Transcendence and Happiness: New Perspectives from Religion and Philosophy

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of Religions aims to stimulate and revive scholarly interest in the relationship between transcendence and happiness, specifically from religious and philosophical perspectives. Happiness is often conceptualised (e.g., in analytic philosophy and positive psychology) in three broad ways. Firstly, happiness is understood as psychological happiness, denoting a state of mind; prudential happiness, denoting a type of well-being and a successful or flourishing life; or perfectionist happiness, denoting a life that is good in all respects, including morally good. Within these understandings of happiness, there is mostly no (or little) room for transcendence.

In contrast, happiness is generally transcendentally defined in religious terms by, for example, referring to God or a transcendent being. Aquinas, for example, identifies happiness with God as “at once real and ideal”. This definition means happiness (shalom, makarios) without God is at least lacking, if not nearly impossible, since “maximal happiness” is found with or within God alone. The relationship between happiness and transcendence is, thus, crucial within religious conceptualisations of happiness. However, questions quickly arise in this context about the role that luck (and unluck) plays, the receiving of happiness from a transcendental source versus striving for happiness, whether one should have a stoic acceptance of unhappiness, etc.

The relation between transcendence and happiness is further complicated when happiness is understood in a broader and more multifaceted sense, for example, to include meaning, fulfilment, purpose in life, the possible absence of pain, ethics (eudaimonia), chance (happiness as a by-product), our interrelatedness with nature, and unhappiness (happiness as an impossibility). The relationship between the affirmation of life, and transcendence and happiness, also comes into play with this broader understanding of happiness.

Contributions on these understandings of happiness and transcendence from religious and/or philosophical perspectives are welcome, particularly articles that focus on their application in different cultural contexts.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 400–600 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor (anne.verhoef@nwu.ac.za) or to the Religions Editorial Office (relgions@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editor for the purpose of ensuring the proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo a double-blind peer review.

Prof. Dr. Anné Hendrik Verhoef
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.