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Religion and Change
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Religion and Change

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2022) | Viewed by 24224

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Benedikt Paul Göcke

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 44801 Bochum, Germany
Interests: science and religion; science-engaged analytic theology; philosophy of science; metaphysics; epistemology
Dr. Brandon K. Watson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Evangelisch-Theologische Fakultät, University of Münster, 48143 Münster, Germany
Interests: systematic and historical theology; 20th century history and development of philosophy; doctrine of God and Christology; phenomenology; modern philosophy of religion
Michael Borowski

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate School of Religion and Theology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Interests: scripture and theology; theology and philosophy of science; development of doctrine and theological method; philosophical theology and New Testament; ethics of policing; ethics of public administration; secularism and culture; anthropology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is not surprising to find people seeking religious answers to difficult questions in a world of multifarious change in an increasingly globalized society. Religion seeks to grapple with the ‘big questions’ as a way to provide hope, comfort, and stability amidst rapid change and ever-shifting realities facing humanity. The notion of change as addressed from a plurality of religious backgrounds provides a significant and exciting area of research and innovation. While many things remain constant, the constant change or disruption of established norms and systems continues to bring new challenges and opportunities, whereby religion can adapt and address the consistencies and movements in contemporary society. To further these conversations and provide scholarly exchange around these issues, this Special Issue will publish contributions from the 2021 annual meeting of the European Academy of Religion, which was dedicated to the overall subject of religion and change.

We are pleased to invite this year’s members of the EuARe to contribute to this Special Issue addressing the relationship between religion and change. While religious traditions seem to imply some form of cementation of ideas, customs, and rituals, they also adapt and form over time to meet the various challenges people face. Not only are traditions seemingly consistent, the spiritual and holy texts grounding these traditions have stood the test of time, further substantiating renewed interest in the reciprocal relationship between tradition, change, and religious meaning. The scope of this SI falls within these broad categories in the hopes of addressing the mutually informed relationship of religion and change. Such a scope is multifaceted in that it provides room for a plethora of perspectives from varying religious traditions, with a special focus on how religions address change, how the inevitability of change shapes religions, and how religious traditions spark transformation. This Special Issue aims to bring to light the diverse aspects at play in the evolving role religion plays amidst change, transformation, and development.

In this Special Issue, original research essays are welcome. Research areas may include but are not limited to the following four broad categories derived from the EuARe general theme from 2021:

  • Change and transformation of religion;
  • Evolution and religion;
  • Hermeneutics and religious traditions;
  • Dynamics of change.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Benedikt Paul Göcke
Dr. Brandon K. Watson
Michael Borowski
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.

Keywords

  • religion
  • change
  • diversity
  • tradition
  • transcendence
  • symbols
  • rituals
  • texts
  • dynamics
  • development

