without challenging or changing the imperial and colonial heritages of Christianity. The paper will end by reaffirming the worth and necessity of decolonial synodality imagined, explored, and realized in creative and tense relationships with Indigenous communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Interfaith Dialogue and Transformation)
16 pages, 288 KB  
Article
The Logos tou Staurou and Competing Logoi: Paul’s Theology of the Cross for Christian Witness for an Algorithmic Public Square
by Jason D. Crowder
Religions 2026, 17(7), 863; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070863 - 21 Jul 2026
Viewed by 693
Abstract
The emergence of algorithmic authority has profoundly reshaped contemporary understandings of truth, knowledge, and human flourishing. As computational systems increasingly assume epistemic authority once entrusted to philosophical, religious, and civic institutions, the church faces a renewed challenge of bearing faithful witness within a [...] Read more.
The emergence of algorithmic authority has profoundly reshaped contemporary understandings of truth, knowledge, and human flourishing. As computational systems increasingly assume epistemic authority once entrusted to philosophical, religious, and civic institutions, the church faces a renewed challenge of bearing faithful witness within a culture governed by competing accounts of wisdom and power. This article argues that the apostle Paul’s logos tou staurou constitutes a rival account of reality that reconfigures knowledge, the identity of God, human flourishing, apostolic mission, and ultimately Christian public witness through a distinctively cruciform rationality, thereby challenging both ancient philosophical rationalism and contemporary algorithmic authority. By focusing on 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:16 and 9:19–23, this study demonstrates that the logos tou staurou (“word of the cross”) reconfigures wisdom, power, human identity, and mission through God’s self-revelation in the crucified Christ. Rather than presenting cruciformity as a secondary ethical consequence of salvation, Paul presents the cross as the self-revelation of God from which cruciform discipleship, apostolic mission, and faithful public witness necessarily flow. Bringing Paul’s theology of the cross into conversation with both the Stoic Logos of the first century and contemporary algorithmic authority, this article argues that the logos tou staurou offers a comprehensive theological alternative to rival cultural logoi by relocating wisdom from autonomous rationality to God’s cruciform self-revelation. While Stoicism and algorithmic systems promise human flourishing through rational autonomy and computational certainty, Paul locates divine wisdom in weakness, vulnerability, and self-giving love. The cross, therefore, provides the church with a distinctively cruciform rationality for faithful witness within an age increasingly shaped by algorithmic authority. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Constructive Interdisciplinary Approaches to Pauline Theology)
22 pages, 409 KB  
Article
Vindicating Converso Religiosity: Alonso de Oropesa on the Pauline Conversion as a Jewish–Christian Transformation
by Yosi Yisraeli
Religions 2026, 17(7), 862; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070862 - 21 Jul 2026
Viewed by 344
Abstract
This article offers a fresh reading of Alonso de Oropesa’s Lumen ad revelationem gentium (1465) and of the pro-converso theology of this Hieronymite friar, through a close reading of a specific and largely neglected section of the treatise. This reading complicates the prevailing [...] Read more.
This article offers a fresh reading of Alonso de Oropesa’s Lumen ad revelationem gentium (1465) and of the pro-converso theology of this Hieronymite friar, through a close reading of a specific and largely neglected section of the treatise. This reading complicates the prevailing scholarly view that the Lumen expresses an essentially egalitarian theological vision. The article argues that Oropesa’s intensely anti-Jewish stance and emphasis on Pauline spirituality were part of a more layered and ambitious argument—one that sought to establish a genuine continuity between Judaism and Christianity through a creative reinterpretation of Paul and his conversion. Drawing on a highly original reading of the ice-water metaphor from Gregory the Great’s Moralia in Job and the letter-spirit binary of II Corinthians 3:6, Oropesa articulated a bold vindication of Jewish heritage as a worthy and enduring component of Christianity’s own fabric—preserved, rather than erased, through spiritual transformation. The article further suggests that this theological vision extended beyond the realm of ideas into that of practice, offering a new background for understanding the devotional culture of Hieronymite conversos and its eventual collision with the Inquisition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Converso Phenomenon)
12 pages, 265 KB  
Article
Prayer as Participatory Agency in Calvin’s Doctrine of Sanctification: A Study of His Pastoral Correspondence
by Sam Neulsaem Ha
Religions 2026, 17(7), 861; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070861 - 20 Jul 2026
Viewed by 298
Abstract
Scholars have increasingly agreed that, for John Calvin, the doctrine of sanctification cannot be reduced either to passive reception or to moralistic human effort. Calvin’s theology of union with Christ and the work of the Spirit shows that sanctification is both a divine [...] Read more.
