Religions

21 pages, 326 KB

Open AccessArticle

Principled Engagement: The Bahá’í Community of Iran’s Approach to Social Change

by Iqan Shahidi

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1149; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091149 - 4 Sep 2025

This article examines the activities of the Bahá’í community in Iran after the Islamic Revolution, challenging the misconception that the community has remained disengaged from societal involvement which arises from a misinterpretation of its principle of non-involvement in partisan politics. Contrary to this [...] Read more.

This article examines the activities of the Bahá’í community in Iran after the Islamic Revolution, challenging the misconception that the community has remained disengaged from societal involvement which arises from a misinterpretation of its principle of non-involvement in partisan politics. Contrary to this belief, the Bahá’í community has been actively engaged in social change through a framework rooted in its principles, which emphasize constructive resilience and non-adversarial strategies. Informed by the Bahá’í teachings, the global Bahá’í experience, and contemporary theories of social change, the community has focused on translating its spiritual principles into practical actions, particularly in community building, social action, and participation in the prevalent discourse of society. These efforts, characterized by a commitment to unity and collaboration, differ from conventional adversarial activism and demonstrate the community’s significant yet often overlooked contribution to Iranian society. Despite severe persecution, the Bahá’í community has maintained a principled engagement with social change, challenging the narrative of disengagement and highlighting its ongoing involvement in the life of the nation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Bahá’í Faith: Doctrinal and Historical Explorations—2nd Edition)

24 pages, 1524 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Study of Spiritual Expression in Totemic Art: Based on a Multidimensional Analysis of Sublime Beauty, Humanistic Beauty and Artistic Beauty

by Zhilong Yan and Zhiheng Su

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1148; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091148 - 4 Sep 2025

Abstract

Totemic art, as the fundamental medium of the spiritual realm of primordial societies, employs its distinctive symbolic system to communicate and articulate humanity’s spiritual understanding and sacred quest for nature, the cosmos, and the essence of existence. This article centers on totemic art, [...] Read more.

Totemic art, as the fundamental medium of the spiritual realm of primordial societies, employs its distinctive symbolic system to communicate and articulate humanity’s spiritual understanding and sacred quest for nature, the cosmos, and the essence of existence. This article centers on totemic art, which, through the three dimensions of sublime beauty, humanistic beauty, and artistic beauty, establishes a spiritual dialogue system between primitive tribes and supernatural forces. The core principle is the aesthetic metamorphosis of the spiritual realm through material carriers. It explores how it functions as a potent medium for articulating both personal and communal spirituality: sublime beauty manifests and materializes the intangible divine force through the “presenting the unpresentable,” thus establishing the spiritual basis of primal reverence; Humanistic beauty, rooted in familial connections, the celebration of life, and community unity, facilitates the awakening and elevation of both individual and collective consciousness, promoting the integration and symbiosis of personal spirituality and communal sanctity; Behind the evolution of styles and the characteristics of anti-aesthetics in the artistic beauty, there remains the fundamental logic of serving spiritual expression. Research indicates that totemic art serves as the fundamental aesthetic practice of primitive societies for comprehending the world, engaging with the divine, and achieving mental tranquility. The three dimensions of its spiritual expression collectively form a spiritual monument of early human civilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arts, Spirituality, and Religion)

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20 pages, 1139 KB

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The Wanderer as Becoming: A Satirical Critique of Indian Philosophy and Religions and a Wanderer’s Religion

by Nishant Upadhyay

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1147; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091147 - 4 Sep 2025

Abstract

Rahul Sankrityayan, a twentieth-century Indian polymath, is known for his contributions to Buddhism, Marxism, and Hindi literature. While his writing has been analyzed for its engagement with Buddhism and Tibet, he is also credited with inaugurating Hindi travel-writing. Though his contributions to this [...] Read more.