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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12 pages, 267 KiB  
Article
Doctrine and Change in Western Dogmatics: The Examples of Michael Seewald and Kevin J. Vanhoozer
by Michael Borowski
Religions 2023, 14(4), 524; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14040524 - 11 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1587 | Correction
Abstract
This paper argues that there is some ambiguity in Western conservative dogmatics on how much change and development is conceptually possible. It hence explores the potential for change within trends of Christianity related to conservative doctrine, arguing that the authority of doctrine is [...] Read more.
This paper argues that there is some ambiguity in Western conservative dogmatics on how much change and development is conceptually possible. It hence explores the potential for change within trends of Christianity related to conservative doctrine, arguing that the authority of doctrine is not as static as often perceived. To make this case, this paper (1) argues that both dogma and doctrine refer to somewhat binding beliefs, hence representing forces that ensure continuity in Western conservative dogmatics—forces that can be assessed only with regards to the faith traditions they stem from. By way of example, this paper (2) summarizes some perspectives on those concepts, as well as the potential for change, in the recent works of two Western theologians (i.e., the work of the German Roman Catholic theologian Michael Seewald and the US-American Evangelical theologian Kevin J. Vanhoozer). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
12 pages, 222 KiB  
Article
Love as Consolidation of the Self-in-the-World: Martin d’Arcy’s Speculation on Love as a Metaphysical Supplement to Phenomenology
by Smilen Markov
Religions 2023, 14(4), 454; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14040454 - 28 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1490
Abstract
In his seminal work The Mind and the Heart of Love. A Study in Eros and Agape, Martin d’Arcy shows that self-sacrificial love (agape) and desire (eros) express the mystery of selfhood. Using the method of phenomenology, he demonstrates that eros [...] Read more.
In his seminal work The Mind and the Heart of Love. A Study in Eros and Agape, Martin d’Arcy shows that self-sacrificial love (agape) and desire (eros) express the mystery of selfhood. Using the method of phenomenology, he demonstrates that eros and agape encompass a range of affectations, emotions and existential modes. All these make sense when seen as stages in the process of self-giving. Thus, eros and agape do not pertain to two opposing aspects of the soul. Rather, they are modes of manifestation of the entire person. In answering to the agapeic love of God, human agapeic love comes to a state which reason cannot grasp. At this point the erotic impulse steps in in order for the human soul to take the path of unknowing. Through this interplay the true hierarchy of being is perceived and the human person enters into loving exchange with the world. This happens within a three-tier process of loving knowledge whose structure is similar to the model of self-knowledge developed in the early Byzantine theological compendium Corpus dionysiacum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
12 pages, 276 KiB  
Article
Struggling to Maintain the Gender System and to Gain Domination: Martin Luther’s Correspondence Regarding “The Hornung Case” 1528–1530
by Sini Mikkola
Religions 2023, 14(3), 358; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14030358 - 9 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1399
Abstract
In this article, a case study is utilized to determine how personal relations and individual life events were used as tools in religious politics in the sixteenth century. The correspondence of sixteenth-century reformer Martin Luther is examined between 1528–1530 regarding Wolf and Katharina [...] Read more.
In this article, a case study is utilized to determine how personal relations and individual life events were used as tools in religious politics in the sixteenth century. The correspondence of sixteenth-century reformer Martin Luther is examined between 1528–1530 regarding Wolf and Katharina Hornung’s marriage and the role of Luther’s opponent, Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg (1484–1535), in their case. By investigating Luther’s representation of this marital strife, the relationship between personal and political is examined to determine if and how he used the case as means of religious–political influencing. The main method used is careful close reading. At the explicit level, Luther’s aim in the case was to restore the Hornung marriage by bringing Wolf and Katharina back together. His letters suggest there was competition for Katharina between Wolf and Joachim, which actually, in his rhetoric, turned out to be a competition of two men representing different religious views: an evangelical one and a Catholic one. I will argue that in Luther’s efforts to maintain the marriage and the prevailing gender system, the underlying goal was to gain power over an opposing religious–political figure and to prove one’s own supremacy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
72 pages, 732 KiB  
Article
Calling the Question: The Role of Ministries of Presence and Polity Principles in the Struggle for LGBTQIA+ Inclusion, Ordination, and Marriage in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and Its Predecessor Denominations
by David Brandon Smith
Religions 2022, 13(11), 1119; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13111119 - 18 Nov 2022
Viewed by 3247
Abstract
This article reflects upon how LGBTQIA+ Christians and their allies within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and its predecessor denominations ‘called the question’ on their right to and responsibility for membership, ordination, and marriage by simultaneously (1) practicing apologetic ‘ministries of presence’ and (2) [...] Read more.