Scholars have increasingly agreed that, for John Calvin, the doctrine of sanctification cannot be reduced either to passive reception or to moralistic human effort. Calvin’s theology of union with Christ and the work of the Spirit shows that sanctification is both a divine gift and a reality in which believers actively participate. However, less attention has been given to how this theological pattern appears in Calvin’s pastoral theology, especially in his correspondence. This article addresses that gap by examining Calvin’s letters to believers facing persecution, weakness, uncertainty, and the demand for perseverance. It argues that Calvin presents prayer as a form of participatory agency in sanctification: through prayer, believers actively seek from God what God alone can give. By analyzing Calvin’s pastoral correspondence, this article shows how prayer allows Calvin to hold together divine agency and human responsibility in the lived process of sanctification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worship in the 16th-Century Reformation: Theology and Practice)
12 pages, 212 KB  
Article
Lineage, Identity and Equality: Theological and ATR Perspectives on Surname Adoption
by Mboni Collins Makamu and Ndidzulafhi Mudau
Religions 2026, 17(7), 860; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070860 - 20 Jul 2026
Viewed by 257
Abstract
The Constitutional Court of South Africa issued a landmark verdict permitting men to adopt a woman’s surname, marking a significant advancement for gender equality and identity. ATR and Christian theology were premised on the same connecting principle: the transmission of authority through male [...] Read more.
The Constitutional Court of South Africa issued a landmark verdict permitting men to adopt a woman’s surname, marking a significant advancement for gender equality and identity. ATR and Christian theology were premised on the same connecting principle: the transmission of authority through male inheritance, as signified by shared surnames that marked belonging across generations within social hierarchies. This study is positioned within the South African constitutional, cultural, and theological framework, which contextualises patriarchal naming norms as profoundly ingrained in both religious and customary systems. An interdisciplinary qualitative methodology was utilised, integrating constitutional jurisprudence with theological contemplation and the study of African Traditional Religion through critical textual analysis of court rulings and naming conventions. The verdict affirmed constitutional principles of equality and dignity against established patriarchal constraints on lineage and identity, revealing progressive aspects within both traditions that may be utilised for more inclusive interpretations of identity. The verdict represented a legal progression as well as a cultural and spiritual intervention; the decision prompted contemplation on nomenclature, identity, and gender justice within religious traditions. This study illustrates that constitutional law might stimulate theological renewal and reinterpretation of African Traditional Religion concerning gender equality through an interdisciplinary communication between the two domains. Full article
13 pages, 244 KB  
Article
The Possibility and Nature of Visionary Geography: An Inquiry into the Thought of Dariush Shayegan
by Tamer Yıldırım
Religions 2026, 17(7), 859; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070859 - 19 Jul 2026
Viewed by 299
Abstract
This article explores spiritual unity beyond physical boundaries through the theme of the “geography of the soul,” conceptualized by Dariush Shayegan (1925–2018) as “visionary geography”. This study criticizes the quantitative world perception that emerged following the post-Galilean reduction of nature to a mathematical [...] Read more.
This article explores spiritual unity beyond physical boundaries through the theme of the “geography of the soul,” conceptualized by Dariush Shayegan (1925–2018) as “visionary geography”. This study criticizes the quantitative world perception that emerged following the post-Galilean reduction of nature to a mathematical object, as well as a modernity that imprisons humanity within the coordinates of meridians and parallels. It discusses how the mystical partnership, interrupted by the imposition of scientific positivism in the modern era, has driven the human condition into a state of fragmentation. Within the theoretical framework, the possibility of a visionary and spiritual world woven with symbols is questioned in the face of both the real/physical and the technological/virtual worlds. According to Shayegan, the world of the soul exists on a transcendent plane that surpasses the contingent world with its own mountains, rivers, and continents. The article argues that while geographical differences in the classical period did not hinder spiritual convergence, the modern Western lifestyle has weakened this ontological bond. Utilizing a qualitative research method, this study analyzes visionary geography, the perception of space, and the unifying spiritual elements in Shayegan’s works through literature and document analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)
15 pages, 266 KB  
Article
Religion in Sound: Exploring the Relationship Between Music and Religion in the Composition Harmony of the Spheres by Joep Franssens
by Martin Hoondert and Nataliia Vdovychenko
Religions 2026, 17(7), 858; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070858 - 18 Jul 2026
Viewed by 355
Abstract
This article explores the relationship between music and religion through a case study of Harmony of the Spheres by the Dutch composer Joep Franssens. Situated within the context of religious change in the Netherlands, where institutional religion has declined while spiritual and sacred [...] Read more.
