Religion, Ritual, and Healing—2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to propose a second volume of the Special Issue on “Religion, Ritual, and Healing” for the journal Religions. This Special Issue will examine religion and healing as distinct yet interconnected cultural systems, each composed of multiple interrelated components. Religious systems across diverse cultural contexts often share a common underlying structure characterized by several of the following core elements: (1) beliefs in spiritual or transcendent realities, encompassing spirits, deities, or philosophical and ethical principles; (2) rituals aimed at interacting with, influencing, or harmonizing these realities; (3) specialist religious leaders or practitioners who guide community members in understanding and engaging with these realities through rituals; and (4) critical reflection within religious traditions themselves, facilitating dialogues with medical systems.

Similarly, medical systems comprise diagnostic methods, protective practices, therapeutic interventions, medicinal substances, and healthcare specialists. Although religious and medical systems often function independently, their intersections, particularly through ritual practices, offer rich cultural insights. Ritual practices deserve particular attention due to their multifaceted roles, providing not only physical healing but also psychological relief, spiritual nourishment, and community cohesion.

We therefore invite contributions exploring how rituals mediate interactions between religious beliefs and healing practices across different cultural contexts. Detailed ethnographic descriptions, historical analyses documenting systemic evolutions, and comparative studies of religious healing practices are especially welcomed. Additionally, we encourage examinations of religious rituals as holistic healing mechanisms, addressing physical health, psychological states, spiritual conditions, and social integration and solidarity. By adopting a broad and inclusive perspective on religion and healing, we seek to deepen interdisciplinary dialogue and enrich our understanding of these significant cultural systems.

We request that interested authors submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200–300 words summarizing their intended contribution prior to submitting a full manuscript. Please send it to the Guest Editors, Prof. Haiyan Xing (xhydls@shnu.edu.cn; xinghaiyan@126.com); the co-Guest Editor, Prof. Dr. Gerald Murray (murranth42@gmail.com) and cc the Assistant Editor of Religions, Margaret Liu (margaret.liu@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors to ensure it fits properly within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Haiyan Xing
Prof. Dr. Gerald Murray
Guest Editors

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.

• religion
• spirit beliefs
• ritual practices
• specialist religious leaders
• healing       
• cultural systems
• ethnography
• symbols
• transcendent realities
• interdisciplinary dialogue