Rahul Sankrityayan, a twentieth-century Indian polymath, is known for his contributions to Buddhism, Marxism, and Hindi literature. While his writing has been analyzed for its engagement with Buddhism and Tibet, he is also credited with inaugurating Hindi travel-writing. Though his contributions to this genre are well-recognized, one crucial work—ghummakaṛa śāstra (1945; lit. The Treatise of a Wanderer)—has received insufficient scholarly attention. This article investigates the intersection of religion, travel-writing, and satire in two chapters of Sankrityayan’s treatise: athāto ghummakaṛa jijñāsā (lit. Thus, the Curiosity of a Wanderer) and dharma aur ghummakaṛī (lit. Religion and Wandering). It argues that Sankrityayan employs the figure of the Wanderer to critique religions, religious ideals, and religious figures in two key ways. First, by framing his work as a śāstra (treatise) in the classical sense, he appropriates authoritative discourse to contest religious ideas. Second, the Wanderer functions as a transcendental subject who pervades history. Blending satire with polemic, the text subverts traditional religious hermeneutics. Through close analysis, this paper demonstrates how Sankrityayan’s unconventional form—a dialogic interplay between treatise and satire—invites readers to interrogate religious authority, offering a model for engaging with religion beyond doctrinal frameworks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Humanities/Philosophies)

17 pages, 266 KB

Open AccessArticle

Telling the Redemptive Story of Chinese Female Leprosy Victims in the Late Qing and Early Republican for Western Readers: The Missionaries’ Narrative in Without the Camp

by Donghua Zhou and Yan Xu

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1146; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091146 - 4 Sep 2025

Abstract

Leprosy relief efforts were a key part of the Christian mission of salvation in China. During the Anglo-American Protestant overseas missionary movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many missionaries recorded stories about relief work of Chinese female lepers in Without [...] Read more.

Leprosy relief efforts were a key part of the Christian mission of salvation in China. During the Anglo-American Protestant overseas missionary movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many missionaries recorded stories about relief work of Chinese female lepers in Without the Camp: The Journal of The Mission to Lepers in India and the East. First, the missionaries portrayed Chinese female lepers as marginalized figures, symbols of moral suffering and victims in need of salvation, reinforcing their religious mission and humanitarian spirit. Second, through the relief and conversion stories, the missionaries appealed to Anglo-American Christianity to participate in the overseas missionary movement and to fund the leprosy relief cause in China. Finally, the missionaries’ stories of converted Chinese women leprosy victims served as discourses for the spread of the gospel and civilization in China. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chinese Christianity and Knowledge Development)

11 pages, 837 KB

Open AccessArticle

Conversion Practices Among Ethiopian Jews and Their Transformation in Recent Generations

by Shay Yasu and Yoel Marciano

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1145; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091145 - 4 Sep 2025

Abstract

Among Ethiopian Jews, as among all other Jewish communities throughout history, the process of conversion to Judaism, and attitudes toward converts, were shaped by the circumstances of time and place. This article investigates conversion as practiced in the Beta Israel community. It examines [...] Read more.

Among Ethiopian Jews, as among all other Jewish communities throughout history, the process of conversion to Judaism, and attitudes toward converts, were shaped by the circumstances of time and place. This article investigates conversion as practiced in the Beta Israel community. It examines the motivations for conversion and the process itself. Naturally, conversion was not uniform across all Ethiopian Jewish communities, but common fundamental features reflected a core understanding of conversion, expressed in a process that was quicker than the standard conversion practice in Israel. The testimonies presented in the article describe in detail both the process and the background to the unique traditional Ethiopian Jewish approach to conversion. This article shows that in some communities, different and more rigorous conversion ceremonies were held. A central claim of the article is that in recent generations, significant changes have occurred in the conversion process in several communities as a result of the interaction between Ethiopian Jewish communities and the State of Israel and its Orthodox rabbinic establishment. This interaction, which at times included pressures for members of the community themselves to undergo a form of conversion, introduced into some communities the terminology and processes of Orthodox conversion. Full article

21 pages, 319 KB

Open AccessArticle

Asymmetries, Lights, and Shadows of the Legal Situation of Religious Minorities in Spain

by Alejandro Torres Gutiérrez

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1144; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091144 - 3 Sep 2025

Abstract

The Spanish Constitution of 1978 recognizes the fundamental right of freedom of conscience and religion, the principle of equality and non-discrimination on religious grounds, and the principle of secularism and neutrality of the state. However, the legislative development of these principles is strongly [...] Read more.