This article explores the relationship between music and religion through a case study of Harmony of the Spheres by the Dutch composer Joep Franssens. Situated within the context of religious change in the Netherlands, where institutional religion has declined while spiritual and sacred repertoires remain culturally significant, this article asks how musical experience can generate, mediate, or articulate forms of religiosity. Combining musicological analysis, theories of sound and religion, and a digital ethnographic reading of YouTube listener responses, this article argues that Franssens’ music opens a space for non-institutional, sonically mediated religion. The composition’s slow harmonic movement, repetition, tonal affirmation, textual unintelligibility, spatial sonority, and evocation of timelessness invite immersive listening and self-transcendence. Listener responses confirm that these musical techniques are frequently interpreted through religious and spiritual language, including references to God, angels, heaven, the sublime, peace, and mystical experience. The article argues that Harmony of the Spheres should not be understood as explicitly confessional music, but as a form of “religion in sound”: an aesthetic and performative practice through which listeners encounter transcendence, community, and an unbound spirituality beyond traditional religious institutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)
22 pages, 334 KB  
Article
‘Progressive’ Pentecostalism in Ghana: Development, Morality, and National Interest
by Jeffrey Haynes
Religions 2026, 17(7), 857; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070857 - 18 Jul 2026
Viewed by 829
Abstract
The societal impact of ‘progressive’ Pentecostalism—that is, how is it ‘progressive’, and what are its effects?—is a significant concern in Ghana, not least because the faith’s demographic significance makes its nature and characteristics a prominent public issue. This paper seeks to assess the [...] Read more.
The societal impact of ‘progressive’ Pentecostalism—that is, how is it ‘progressive’, and what are its effects?—is a significant concern in Ghana, not least because the faith’s demographic significance makes its nature and characteristics a prominent public issue. This paper seeks to assess the influence of ‘progressive’ Pentecostalism in Ghana through the examination of three issues: social development and the prosperity gospel, morality and anti-corruption concerns, and the contribution of ‘progressive’ Pentecostalism to Ghana’s national interest. This paper is divided into three sections. The first describes and explains the emergence and rapid growth of ‘progressive’ Pentecostalism in Ghana in the context of three historic ‘waves’ of Pentecostalism: in the 1930s, the late 1970s, and late 1980s/early 1990s. Section two examines (1) the developmental impact of ‘progressive’ Pentecostalism, (2) links between ‘progressive’ Pentecostalism, moral decay, and public sector corruption, and (3) the pros and cons of the prosperity gospel. The concluding section of this paper assesses the overall contribution of ‘progressive’ Pentecostalism to Ghana’s national interest. The conclusion is that ‘progressive’ Pentecostalism has a dual effect: the prosperity gospel may encourage both corruption and moral decay, while also contributing via spiritual ministry to social welfare. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Moral Sources and Political Limits: Religious Ethics, Humanitarianism, and National Interest)
15 pages, 277 KB  
Article
Lift Up Your Hearts: The Development of the Reformed Sursum Corda
by Benjamin Crosby
Religions 2026, 17(7), 856; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070856 - 18 Jul 2026
Viewed by 1407
Abstract
This study addresses a significant feature of many early modern Reformed Lord’s Supper liturgies, the ‘Reformed sursum corda.’ This term refers to elaborations of the ancient liturgical phrase “Lift up your hearts” placed in the liturgy and used to teach a Reformed eucharistic [...] Read more.
This study addresses a significant feature of many early modern Reformed Lord’s Supper liturgies, the ‘Reformed sursum corda.’ This term refers to elaborations of the ancient liturgical phrase “Lift up your hearts” placed in the liturgy and used to teach a Reformed eucharistic piety. The article traces the development of this liturgical element throughout the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, beginning with its origin in the liturgies of Guillaume Farel and John Calvin and turning to two separate appropriations of Calvin’s Reformed sursum corda: one from the Stranger Churches in England to Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland; another from English and Scottish exiles in Frankfurt and Geneva to the British Isles. It makes three principal arguments: (1) that Farel’s liturgical innovation was dependent upon his reading of Oecolampadius, (2) that the principal later versions of the Reformed sursum corda were derived from John Calvin’s, and (3) that the Reformed sursum corda tradition impacted the interpretation of the English Book of Common Prayer. In so doing, this article deepens our understanding of the development of between early modern Reformed Lord’s Supper liturgies as well as the connection between eucharistic theology and eucharistic practice in the Reformed tradition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Worship in the 16th-Century Reformation: Theology and Practice)
14 pages, 273 KB  
Article
On Refusing the Eucharist: Simone Weil, Antoine Arnauld, and the Philosophy of Grace
by Emily King
Religions 2026, 17(7), 855; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070855 - 18 Jul 2026
Viewed by 376
Abstract
This article examines the differing reasons behind why the French philosopher Simone Weil (1909–1943) and the Jansenist polemicist Antoine Arnauld (1612–1694) recommended abstaining from the Eucharist, illustrating the continuities and ruptures of Catholic sacramental theology from Augustine to the modern era. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Eucharist as the Bread of Life: Phenomenological and Existential Explorations)
16 pages, 643 KB  
Article
Ignorance and Implicit Faith: The Rise and Fall of a Fragile Alliance in Indigenous Salvation (1530–1563)
by Bento Machado Mota
Religions 2026, 17(7), 854; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070854 - 17 Jul 2026
Viewed by 311
Abstract
This article examines the theological debates within the School of Salamanca concerning the possibility of salvation for non-European peoples, with particular attention to the articulation and dissociation between the concepts of invincible ignorance and implicit faith. While existing scholarship has addressed these notions [...] Read more.
