Search Results (61)

This paper approaches the corpus of the Dead Sea Scrolls with the aim of underlining how a form of prophecy after (or besides) prophets is constructed in Second Temple Judaism. In contrast and parallel with other religions (saliently Islam), where prophecy is “sealed” and closed after a given event, Judaism links prophecy to text in the process of constructing an authorized corpus, as may be seen in phenomena such as the development of certain forms of exegesis. Nevertheless, some groups, like the Qumran community, give a central role to figures that are, at the very least, typologically related to early (biblical) prophets. I will approach these parallels in a systematic way, trying to define how text and inspiration are involved in the construction of prophets by another name in the corpus. Full article

The Song 宋, Yuan 元, and Ming 明 dynasties (960–1644) witnessed the flourishing development of the Chinese Buddhist Canon (CBC), with about fifteen editions of the CBC constructed in this period. This was also an important period for the merging of different schools of Buddhism in Yunnan with mainstream Chinese Buddhism in the border regions of Southwest China. Over the past millennium, more than twenty sets of the CBC have circulated in Yunnan Province, which can be classified into seven editions and have exerted a profound influence on Chinese Buddhist literature in Yunnan. Unfortunately, most of these Buddhist Canon sets were lost, with only a few of them surviving. While most of them are kept in the Yunnan Provincial Library 雲南省圖書館 and the Library of Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences 雲南社會科學院, three kinds of CBC sets remain in private hands; however, these sets have long been neglected. In particular, these three editions of the CBC are the Qisha Canon 磧砂藏 carved during the Southern Song and Yuan dynasties (1127–1368), the Puning Canon 普寧藏 engraved during the Yuan dynasty (1206–1368), and the Jiaxing Canon 嘉興藏 constructed during the Ming and Qing dynasties from the 16th to 18th centuries. This paper presents a preliminary bibliographic survey of fragmentary fascicles of these three editions of the CBC kept in Yunnan. We aim to explore the transmission timeline, version details, collection templates, and dissemination process of these three editions of the CBC in Yunan. We argue that these three Chinese Canons are not entirely identical to those housed in the Yunnan Provincial Library and possess irreplaceable documentary value. The Qisha Canon, engraved during the Southern Song dynasty 南宋 (1127–1279) and the Yuan dynasty 元朝 (1206–1368), was shipped to Yunnan in the twenty-second year of Hongwu 洪武二十二年 (1389). The Tusi 土司 (native chieftains) and Fobian 釋佛辨 (?–?), a monk of Taihuashan Temple 太華山寺 in Kunming, were involved in requesting this set of Buddhist Canons. A set of the Puning Canon constructed during the Yuan dynasty was bestowed by Emperor Kublai Khan 忽必烈 (r. 1260–1294). The emperor donated this Buddhist Canon to Xingzu Temple in Yuanzhao Mountain 圓照山興祖寺 in Kunming. As for the Jiaxing Canon, monks in Baohua Temple in Shuimu Mountain in Dali 大理水目山寶華寺 made a request to the imperial court for a set of Buddhist Canons. Another Canon was obtained upon request by the believers of Songshan Temple in Kunming 昆明嵩山寺. The import of the Jiaxing Canon into Yunnan is closely related to Yunnan Chan Buddhism, which is also worthy of special attention. Previous studies on the CBC in Yunnan have neglected these sources. People have now realized that the private collections of fragmentary fascicles of the CBC are of great value. The study of these extant volumes of the CBC may enrich people’s knowledge of the CBC in Yunnan Province. Full article

This study analyzes the term ioudaismos in Second Temple literature and proposes differentiation in how this term was used in Palestine and the Diaspora, with the latter being characterized by the following: (1) seize the land; (2) persecute barbarians; (3) retain the temple; (4) liberate Jerusalem; (5) reestablish Torah. In the Diaspora, ioudaismos was modified to refer to: (1) persecuting pagans; (2) concern for the Temple; and (3) observing ancestral customs devoutly. It then analyzes how Paul’s use of the term fits within these usages of other literature of the time and how the term was later used by early Christian authors of the second century in a different manner. Paul understood his role as a messianic emissary as fitting with ioudaismos by modifying the formula slightly to attract the nations to worship Israel’s god and by refocusing the ancestral customs of the Jews upon Jesus, who Paul believed to be the messiah. Full article