The Spanish Constitution of 1978 recognizes the fundamental right of freedom of conscience and religion, the principle of equality and non-discrimination on religious grounds, and the principle of secularism and neutrality of the state. However, the legislative development of these principles is strongly stratified, and different levels of rights can be distinguished, depending on whether we are speaking about confessions with an agreement (Catholic Church, evangelicals, Jews, and Muslims), those with a mere declaration of well-known roots (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Buddhists, Orthodox, and Bahá’ís), and the rest of the confessions merely registered in the Register of Religious Entities (Hinduism, Taoism, Sikhism, Church of Scientology, etc.). Only the Catholic Church has access to the income tax allocation, and only denominations with an agreement enjoy the main tax benefits, or religious teaching in schools. The declaration of notorious rootedness has very limited effects at present (recognition of marriage and the mere expectation of signing a cooperation agreement with the state, provided there is political will to do so). It is, therefore, necessary to opt for a model of common law, which is more neutral and applies equally to all religious groups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Approaches to Religious Pluralism: Integrating Law, Policies and Practice)

16 pages, 1023 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Declining Sense of Belonging to the Church and Vocation Among Young Catholic Women in Lebanon: A Qualitative Study

by Rudy S. Younes, Mirna Abboud Mzawak and Nadine Zalaket

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1143; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091143 - 3 Sep 2025

Abstract

Despite their presence in the Church, women are often underrepresented in leadership roles. In particular, young people, especially young women, are becoming increasingly distant from the Church. They are less engaged, and fewer young women are opting for a life of consecration. However, [...] Read more.

Despite their presence in the Church, women are often underrepresented in leadership roles. In particular, young people, especially young women, are becoming increasingly distant from the Church. They are less engaged, and fewer young women are opting for a life of consecration. However, according to Christian teachings, the involvement of all members is vital to the Christian community. This qualitative study relies on semi-structured interviews (N = 20) and explores the engagement of young Catholic women in Lebanon, focusing on two key concepts: vocation and sense of belonging to the Church. It examines how perceptions of vocation are associated with belonging to the Church. Findings indicate that social and ideological shifts, namely the rise in individualism and women’s empowerment and the decline of religious education in families, among others, have contributed to a decline in young women’s sense of vocation and belonging to the Church. The research also proposes a framework explaining the complex relationship between social change and the decline of vocation and belonging among women. The findings have implications for the Church and society, notably the need to bridge the existing gap between society and the Church and provide decision-making opportunities for women in the Church. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Health/Psychology/Social Sciences)

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20 pages, 482 KB

Open AccessArticle

Two Theories of Retribution in the Sanyuan pinjie jing

by Jinli Yang and Pengzhi Lü

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1142; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091142 - 1 Sep 2025

Abstract

The Daoist scripture Taishang dongxuan lingbao sanyuan pinjie gongde qingzhong jing 太上洞玄靈寶三元品戒功德輕重經 (DZ 456) is a part of the ancient Lingbao scripture Taishang dongxuan lingbao sanyuan pinjie jing 太上洞玄靈寶三元品戒經. This scripture concludes with a discussion on “karmic causality, merit, and retribution” (yuandui [...] Read more.

The Daoist scripture Taishang dongxuan lingbao sanyuan pinjie gongde qingzhong jing 太上洞玄靈寶三元品戒功德輕重經 (DZ 456) is a part of the ancient Lingbao scripture Taishang dongxuan lingbao sanyuan pinjie jing 太上洞玄靈寶三元品戒經. This scripture concludes with a discussion on “karmic causality, merit, and retribution” (yuandui gongde baoying 緣對功德報應), addressing two prevalent theories of retribution during the Eastern Jin東晉 (317–420) period: the traditional Chinese concept of familial “inherited burden” (chengfu 承負) and the Buddhist theory of karmic retribution (yebao 業報). This scripture is the first attempt to integrate Daoist concepts such as “true body” (zhenshen 真身) and “true parents” (zhen fumu 真父母) with Buddhist doctrines such as kalpic cycles and merit transfer (huixiang 迴向), reconciling the contradictions between the two. While incorporating the Buddhist theory of karmic retribution, the Sanyuan pinjie jing also establishes a comprehensive system of surveillance by the Three Officials (sanguan 三官) to ensure the implementation of karmic retribution. In short, the discussion of retribution in this scripture reflects the fact that the ancient Lingbao scriptures both absorbed and reformed the then prevailing Buddhist thought and practices. In essence, the ancient Lingbao scriptures can be defined as “Buddho-Daoist” texts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Diversity and Harmony of Taoism: Ideas, Behaviors and Influences)

18 pages, 518 KB

Open AccessArticle

Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī on the Existence and Nature of the Jinn

by Shoaib Ahmed Malik

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1141; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091141 - 31 Aug 2025

Abstract

This article reconstructs Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī’s (d. 1210) systematic treatment of the jinn in his Great Exegesis (al-Tafsīr al-Kabīr) and his summa The Sublime Objectives in Metaphysics (al-Maṭālib al-ʿĀliya min al-ʿIlm al-Ilāhī). In these works, al-Rāzī treats the jinn [...] Read more.