This article examines the theological debates within the School of Salamanca concerning the possibility of salvation for non-European peoples, with particular attention to the articulation and dissociation between the concepts of invincible ignorance and implicit faith. While existing scholarship has addressed these notions separately, it has seldom explored their combined implications in the context of early modern encounters with the Americas. By analyzing a set of underexplored sixteenth-century sources, this article argues that the problem of indigenous salvation catalyzed a profound reconfiguration of scholastic categories. Particular attention is devoted to the works of Francisco de Vitoria, Bartolomé de Las Casas, and Melchior Cano, whose contributions proved decisive in shaping the contours of the debate. Adopting a conceptual history approach, the study demonstrates that two key medieval concepts were effectively unified from the 1530s onward. However, this synthesis proved unstable. In the aftermath of the Council of Trent, and especially following mounting criticisms of the notion of implicit faith, these categories were progressively disentangled throughout the 1560s. In its final section, the article puts forward proposals for conceptualization and advances a set of hypotheses regarding the broader implications of this conceptual reconfiguration for the subsequent development of Catholic theology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Catholic Propaganda on the Frontiers: Evangelizing Pagans, Protestants, and Non-Believers in the 16th and 17th Centuries)
14 pages, 326 KB  
Article
Attachment to God Across Religions: Fathers and Mothers Matter Differently in Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism
by Alicia McLean, Sarah Amin, Raksha Poojar and Shanmukh V. Kamble
Religions 2026, 17(7), 853; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070853 - 17 Jul 2026
Viewed by 506
Abstract
This study examined how attachment to parents influences attachment to God across Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Grounded in attachment theory and extending prior work on parental correspondence, participants from the United States and India completed measures of attachment to mothers, fathers, and God. [...] Read more.
This study examined how attachment to parents influences attachment to God across Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism. Grounded in attachment theory and extending prior work on parental correspondence, participants from the United States and India completed measures of attachment to mothers, fathers, and God. Consistent with the correspondence hypothesis, parental attachment patterns mirrored attachment to God. For Christian participants, both avoidance and anxiety toward fathers predicted attachment to God, reflecting Christianity’s paternal conception of the divine. For Muslim participants, both avoidance and anxiety toward mothers predicted attachment to God, consistent with the maternal role in transmitting Islamic faith. Among Hindu participants, avoidance toward mothers predicted avoidance toward God, and anxiety toward both parents predicted anxiety toward God, reflecting the balance of masculine and feminine divine representations in Hinduism. These findings underscore cultural differences in spiritual attachment and highlight the importance of parental influences in understanding cross-religious variations in faith development. Full article
23 pages, 433 KB  
Article
Ritual and Narrative: An Analysis of Survival Resilience in Folk Shamanic Rituals in Tales of Hulan River
by Qi Zhao and Ruijia Zhang
Religions 2026, 17(7), 852; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070852 - 16 Jul 2026
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Abstract
Due to its brilliant literary narrative and profound ideas, Xiao Hong’s Tales of Hulan River has had a profound influence on the history of Chinese modern literature. Academia has conducted in-depth discussions on Tales of Hulan River, but these have largely overlooked [...] Read more.
Due to its brilliant literary narrative and profound ideas, Xiao Hong’s Tales of Hulan River has had a profound influence on the history of Chinese modern literature. Academia has conducted in-depth discussions on Tales of Hulan River, but these have largely overlooked the folk shamanic rituals and their crucial significance in this novel. The expression of literary narrative ideas cannot be studied independently without the folk shamanic ritual’s survival resilience. Starting from the dimensions of material, spiritual, and cultural resilience, this article discusses the folk shamanic rituals in Tales of Hulan River, and is dedicated to constructing the mechanism of survival resilience. Material resilience is reflected in the most reasonable choice under limited material conditions, the cultivation of critical thinking, and the understanding of contingency and eternity; spiritual resilience is reflected in the pursuit of transcendence, the provision of psychological comfort, and the emphasis on the motivation of goodness; cultural resilience is reflected in establishing the common goal of the community, cultivating pragmatic cultural values, and maintaining the sustainability of folk shamanic rituals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Interplay Between Narrative, Ritual, and Religiosity in East Asian Literary and Cultural Traditions)
16 pages, 340 KB  
Article
Sabr as a Situated Religious Concept of Resilience Among Syrian Refugee Women in Turkey
by Maria Kanal and Halina Grzymała-Moszczyńska
Religions 2026, 17(7), 851; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070851 - 16 Jul 2026
Viewed by 376
Abstract
Religion is increasingly recognized as important for coping and resilience in contexts of forced migration, yet broad categories such as “religious coping” do not fully explain how specific Islamic concepts become experientially available and action-guiding in everyday life. This article examines sabr among [...] Read more.