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

The framing of the Hebrew Bible in the Mesopotamian–Babylonian landscape is evident in two of its central themes. First, Abraham, the forefather of the Hebrews, is presented as a native of Ur in south Mesopotamia, whence he left for Harran and then reached the Promised Land. Second is the exile of the Judahite elites to Babylonia, and the later return of some of them to Jerusalem to build their Second Temple. As the Bible was written, rewritten, and compiled by Babylonian exiles, primarily authored after the Fall of Jerusalem, its compilation by Judean exiles reveals a certain legitimization for existence in Exile, namely, the first revelation of YHWH outside of the Promised Land. This article examines the impact of the Babylonian surroundings on the Exiles’ approach to the representation of YHWH. It surveys the role of the Levantine goddess ’Ašerah, while proposing that alongside ’Ašerah, there may have been a male god named ’Ašer who, in pre-exilic times, was probably part of the Yahwistic religion and who was subsequently eliminated or degraded by the Judean exilic compilers of the Bible as it has reached us. Full article

The Karnak Temples are considered one of Egypt’s most significant archaeological sites, dating back to the Middle Kingdom (c. 2000–1700 BC) and were continuously expanded until the Ptolemaic period (305–30 BC). As the second most visited UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site in Egypt after the Giza Pyramids, Karnak faces severe deterioration processes due to prolonged exposure to environmental impacts, mechanical damage, and historical interventions. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach integrating non-destructive testing (NDT) methods to assess the physical and mechanical condition and degradation mechanisms of scattered sandstone blocks at the site. Advanced documentation techniques, including Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), photogrammetry, and Infrared Thermography (IRT), were used to analyze surface morphology, thermal stress effects, and weathering patterns. Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) testing provided internal structural assessments, while spectral and gloss analysis quantified chromatic alterations and surface roughness. Additionally, the Karsten Tube test determined the water absorption behavior of the sandstone, highlighting variations in porosity and susceptibility to salt crystallization. In this sense, the results indicate that climatic factors such as extreme temperature fluctuations, wind erosion, and groundwater infiltration contributed to sandstone deterioration. Thermal cycling leads to microcracking and granular disintegration, while high capillary water absorption accelerates chemical weathering processes. UPV analyses showed substantial internal decay, with low-velocity zones correlating with fractures and differential cementation loss. Finally, an interventive conservation plan was proposed. Full article

As Zen Buddhism continues into its second century in the United States, the practices and philosophies transmitted have gone through major, though necessary transformations. At present, the vast majority of Zen temples and centers are “convert” communities that have over time adjusted language, ritual, and tradition to suit pastoral and theological needs. This article lays out a blueprint for a Zen public “theology” by discussing the transformation of the exoteric, physical practice of Zen to an esoteric practice that governs inner conduct and community cohesion. For this piece, esoteric is used less in a mystical capacity, but more in terms of referring to a closed community of practitioners and initiates. The transformation from a historically exoteric practice in Japan to a generally esoteric practice in the United States reconfigured the priorities for longstanding Zen communities, who were (and still tend to be) diffuse and dependent on lineage bearing. The esoteric character of Zen practice in the U.S. is a response to several challenges in a “western” market economy- informed society. Challenges from the mindfulness industry, its minority status in a broadly Abrahamic society, and the struggle to understand the notion of tradition while in dialog with the main Soto Zen tradition in Japan present unique hermeneutical categories for Zen in America, prompting a reckoning with the fundamental principles of Mahayana Buddhism and the tenuous pluralism operative in American society. Full article

Some studies have pointed to the Jewish background of the prayer that, according to the gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus taught his disciples. However, the formulations of LP’s words do not necessarily presuppose the conclusion of the formation of Jewish prayers and do not necessarily presuppose a unidirectional influence of Jewish prayers on the formation of LP. This prayer and its “midrash” in John 17 may have influenced the formulation and final formation of some Jewish prayers. The differences between these prayers may indicate the mutual influence that, in some cases, took place throughout the history of their formation. This reciprocity may be due to the intention to establish and define the differences between the religious groups of Judaic origin that inherited these prayers and between the communities that recited them. The crystallization of biblical themes in these prayers highlights the common heritage of these groups and a different understanding of the fulfilment of God’s word in relation to the coming of his kingdom. While this process, characterized by a conflict of interpretations, took place “within Judaism,” it also led to the parting of the ways of Judeo-Christians from the Synagogue. Full article