This article reconstructs Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī’s (d. 1210) systematic treatment of the jinn in his Great Exegesis (al-Tafsīr al-Kabīr) and his summa The Sublime Objectives in Metaphysics (al-Maṭālib al-ʿĀliya min al-ʿIlm al-Ilāhī). In these works, al-Rāzī treats the jinn not as a marginal curiosity but as a test case for probing core metaphysical categories such as substance, embodiment, and divine action. His analysis unfolds through a sequence of guiding questions. Do the jinn exist at all? If not, we arrive at (1) the Denialist View. If they do exist, they must be either immaterial or material. The first yields (2) the Immaterialist View. The second raises the further question of whether bodies differ in essence or share a single essence. If they differ, we arrive at (3) the Non-Essentialist Corporealist View. Notably, these first three views are associated, in different ways, with various figures in the falsafa tradition. If they share a single essence, this produces the Essentialist Corporealist position, which then divides according to whether bodily structure is metaphysically necessary for life and agency. If not necessary, this produces (4) the Essentialist Corporealist—Structural Independence View, associated with the Ashʿarīs. If necessary, it leads to (5) the Essentialist Corporealist—Structural Dependence View, associated with the Muʿtazilīs. Al-Rāzī rejects (1) and (5), but he leaves (2), (3), and (4) as live possibilities. While he shows greater sympathy for (4), his broader purpose is not to settle the matter but to map the full range of theological and philosophical options. Al-Rāzī’s comprehensive exposition reflects the wider dialectic between falsafa, Ashʿarī theology, and Muʿtazilī theology, showcasing a sophisticated willingness to engage and entertain multiple metaphysical possibilities side by side. The result is an exercise in systematic metaphysics, where the question of the jinn, as liminal beings, becomes a means for interrogating broader ontological commitments in Islamic theology and philosophy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Between Philosophy and Theology: Liminal and Contested Issues)

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13 pages, 258 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Tale of Two Intentions: Rabbinic Prayer and Modern Subjectivity

by Aviad Markovitz

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1140; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091140 - 31 Aug 2025

Abstract

When was the modern ‘self’ born? This question lies at the heart of major debates by contemporary historians and philosophers. What does rabbinic thought have to do with such questions? This essay examines a pivotal debate in modern rabbinic thought concerning the nature [...] Read more.

When was the modern ‘self’ born? This question lies at the heart of major debates by contemporary historians and philosophers. What does rabbinic thought have to do with such questions? This essay examines a pivotal debate in modern rabbinic thought concerning the nature of intentionality in prayer. The analysis centers on R. Chaim Soloveichik of Brisk’s (1853–1918) revolutionary distinction between two forms of intention in prayer. R. Chaim argued that the conscious experience of divine presence is conditional to define prayer. By tracing the precedents and critics of this idea, this essay is an exercise in the unwritten history of rabbinic subjectivity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rabbinic Thought between Philosophy and Literature)

18 pages, 394 KB

Open AccessArticle

Practice, Profit, and Public Good: Temple Economies and Social Enterprises in Korean Buddhism

by Junghyun Kwon

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1139; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091139 - 31 Aug 2025

Abstract

In contemporary Korea, particularly within the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, temple revenue relies on two primary sources: donations and production activities. With declining religious participation, donations alone are no longer sufficient for temple sustainability. In response, many temples have diversified into non-religious [...] Read more.

In contemporary Korea, particularly within the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, temple revenue relies on two primary sources: donations and production activities. With declining religious participation, donations alone are no longer sufficient for temple sustainability. In response, many temples have diversified into non-religious economic ventures—an approach that, while controversial, has historical precedent. Pre-modern Korean temples actively contributed to local economies and public welfare through various productive roles. A notable recent development is the rise of Buddhist social enterprises, which aim to reconcile financial sustainability with core Buddhist values. This paper examines two interrelated dimensions: first, the historical role of Korean Buddhist temples as economic actors and social welfare providers; second, the emergence of Buddhist social enterprises as a modern model for sustainable temple economies. The paper highlights their potential to balance spiritual integrity with economic viability while acknowledging the challenges they face in achieving broader institutional and public support. Full article

24 pages, 500 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Code of Canon Law and the Self-Consecration of Catholic Bishops in China in 1958

by Paolo De Giovanni

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1138; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091138 - 31 Aug 2025

Abstract

The 1958 autonomous episcopal elections and consecrations in China represent a significant episode in the history of the Chinese Catholic Church. One of the central issues at stake was the violation of canonical norms regarding episcopal consecrations; therefore, the Code of Canon Law [...] Read more.