Religion is increasingly recognized as important for coping and resilience in contexts of forced migration, yet broad categories such as “religious coping” do not fully explain how specific Islamic concepts become experientially available and action-guiding in everyday life. This article examines sabr among Syrian refugee women living in Turkey as a situated moral–religious concept rather than a simple equivalent of “patience.” The analysis draws on 24 semi-structured interviews conducted in Hatay, Turkey, between 2017 and 2023 and uses reflexive thematic analysis informed by research on situated abstract concepts and cultural model theory. Across the interviews, sabr emerged as a core Islamic idiom through which women made hardship intelligible and organized accounts of endurance, restraint, dignity, and action under prolonged uncertainty. Sabr was described as learned through religious practice and prior adversity, enacted through emotional, bodily, and verbal restraint, sustained through Qur’anic language and exemplary narratives, and closely linked to motherhood, social responsibility, trust in God, and expectations of eventual relief or divine reward. Rather than presenting sabr as a discrete coping strategy or psychological mechanism, the findings show how it organized women’s accounts of endurance, responsibility, and action within a broader religious–moral framework. An emic understanding of resilience among Muslim refugees therefore requires attention to lived concepts through which suffering becomes meaningful, morally framed, and practically bearable. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion, Spirituality, Well-Being and Positive Psychology)
22 pages, 581 KB  
Article
Early Doctrines and Concepts of Indian Materialism Preserved in the Chinese Buddhist Canon
by Daisung Han and Wangmo Seo
Religions 2026, 17(7), 850; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070850 - 16 Jul 2026
Viewed by 517
Abstract
This article tries to show how early elements of the Chinese Buddhist Canon can expand our understanding of the concepts and tenets of ancient Indian materialism. To assist in this understanding, the doctrines of the five ancient, renowned heretical teachers as preserved in [...] Read more.
This article tries to show how early elements of the Chinese Buddhist Canon can expand our understanding of the concepts and tenets of ancient Indian materialism. To assist in this understanding, the doctrines of the five ancient, renowned heretical teachers as preserved in the Shamenguo Jing, the closest Chinese parallel of the Samaññaphala Sutta, are juxtaposed with the latter and philosophically analyzed. For the study of early concepts, the current works are first critically analyzed and substantiated by relevant materials surviving only in the Chinese Buddhist Canon. The four-fold categories of practitioners, Śramaṇas, Brāhmaṇas, Carakas, and Parivrājakas, appear in an Āgama sūtra as well as some early Mahāyāna sūtras preserved in Chinese, and this contrasts with the Śramaṇas-Brāhmaṇas classification found in the Pāli Canon as well as with other Indic sources. The presence of the term caraka—itinerant practitioner of medicine—in the older strata of the Chinese Buddhist Canon also merits scholarly attention, especially since this term is entirely absent from the Pāli Buddhist Canon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)
17 pages, 242 KB  
Article
‘Render Therefore Unto Caesar the Things Which Are Caesar’s, and Unto God the Things That Are God’s’ (Matthew 22:21). Reflections on the Changing Relationship Between Catholic Education and the State Eighty Years After the Passing of the 1944 Butler Education Act
by David Fincham
Religions 2026, 17(7), 849; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070849 - 16 Jul 2026
Viewed by 303
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to reflect on the changing relationship between Catholic education and the State in the eighty years that have elapsed since the passing of the 1944 ‘Butler’ Education Act. The 1944 Education Act proved to be a transformational [...] Read more.
The aim of this paper is to reflect on the changing relationship between Catholic education and the State in the eighty years that have elapsed since the passing of the 1944 ‘Butler’ Education Act. The 1944 Education Act proved to be a transformational landmark in the development of Catholic education in this country. Whilst in many other countries in the world Catholic education is provided by independent fee-paying schools, in England it has benefited from support and funding provided by the government. The legislation consolidated the relationship between Church and State that had been established with the introduction of compulsory education in 1870. However, integrated within the national educational system, Catholic schools are also subject to political currents that can pose challenges. When I began teaching in a Catholic secondary school in the mid-1970s, compulsory education was framed within the legislation set out in the 1944 Education Act. However, the post-war consensus that informed that legislation was swept away in the wake of the passing of the 1988 Education Reform Act (ERA). This latter development marked a watershed in schooling in England and Wales. Whilst extending greater autonomy to schools through Local Management of Schools (LMS) and Grant Maintained (GM) status, central government designed and regulated education for all maintained schools through a National Curriculum and it intervened more rigorously in their management by scrutinising their performance through the establishment of regular Ofsted inspections. Arguably, the introduction of Grant Maintained schools contributed to ‘a survival of the fittest approach’, which challenged concerns for the common good. Moreover, with the passing of the 2010 Academies Act, it became possible for all maintained schools in England and Wales to convert to academies and multi-academy trusts (MATs) by direct agreement with the Secretary of State for Education. Within the Catholic sector, where the bishop has traditionally been primarily responsible for the regulation of education provided by Catholic schools across his diocese, the question of academisation has provoked divisions of opinion about the governance of Catholic schools. Drawing on a reflection on my own experience as a teacher and leader in Catholic secondary education, the paper examines opportunities and challenges that have faced Catholic education in this country over the past eighty years and considers implications for its future. Autobiographical narrative is a method of research located within the qualitative field of enquiry. Whilst its subjective and introspective nature has been open to question, it provides a researcher with the opportunity to examine personal experience to provide illuminative insight. Full article
26 pages, 298 KB  
Article
Spiritual Care as Soul Work: From Virtual Invitations to Invisible Vocations
by Daniel Boscaljon
Religions 2026, 17(7), 848; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070848 - 15 Jul 2026
Viewed by 317
Abstract
Based in a perspective informed by contemporary depth psychology’s recognition of the need for soul and steeped in contemporary philosophical theology, this article explores potential issues with emphasizing spiritual care as a practice. Using a blend of philosophical hermeneutics and existential phenomenology to [...] Read more.
