Religion, Music, and Healthcare
A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Health".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 27 April 2026 | Viewed by 24
Special Issue Editor
Interests: reconstruction of Syro-Palestinian and near Eastern music culture and cataloging musical artifacts; utilization analysis of Syro-Palestinian sacred space; archaeomusicology; ethnomusicology; virtual archaeology
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Health is ubiquitous across cultures, time, and space. It is the foundation of living and existing as a human. Without proper health, life can be extremely difficult. When health is compromised, it affects nearly every aspect of life. If groups of people have to send time, energy, and resources to address prominent health issues, this can disrupt areas such as commerce and finance, familial relationships, and societal development. For example, a rapidly spreading debilitating flu pandemic can shut down businesses, create food shortages, and limit necessary daily services on which many people depend. It can require family members to quarantine from each other for long periods, which can lead to discrepancies, disagreements, and financial hardships.
Because the importance of good health is universal, it is important to examine how past and present cultures have and continue to treat illness and maintain health. With specific focus on religion and music, contributors will explore matters such as what kinds of cultural practices have been or are employed to treat sickness in individuals or groups. They will also examine how cultures have maintained or maintain health in ancient and modern cultures. The research will discuss what roles music and religion play or played in health and healing. Moreover, what role(s) does diet and nutrition play in healing and maintaining health? Are there common herbs, plants, and spiritual/religious practices evidenced in cultures? Specifically, contributors will explore healthcare commonalities between ancient Near Eastern cultures (e.g., Israelite, Assyrian, Babylonian) and modern cultures (e.g., Black, Hispanic, Asian).
We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editor (burght@uncw.edu), or to the Assistant Editor of Religions (zena.zeng@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Theodore W. Burgh
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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.
Keywords
- health
- music
- musical instruments
- sound
- healing
- religion
- spirituality
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