The 1958 autonomous episcopal elections and consecrations in China represent a significant episode in the history of the Chinese Catholic Church. One of the central issues at stake was the violation of canonical norms regarding episcopal consecrations; therefore, the Code of Canon Law became a subject of internal debate within the Chinese Catholic Church. This study examines how Chinese Catholic discourse on Canon Law evolved between November 1957 and December 1958, during the early implementation of the policy of self-election (自选) and self-consecration (自圣) of bishops promoted by the Chinese Government. Drawing on Chinese-language sources—most notably articles from Guangyang 广扬, the journal of the Catholic Patriotic Association of Tianjin, and the proceedings of local assemblies held in some dioceses such as Rehe—this study documents how prevailing attitudes toward the Code of Canon Law shifted over the course of these months, from a moderately conciliatory stance to a more radical one. Already dominant in study sessions and political-ideological campaigns of mid-1958, these radical positions appear to have become preponderant toward the end of the year, especially in the wake of Pope Pius XII’s 1958 encyclical Ad Apostolorum Principis, which condemned the autonomous election and consecration of bishops without papal mandate. Full article

14 pages, 336 KB

Open AccessArticle

United Under the Dao: Facets of Integration Between Wang Yangming and Daoism

by Yongtao Yang and Zhenren Ouyang

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1137; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091137 - 31 Aug 2025

Abstract

This article examines the interactions between Wang Yangming’s School of Mind and Daoist traditions, focusing on specific instances of contact, adaptation, and reinterpretation. Drawing on both historically attested events and later hagiographical narratives—treated here as cultural representations rather than literal biographies—the study traces [...] Read more.

This article examines the interactions between Wang Yangming’s School of Mind and Daoist traditions, focusing on specific instances of contact, adaptation, and reinterpretation. Drawing on both historically attested events and later hagiographical narratives—treated here as cultural representations rather than literal biographies—the study traces how Wang encountered Daoist religious sites, imagery, and technical vocabulary over the course of his life. Particular attention is given to parallels between Wang’s use of concepts such as liangzhi (innate moral knowledge) and Daoist terms from inner alchemy, as well as his adaptation of practices like stillness-sitting (jingzuo) and the metaphor of “forming the sacred embryo” (jie shengtai). The analysis shows that these elements were selectively reframed within his own intellectual framework, often shifting their emphasis from physical cultivation or longevity to moral and practical self-cultivation. Such a reorientation may have something to do with the Jingming Sect 淨明道. By situating Wang’s reinterpretations within the broader religious and philosophical environment of early sixteenth-century China, the article contributes to a more nuanced understanding of cross-tradition engagement and the circulation of ideas between Confucianism and Daoism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Diversity and Harmony of Taoism: Ideas, Behaviors and Influences)

13 pages, 359 KB

Open AccessArticle

What Is Sensory Consciousness in the Early Yogācāra? A Hermeneutical Analysis of the Pañcavijñānakāyasamprayuktā Bhūmi

by HyunHee Yang

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1136; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091136 - 31 Aug 2025

Abstract

The Pañcavijñānakāyasamprayuktā Bhūmi (PBh), the opening chapter of the Basic Section (*Maulī Bhūmi) of the Yogācārabhūmi, presents a distinctive fivefold schema for analyzing the structure of “the group of five [sensory] consciousnesses” (pañcavijñānakāya). This schema comprises the following [...] Read more.