Based in a perspective informed by contemporary depth psychology’s recognition of the need for soul and steeped in contemporary philosophical theology, this article explores potential issues with emphasizing spiritual care as a practice. Using a blend of philosophical hermeneutics and existential phenomenology to examine the contemporary crisis symptomized by virtual realities, this article unfolds in three movements that argue for the importance of soul-oriented leadership development. The first section identifies our contemporary problem as an absence of soul. It builds on Glen Slater’s recent Jung vs. Borg and explores the problems that arise when emphasizing spirit, emphasizing the difficulties with virtual reality and the onset of disconnection that results. The second section contributes one potential for resolving the problem—through an emphasis on soul-oriented leadership development. It explores Jungian psychoanalytic work with an emphasis on sound instead of sight, outlining its potential as a resource for helping leaders individuate in ways that enhance personal virtue. The resulting sense of vocation—a calling gained through listening—provides an essential framework for leadership development as a form of soul work. The third section outlines the potential for leaders to embody a sense of a radical, believing hope based in their resulting access to creative soul work. The article concludes with a statement of hope concerning how those familiar with depth psychology or spiritual care might reflect on the potential meaning of their work. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Fate and Future of Psychoanalysis in Spiritual Care)
24 pages, 917 KB  
Article
A Brief Discussion on Chan–Pure Land Syncretism in Dunhuang: Centered on Dunhuang Literature
by Xiao Lin
Religions 2026, 17(7), 847; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070847 - 15 Jul 2026
Viewed by 361
Abstract
This article investigates the convergence of Chan and Pure Land practices in medieval Dunhuang, highlighting a fluid and integrative religious phenomenon that challenges conventional sectarian boundaries. Drawing on a rich corpus of manuscripts, including treatises, lecture notes, liturgical texts, and portrait praises, the [...] Read more.
This article investigates the convergence of Chan and Pure Land practices in medieval Dunhuang, highlighting a fluid and integrative religious phenomenon that challenges conventional sectarian boundaries. Drawing on a rich corpus of manuscripts, including treatises, lecture notes, liturgical texts, and portrait praises, the study demonstrates how meditation-centered approaches, often associated with Chan, coexisted with Pure Land devotion. In Dunhuang’s frontier setting, these practices were neither mutually exclusive nor rigidly compartmentalized; monks and lay practitioners alike combined Chan-style introspection with faith-based recitation of Amitābha’s name. The paper first clarifies the conceptual categories of “Chan” and “Pure Land” by placing them in contemporary scholarly debates on sectarianism, thereby questioning modern assumptions that retroactively impose later institutional labels on the medieval past. An analysis of key texts illustrates the consistent emphasis on introspective meditation and the aspiration for rebirth in Amitābha’s Western Paradise. Poetry, portrait eulogies, and sermon materials likewise reveal practitioners who excelled in Chan while cultivating Pure Land rituals. These findings attest to a broader pattern of adaptability in Chinese Buddhism and underscore Dunhuang’s significance as a site where diverse doctrinal streams converged. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Monastic Lives and Buddhist Textual Traditions in China and Beyond)
13 pages, 354 KB  
Article
Educational Communication, Religiosity, and the Integral Health of the Family: A Critical Analysis of Contemporary Research
by Renata Pomarańska
Religions 2026, 17(7), 846; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070846 - 15 Jul 2026
Viewed by 392
Abstract
This article examines developmental communication as one of the key factors influencing health and the overall functioning of the family. The aim of the study is to highlight the importance of interpersonal communication and religious values in fostering family bonds, shaping health-promoting attitudes, [...] Read more.
This article examines developmental communication as one of the key factors influencing health and the overall functioning of the family. The aim of the study is to highlight the importance of interpersonal communication and religious values in fostering family bonds, shaping health-promoting attitudes, and enhancing the psychological, social, and spiritual well-being of family members. The article is theoretical and analytical in nature and is based on a literature review spanning family studies, pedagogy, sociology, psychology, and the psychology of religion. The findings indicate that open, dialogue-oriented communication supports the development of strong emotional bonds, a sense of security, and family resilience in the face of crisis situations. The importance of marital relationships, parent–child communication, and intergenerational relations for the psychosocial health of family members is emphasized. The study also highlights the role of religion and spiritual values as factors that strengthen family cohesion, foster a sense of meaning in life, and enhance coping with adversity. The conclusions suggest that developmental communication, supported by moral and spiritual values, is a key element in building a healthy and sustainable family system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Family Health and Its Threats in the Physical, Mental, Religious–Moral, and Social Dimensions)
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22 pages, 501 KB  
Article
The Development of Faith in Ganhwa Seon: A Comparative Analysis of Dahui, Gaofeng, and Mengshan
by Bonsu Ku
Religions 2026, 17(7), 845; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070845 - 15 Jul 2026
Viewed by 366
Abstract
Research on Ganhwa Seon has primarily focused on doubt (疑心), whereas systematic comparative studies on faith (信心)—the first element of the Three Essentials (三要) and the basis from which doubt arises—remain limited. This study conducts a comparative textual analysis of the teachings on [...] Read more.