This article reflects upon how LGBTQIA+ Christians and their allies within the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and its predecessor denominations ‘called the question’ on their right to and responsibility for membership, ordination, and marriage by simultaneously (1) practicing apologetic ‘ministries of presence’ and (2) grounding their ecclesio-juridical arguments in the church’s long-standing polity principles. It is commonly argued that advocates for full inclusion pushed the church to change historic norms, while ‘conservative’ voices called for the maintenance of time-honored principles. In an effort to problematize such reductionistic accounts, this article begins by sketching the historical trajectory of U.S. Presbyterian theology and polity, with special emphasis on the Adopting Act of 1729 and the tradition that proceeds from it. Building upon its survey of the debates that shaped the church’s history between the early eighteenth and mid-twentieth centuries, the text then shows how LGBTQIA+ Presbyterians and their allies acted within the traditional discursive patterns of their faith community when they advocated for the repeal of the exclusive policies that arose in the second half of the twentieth century. Inspired by the work of advocates and allies alike, when the PC(USA) and its predecessor denominations articulated an inclusive stance toward openly LGBTQIA+ members in 1978/1979, removed barriers to their ordination in 2011, permitted same-sex marriages within Presbyterian communities in 2015, and opened the church to receiving new theological insights from queer people via the adapted version of the ‘Apology Overture’ in 2016, the church’s collective discernment drew on historic Presbyterian principles of theology and governance to respond (often imperfectly) to contemporary challenges. The church’s multi-generational self-critique thus created a space in which queer Christians could ‘re-de-normalize’ their experiences of life and faith in ways that may open doors for post-apologetic reconstructive theological engagement in the years to come. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
9 pages, 242 KiB  
Article
Transforming Loneliness: An Orthodox Christian Answer to an Increasing Loneliness in Disabled Populations
by Emil M. Marginean
Religions 2022, 13(9), 863; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13090863 - 15 Sep 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2059
Abstract
Social isolation and inactivity have a profound effect on one’s quality of life. In recent times, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the social life of many. When it comes to disabled populations, emotional well-being is greatly affected by an increasing trend of social [...] Read more.
Social isolation and inactivity have a profound effect on one’s quality of life. In recent times, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the social life of many. When it comes to disabled populations, emotional well-being is greatly affected by an increasing trend of social isolation. Research shows that people with disabilities perceive loneliness as unbelonging in childhood and disaffiliation to normative institutions in adulthood. Certainly, the efforts of building community bring richness and quality to life, but there are other solutions to addressing loneliness and solitude. Therefore, finding the true meaning of life is what can bring a positive vision of one’s world. In the Eastern Orthodox Christian ascetical theology, loneliness was transformed into a positive voluntary solitude and has been a central point of daily life, manifested from the ancient Christian sites to modern-day monastic and eremitic life. The present paper proposes a two-folded solution for reframing loneliness into empowerment. It starts with an insight into Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning and continues with finding a positive value of loneliness. The study examines different perspectives on loneliness and solitude which can improve the spiritual and emotional well-being of people with disabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
17 pages, 344 KiB  
Article
Exploring Health and Premature Mortality of Wheelchair Users from a Medical and a Greek-Orthodox Perspective
by Konstantinos Papanikolaou, Andreas Andreopoulos, Apostolos Chatzitolios, Athanasios Gianasmidis and Colin Goble
Religions 2022, 13(7), 636; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13070636 - 8 Jul 2022
Viewed by 1826
Abstract
Wheelchair users have a lower life expectancy compared to the general population. This project aims to provide a deeper understanding of the interaction between physical, psychological, social, and spiritual factors that affect the mortality and health of this target group. The methods used [...] Read more.
Wheelchair users have a lower life expectancy compared to the general population. This project aims to provide a deeper understanding of the interaction between physical, psychological, social, and spiritual factors that affect the mortality and health of this target group. The methods used were qualitative. Data from phenomenological interviews, questionnaires, medical reports, and existing literature were composed to develop a grounded theory depicting the overall health of wheelchair users. The research team explored death causes, risk factors of premature death, and contributors that affect risk factors. In the discussion, we explored and analyzed specific patterns of interaction of the factors in the data and other research projects. Moreover, we attempted to analyze these patterns through the viewpoint of the Greek-Orthodox tradition. In general, the project confirmed previous research findings. The most common death causes seemed to be heart attacks and cancer. These seemed to be affected mainly by obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy lifestyle, and inadequate preventive healthcare. Spiritual practices based on the Greek-Orthodox tradition are suggested as ways of management. The conclusions can be useful not only to health and social care professionals and clerics, but also wheelchair users themselves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
10 pages, 272 KiB  
Article
Back to the Future: Leo Strauss, Gershom Scholem and the Restorative Messianic Utopia
by Piotr Sawczyński
Religions 2022, 13(7), 618; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13070618 - 4 Jul 2022
Viewed by 2107
Abstract
This article offers a critical analysis of the dispute between two prominent twentieth-century Jewish thinkers—Leo Strauss and Gershom Scholem—on the temporal nature of Jewish messianism, particularly the messianism of the Lurianic kabbalah. Whereas Strauss uses Scholem’s authority to criticize the idea of progress [...] Read more.
This article offers a critical analysis of the dispute between two prominent twentieth-century Jewish thinkers—Leo Strauss and Gershom Scholem—on the temporal nature of Jewish messianism, particularly the messianism of the Lurianic kabbalah. Whereas Strauss uses Scholem’s authority to criticize the idea of progress and claims that the messianic idea of Lurianism as interpreted by Scholem is purely restorative, Scholem actually argues for its dialectical nature: neither progressive nor regressive but seeking to synthesize the past and future in the utopian figure of “restoring” the original potentiality. The purpose of my analysis is twofold: to expose Strauss’s misreading of Scholem’s theory which has so far escaped the critical attention of scholars, and to contribute to the debate on religion and change by deconstructing the apparent opposition of progress and return (or utopia and restoration) in Jewish messianic tradition. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