The Pañcavijñānakāyasamprayuktā Bhūmi (PBh), the opening chapter of the Basic Section (*Maulī Bhūmi) of the Yogācārabhūmi, presents a distinctive fivefold schema for analyzing the structure of “the group of five [sensory] consciousnesses” (pañcavijñānakāya). This schema comprises the following five categories: (1) nature (svabhāva), (2) basis (āśraya), (3) cognitive object (ālambana), (4) co-operating factors (sahāyas), and (5) activity (karma). Each category articulates a specific aspect of the five types of sensory consciousness: their intrinsic characteristics, conditions of arising, intentional objects, associated mental factors, and cognitive functions. Within the PBh, visual consciousness (cakṣurvijñāna), corresponding to the act of seeing, is presented as a representative instance of this group. Accordingly, this paper offers a detailed examination of visual consciousness as structured by the fivefold schema, with the aim of clarifying its cognitive content within the context of early Yogācāra thought. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Old Texts, New Insights: Exploring Buddhist Manuscripts)

22 pages, 307 KB

Open AccessArticle

Still Chosen: Latter-day Saint Theology of the Jews in the Post-Holocaust Era

by Justin R. Bates

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1135; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091135 - 30 Aug 2025

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members have responded to anti-Jewish theological tropes, especially in the post-Holocaust era. The thesis of this research is that, while the Church of Jesus [...] Read more.

The purpose of this research is to examine how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its members have responded to anti-Jewish theological tropes, especially in the post-Holocaust era. The thesis of this research is that, while the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has not formally canonized any twentieth-century statements on antisemitism, its sacred texts—including the Book of Mormon—along with prophetic teachings and institutional actions before, during, and after World War II, reflect a consistent and distinctive theological perspective on the Jewish people as God’s covenant people with a positive eschatological role in his plan. Unique among its Christian cousins in that era, the Latter-day Saint perspective includes a general rejection of anti-Jewish tropes and—while imperfect—a general pattern of respectful engagement with Jews at both institutional and individual levels. This research is significant in an era of rising antisemitism as it promotes understanding of a religion that has historically maintained, though not perfectly, a more philosemitic approach both institutionally and individually. A deeper understanding of ideas and attitudes that discourage anti-Jewish tropes and combat antisemitism is desperately needed in the modern world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-Holocaust Theologies of Jews and Judaism)

20 pages, 627 KB

Open AccessArticle

Silent Bells and Howling Muslims: Auditory History and Christian–Muslim Relations in Felix Fabri’s Evagatorium

by Julia Samp

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1134; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091134 - 30 Aug 2025

Abstract

Contacts and conflicts between Christians and Muslims in the Mediterranean region in the context of late medieval pilgrimage to Jerusalem and their depiction in the pilgrimage reports have already been extensively analysed from the perspective of medieval studies. Although it is a fact [...] Read more.

Contacts and conflicts between Christians and Muslims in the Mediterranean region in the context of late medieval pilgrimage to Jerusalem and their depiction in the pilgrimage reports have already been extensively analysed from the perspective of medieval studies. Although it is a fact that the relation with “the other” is based on sensory perception, little attention has been paid to the senses, especially to the significance of the auditory dimension of the reception of Christian–Muslim relations during the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and of their depiction in the pilgrimage reports. Using the example of probably the best-known pilgrimage report of the late Middel Ages, the Evagatorium by Felix Fabri (1437/8–1502), the essay shows—firstly—that the monk from Ulm added a veritable “soundtrack” to his work. Secondly, the essay emphasises the methodological challenges of such an approach, because every form of pre-modern sound has faded or rather the pre-modern sound has—apart from sound artefacts—only survived in media that are actually silent. Nevertheless, the essay points out the potential of an auditory reading of Christian–Muslim relations in the Mediterranean region that allows conclusions to be drawn about the establishment, development, and the disruption of relations between Christians and Muslims. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue University of Konstanz, International Conference (25 October, 31 October, 8 November 2024): Emerging Historical Perspectives on Christian-Muslim Interactions in and Around the Mediterranean (c. 630–1614))

14 pages, 335 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Textual Composition of the “Practices of Secret Mantra Approach” in Jñānakīrti’s Tattvāvātara

by Chenye Lu

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1133; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091133 - 30 Aug 2025

Abstract

Jñānakīrti (Tib. Ye shes grags pa), an eminent monk of the late Indian Buddhist period, composed the Tattvāvātara (De kho na nyid la ’jug pa, Realizing Reality), of which only a Tibetan translation exists in the Tibetan Tripiṭaka-Tanjur. The [...] Read more.