Research on Ganhwa Seon has primarily focused on doubt (疑心), whereas systematic comparative studies on faith (信心)—the first element of the Three Essentials (三要) and the basis from which doubt arises—remain limited. This study conducts a comparative textual analysis of the teachings on faith of Dahui Zonggao (大慧宗杲), Gaofeng Yuanmiao (高峰原妙), and Mengshan Deyi (蒙山德異), whose teachings have been transmitted together within the exegetical tradition (講學) of Korean Seon Buddhism. Drawing on Classical Chinese primary sources, Middle Korean vernacular translations with annotations (諺解本, eonhaebon), and English-language scholarship, this study compares the terminology and semantic characteristics of faith, its content, the relationship between faith and doubt, and the conditions and methods for establishing faith in the teachings of the three masters. The analysis shows that Dahui established decisive faith (決定信) and presented a paradoxical coexistence in which both faith and doubt are indispensable to enlightenment. Gaofeng, by applying the essence-function theory (體用論), defined faith as the essence (體) of doubt and enlightenment as the function (用) of doubt, thereby formalizing a proportional structure linking faith, doubt, and enlightenment. Mengshan strengthened the practical dimension through right faith (正信心) and demonstrated that faith determines the quality of doubt by distinguishing true doubt (眞疑) from contrived doubt (做作). All three patriarchs (祖師) shared faith in original Buddhahood (本來成佛) as the central element of faith. This study demonstrates that faith constitutes the ontological basis of doubt and plays a central role in the theory of Ganhwa Seon practice. Furthermore, it shows that the discourse on faith from Dahui through Gaofeng to Mengshan can be reconstructed, on the basis of thematic continuity, as an analytical model that traces how faith was formed, systematized, and practically elaborated, thereby complementing existing discussions that have been disproportionately focused on doubt. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)
12 pages, 299 KB  
Article
Before and After Revelation: Qirqisānī on Human Reason as the Source of Moral and Religious Knowledge (With a Note on the Rationalism of Rav Saʿadya Gaʾon): A Chapter in 10th Century Karaite Thought
by Aviram Ravitsky
Religions 2026, 17(7), 844; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070844 - 15 Jul 2026
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Abstract
This article examines the limits of human reason as a source of moral and religious knowledge in the thought of the tenth-century Karaite scholar Yaʿqūb al-Qirqisānī. While Qirqisānī assigns reason a central role in theology, legal analogy, and dialectical deliberation, the article focuses [...] Read more.
This article examines the limits of human reason as a source of moral and religious knowledge in the thought of the tenth-century Karaite scholar Yaʿqūb al-Qirqisānī. While Qirqisānī assigns reason a central role in theology, legal analogy, and dialectical deliberation, the article focuses on a neglected dimension of his thought: the epistemological status of morally neutral actions—those neither intrinsically obligatory nor forbidden. Through close analysis of chapter 51 of the fourth treatise of the Kitāb al-Anwār wa-al-Marāqib, it is shown that Qirqisānī proposes a tripartite framework—necessity, rational morality, and revelation—arguing that the status of neutral actions cannot be determined by reason alone and requires explicit divine legislation. This positivist stance is contrasted with that of Rav Saʿadya Gaʾon, who holds that reason, grounded in the premise of God’s goodness, can establish the permissibility of beneficial actions without explicit revelation. Additional perspectives from Yefet ben ʿEli complicate the assumption that this debate mapped neatly onto the Rabbanite–Karaite divide. The article situates Qirqisānī’s position within contemporary Muslim theological debates on the moral status of human actions before revelation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Jewish Ethics: Foundations, Developments, and Contemporary Challenges)
20 pages, 336 KB  
Article
New Politico-Religious Actors: Social Theologies and a Typology of Evangelical University Youth Networks
by Fábio Py
Religions 2026, 17(7), 843; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070843 - 15 Jul 2026
Viewed by 371
Abstract
This article analyses the social theologies of evangelical university youth networks as new political actors in contemporary Brazil. It draws on Weberian theory of “social types” to describe the different forms of organisation and political engagement among evangelical youth based on their theological [...] Read more.