21 pages, 344 KiB  
Article
Freedom of Conscience of Healthcare Professionals and Conscientious Objection in the European Court of Human Rights
by María José Valero
Religions 2022, 13(6), 558; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060558 - 16 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2971
Abstract
The recent social and legal debate in several European countries on abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide has caused a strong resurgence of the concerns of healthcare personnel as to the real possibility of protecting their consciences in their professional sphere. Individual refusal for [...] Read more.
The recent social and legal debate in several European countries on abortion, euthanasia, and assisted suicide has caused a strong resurgence of the concerns of healthcare personnel as to the real possibility of protecting their consciences in their professional sphere. Individual refusal for religious, moral, deontological, or ethical reasons to participate in activities that directly or indirectly could result in the termination of a human life constitutes the most extreme manifestation of the legal phenomenon of conscientious objection. Although the European Convention on Human Rights does not recognize a general right to conscientious objection, since Bayatyan v. Armenia, the case law of the European Court of Human Rights has identified a connection between conscience-related claims to compulsory military service and Article 9 of the Convention. However, to this date, this doctrine has not been applied to cases that affect health-sensitive areas like abortion and contraception. This article analyzes the activity of the European Court of Human Rights in relation to the right to freedom of conscience and to conscientious objection, particularly in healthcare, and offers several final observations projected to possible future conflicts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
10 pages, 260 KiB  
Article
Theological Valorization of the Other from an Orthodox Christian Perspective: Dorin Oancea’s Model of Theology of Religions in Relation to Social and Theological Developments of Modernity
by Alina Patru
Religions 2022, 13(6), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060552 - 15 Jun 2022
Viewed by 1789
Abstract
This paper analyzes the model of theology of religions elaborated by the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dorin Oancea and highlights the possibilities for openness towards other religious realms and for real theological validation of non-Christian religions. It focuses both on the modern premises of [...] Read more.
This paper analyzes the model of theology of religions elaborated by the Romanian Orthodox theologian Dorin Oancea and highlights the possibilities for openness towards other religious realms and for real theological validation of non-Christian religions. It focuses both on the modern premises of this model and on the ways in which the author ensures its continuity inside the Tradition and its acceptance within the Orthodox-Christian world. Dorin Oancea’s construct, a unique system of pluralistic inclusivism, elaborated by an Orthodox theologian who wants to remain aligned with the Eastern Orthodox patristic and traditional theological thinking while still addressing current topics by means of contemporary instruments and present-day language, is a valuable example of religious change that takes place within Orthodoxy, which is regarded as a traditional branch of Christianity. This paper identifies forms of theological newness in Dorin Oancea’s manner of addressing the challenges of present times in relation to the dynamics of the field of theology of religions and of Orthodox theology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
15 pages, 305 KiB  
Article
Neomythology: A New Religious Mythology
by Ioannis Xidakis
Religions 2022, 13(6), 536; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13060536 - 11 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3635
Abstract
The purpose of this paper was to present the link between the myths in the plots of modern entertainment products, such as science fiction novels, movies, comic books and video games, with the motifs of New Religiosity. The plots employed in these products [...] Read more.
The purpose of this paper was to present the link between the myths in the plots of modern entertainment products, such as science fiction novels, movies, comic books and video games, with the motifs of New Religiosity. The plots employed in these products are of a mythical nature. This re-emergence of myth is once more taking centre stage today. The social sciences and humanities concerned with this phenomenon call it “neomythology”. Neomythology, in whatever form, as a comic book, video game, etc., shows gods and supernatural heroes or villains interacting with one another in certain ways. The ways these mythical elements are combined and displayed confirm that neomythology belongs to New Religiosity and repeats motifs of New Religions and New Age myths, such as the secularization of the absolute, that is to say, the placing of the transcendental element in the material and explainable world, the absolutisation not only of the acquisition of power but also those who bear it, the correlation of magic and technology, and the reuse and utilization of the mythology of the past and of traditional religious teachings, in order to produce a new myth. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)

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2 pages, 122 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Borowski, Michael. 2023. Doctrine and Change in Western Dogmatics: The Examples of Michael Seewald and Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Religions 14: 524
by Michael Borowski
Religions 2024, 15(7), 778; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15070778 - 27 Jun 2024
Viewed by 374
Abstract
Following the request of the Academic Editor, the title should be corrected to the following:Doctrine and Change in Western Dogmatics: The Examples of Michael Seewald and Kevin J [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religion and Change)
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