Jñānakīrti (Tib. Ye shes grags pa), an eminent monk of the late Indian Buddhist period, composed the Tattvāvātara (De kho na nyid la ’jug pa, Realizing Reality), of which only a Tibetan translation exists in the Tibetan Tripiṭaka-Tanjur. The treatise is considered an exposition of the Mahāmudrā teachings, with the chapter entitled “Practices of the Secret Mantra Approach” (gSang sngags kyi sgo’i spyod pa) forms a large part. However, this part has been less frequently discussed. This chapter guides the practice of Mahāmudrā non-dual yoga, which is intended for practitioners with superior faculties. The core content of this chapter can be subsumed under the following two aspects: Mahāmudrā teachings involve practicing insight (prajñā), which represents the theory of meditation, i.e., the idea of emptiness (śūnyatā); it also involves practicing skillful means (upāya), which includes the methods of cultivation, such as tantric rituals such as Vajradhātu maṇḍala visualization. From the perspective of compositional length, the first half of the text contains numerous quotations of verses, with several being from Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, while the second half mainly draws references from the Tattvasaṃgrahatantra and the Guhyasamājatantra. More attention should be paid to the juxtaposition of the Mahāmudrā teachings with the Tattvasaṃgrahatantra and the Guhyasamājatantra, which reflect the early form of the Mahāmudrā teachings as they were introduced into Tibetan Buddhism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Microcosm Holds Mountains and Seas: The Sinicization of Buddhism in ‘Multi-Layered Contextualization’ from Local to Global History)

16 pages, 238 KB

Open AccessArticle

Ecology and Religion in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart

by Emmanuel Omokugbo Ojeifo

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1132; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091132 - 30 Aug 2025

Abstract

Although African and Western literary scholars have explored diverse themes and issues in Chinua Achebe’s classic novel Things Fall Apart, there has been a marginal attention to the theme of ecology in scholarly engagements with the literary text. This neglect is reproduced [...] Read more.

Although African and Western literary scholars have explored diverse themes and issues in Chinua Achebe’s classic novel Things Fall Apart, there has been a marginal attention to the theme of ecology in scholarly engagements with the literary text. This neglect is reproduced in the works of African Christian theologians and scholars who have mainly studied and analyzed the novel through themes such as God, religion, morality, and violence. On account of the ecological silence in African theological engagement with Things Fall Apart, this article explores the rich ecological motifs in the novel in conversation with African Christian theology and religious thought. It argues that a rediscovery of the ecologically grounded and sustainable ways of living of our ancestors, as portrayed in the novel, can provide African and non-African ecological thinkers and practitioners with spiritual and ethical resources for addressing the ecological crisis facing Africa and our world. At the heart of this engagement are the new possibilities that Things Fall Apart offers for thinking theologically about ecological harmony and sustainability in the age of the Anthropocene. The article is an instance of ongoing calls for African theologians to take works of African literature seriously in theological discourse. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Theologies)

24 pages, 357 KB

Open AccessArticle

Vera Figura Sancti: The Hagiographical Readings in the Roman Breviary

by Theresa Rice

Religions 2025, 16(9), 1131; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16091131 - 30 Aug 2025

Abstract

This article investigates the role of hagiography as a mediating genre between Scripture and liturgy. Hagiographical readings for saints (legenda) have been featured in the office of Matins in Rome from at least the eighth century. By the early modern period, [...] Read more.

This article investigates the role of hagiography as a mediating genre between Scripture and liturgy. Hagiographical readings for saints (legenda) have been featured in the office of Matins in Rome from at least the eighth century. By the early modern period, these texts came under scrutiny for a lack of historical credibility, a concern echoed in the reform of the breviary after the Second Vatican Council which pruned the office of much legendary material. Yet recent scholarship on hagiography suggests that the dominant postconciliar concern—historicity—failed to fully understand the genre. Legenda were not bad history, but forms of narrative exegesis, a means to “display to the faithful fitting examples for their imitation” (SC 111). The liturgical function of the hagiographical readings emerges clearly in four case studies comparing Matins of the Breviarum Romanum 1568 to the Liturgia Horarum of 1971 for Agatha, Cecilia, Agnes, and Lucy. These feasts demonstrate both the motivation and the result of the directive to reform the readings of the saints to accord with the “facts of history” (SC 92c). This study demonstrates the need for further work on these understudied hagiographical readings, which use the liturgical and Scriptural context to propose saints as living extensions of the Gospel, rendered concrete and attractive through narrative. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bible and Liturgy in Dialogue)

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