This article analyses the social theologies of evangelical university youth networks as new political actors in contemporary Brazil. It draws on Weberian theory of “social types” to describe the different forms of organisation and political engagement among evangelical youth based on their theological composition. The article also provides a brief overview of generational theory regarding the recognition of youth. In addition, it highlights, alongside social theologies, a typological approach (Weber) to new forms of political organisation within three evangelical youth networks (ABU, Rede Fale, and REJU), all of which seek to articulate youth within the evangelical environment through social theologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Latin American Theology of Liberation in the 21st Century—2nd Edition)
11 pages, 250 KB  
Article
Paideia Christi as Understood by Francis and Leo XIV
by Marek Jeziorański
Religions 2026, 17(7), 842; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070842 - 14 Jul 2026
Viewed by 305
Abstract
This article offers a point-by-point overview of the concept of Christian education as understood by popes Francis and Leo XIV. It could be argued that the writings of these recent popes return to the early Christian idea of paideia Christi. Pope Leo [...] Read more.
This article offers a point-by-point overview of the concept of Christian education as understood by popes Francis and Leo XIV. It could be argued that the writings of these recent popes return to the early Christian idea of paideia Christi. Pope Leo XIV refers directly to the term ‘paideia’ by using the phrase ‘Christian paideia’. Francis’s educational anthropology, on the other hand, is theologically and pedagogically consistent with the tradition of Christian paideia. Although Francis does not use the term ‘paideia’, his understanding of education is also centred on the human person and their integral development. In this theoretical framework, education is no longer viewed merely as a tool for achieving salvation. However, it serves to enable the human person to grow in their humanity and thereby attain integral maturity, the pinnacle of which is union with God. It is within this theoretical perspective that the significance of education for building peace and social order should also be understood. In this view, peace emerges as the result of a humanistic education; hence, to achieve genuine peace among people, the emphasis must be placed on a genuinely humanistic education. The idea is rooted primarily in the ancient Greek understanding of paideia. It has also been taken up throughout history, for example, by Comenius in Pampaedia, Dewey in Democracy and Education (1916), Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed (1968/1970), and, more recently, by Nussbaum in Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities (2010). Pope Leo XIV also sees this perspective of internal coherence between authentic personal development. From the very beginning of his pontificate, one can observe in his teachings a linking of these two issues. In one of his earliest addresses, Pope Leo XIV emphasised that the concern for peace amongst people does indeed stem from the Christian faith. It could be said that building peace within human society is a Christian imperative, arising from the sharing of the gift which the Church has received from Christ himself: ‘Peace be with you!’. In this context, it is worth noting that the mission of bringing about peace is not merely the result of specific human activity, although this is, of course, important, and Leo indicates how it should be carried out. Nevertheless, what is crucial to the fulfilment of this mission is that the surest guarantee of its success is a personal relationship with Christ, from which flows the transmission of Christ’s gift of peace to the world. The Pope addressed the Italian Bishops’ Conference with the following words: “the relationship with Christ calls on us to develop a pastoral focus on the theme of peace”. Pope Leo thus points out that the path to building authentic peace in the world, which “is not the absence of conflict”, is the path of personal growth in one’s relationship with Christ, who is the source of peace. In this way, the maturing of a person of faith is the surest way of building—though in this context it would be more accurate to say: conveying—peace in the world. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forgiveness, Mercy & Reconciliation: Theological Insights from Pope Francis to Pope Leo XIV)
15 pages, 269 KB  
Review
The Soul of the Torah: The Kabbalistic Conception in Tiferet Israel by the Maharal of Prague
by Eynel Kapach and Leore Sachs-Shmueli
Religions 2026, 17(7), 841; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel17070841 - 14 Jul 2026
Viewed by 336
Abstract
This study addresses the long-standing scholarly debate regarding the relationship between the thought of Rabbi Yehuda Loew ben Bezalel, known as the Maharal of Prague, 1512–1609, and the Kabbalistic tradition. While many scholars categorize the Maharal as a philosopher or suggest a stance [...] Read more.
This study addresses the long-standing scholarly debate regarding the relationship between the thought of Rabbi Yehuda Loew ben Bezalel, known as the Maharal of Prague, 1512–1609, and the Kabbalistic tradition. While many scholars categorize the Maharal as a philosopher or suggest a stance of indifference toward Kabbalah, we argue that his conception of the Torah is fundamentally rooted in a Kabbalistic worldview. Through a meticulous textual analysis of Chapter 13 of Tiferet Israel a programmatic chapter featuring the work’s title and its only explicit Zoharic citation—we compare his teachings with earlier authorities such as R. Moshe Cordovero and R. Isaac Arama. Our analysis demonstrates that the Maharal employs a philosophical idiom to conceal mystical foundations, envisioning the Torah as a living organism with layered dimensions—garment, body, and soul. We contend that his emphasis on devekut (cleaving) through Torah study shifts the focus from intellectual apprehension to a magico-spiritual attachment. These findings situate the Maharal within the concealed Kabbalistic milieu of the sixteenth century and suggest a structural synthesis between homiletic and esoteric traditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Jewish Thought and Philosophy)
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