The Seven Masters of the Quanzhen 全真七子 sect served as central figures during the founding phase of Quanzhen Daoism and played key roles in the sect’s early development. Originally positioned as the “Northern Seven Perfected Ones” (Bei Qi Zhen 北七真), they were instrumental in propelling the prosperity and expansion of Quanzhen Daoism. Over time, their images subsequently proliferated across various media—including portrayals in stone inscription, painting, biography, and novel, undergoing transformations through inscriptions, paintings, biographies, and novels—transforming transmission channels from Daoist temples to stage performances and from street corners to modern screens. In the Jin and Yuan 金元 periods, Daoist biographies and inscriptions portrayed the Seven Masters as exemplary figures of Daoist practice. In folk novels and precious scrolls (Baojuan 宝卷) in the Ming 明 and Qing 清 dynasties, they were presented as legendary, divine immortals and distant ancestors available for narrative appropriation. In modern times—particularly due to the popularity of Jin Yong 金庸’s martial art novels—they completed their universalization as Daoist cultural resources blending chivalric ethos and entertainment value. Examining the evolution of the Seven Masters’ imagery, two fundamental implications emerge: First, this transformation was jointly shaped by the power structures, functional needs, and media forms of each era. Second, beneath the fluid representations from sacred patriarchs of the Jin–Yuan period to modern entertainment symbols, there is an enduring thread of Daoist transcendental consciousness. Full article

Museums in Dispute: Artificial Intelligence, Digital Culture, and Critical Curation analyzes contemporary debates in the museum field through the lens of tensions between technology, digital culture, and political and epistemological disputes. Structured in three parts, the article develops a critical approach that, in the first section, revisits critiques of the modernist museum model, highlighting how discourses from New Museology, institutional critique, and decolonial perspectives challenge the idea of neutral, universal, and Eurocentric museums. The second part explores the shift from temple-like museums to interface-museums, focusing on the analysis of practices such as digitization, immersive exhibitions, and gamification. It argues that while these technologies may expand access, their uncritical use can reproduce inequalities and render plural and inclusive narratives invisible. The third part addresses the emergence of hyperconnected museums and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in curatorial, mediating, and reconstructive processes, analyzing collaborative and artistic projects such as Demonumenta and Curationist that critically reinterpret collections. Throughout the article, the concept of meta-algorithmic curation is developed, which is understood as a practice that makes algorithms visible, open to critique, and reconfigurable as cultural and political devices. Methodologically, the article combines critical theoretical review with analysis of institutional and artistic case studies, highlighting practices that appropriate the supposed neutrality of data to develop a critical pesrpective and advocate for more inclusive, distributed, and politically engaged curatorial narratives. Full article

The present study looks at how gentilics, usually attested in traditional biblical topoi from the Pentateuch, are re-contextualized in Ezekiel to provide a mental map of the peoples of the known Earth during the Exilic period. The basic constituents of Ezekiel’s mental map of foreign peoples recall some of the configurations known from the Babylonian mental map tradition. One known iteration of the latter is the Babylonian World Map (BM 92687). The document presents several interesting features as to how mental maps are formed in the Babylonian context. Its composition may date back to the late eighth century BCE. It is an iteration of the Babylonian mental map with a unique unmarked epicentre. Furthermore, it was probably impressed on clay on the occasion of a military campaign or itinerant work concerning specific toponyms in southern Babylonia. Finally, it was copied for scribal purposes in the Neo-Babylonian period. The present study proposes that these dynamics of the Babylonian mental map help understand Ezekiel’s mental map of foreign peoples. Aspects of Ezekiel’s mental map owe to an older Hebrew tradition partly known from the Pentateuch, although it is a unique iteration for Ezekiel’s oracles against the nations with historical references to the Exilic period. Jerusalem is the epicentre. Two main rings of foreign peoples encircle Jerusalem. The first circle comprises Judah’s neighbours from the east, south, west, and northwest. The second circle picks up from the northwest going up the coast, then south to Egypt, and finally east and northeast with Gog of Magog. Ezekiel concludes with the Temple Vision confirming Jerusalem’s central position. This case study implies that Ezekiel encountered and independently adapted aspects of the Mesopotamian mental map. Comparisons such as the one attempted here can illustrate the potential of ancient Near Eastern intertextuality and cultural hybridity. Full article

This field statement reviews the sources, issues, approaches, and missions of Dunhuang architectural studies from 1926 to the present. The studies of Dunhuang architecture constitute a subfield at the intersection of Dunhuang studies, Silk Road archaeology, and studies of Chinese architectural history. Dunhuang architectural studies primarily investigate three corpses of materials, i.e., the images of architecture represented in mural paintings, the cave typology, and the timber-framed façade screening the caves. This study outlines the three phases in which scholarly concerns evolved from images to their material carriers, from forms to spaces, and from disciplinary to interdisciplinary. The first phase, 1926–1950, features Chinese, Japanese, and German scholars’ early explorations of the images of architecture, mostly based on photographic reproductions of murals and timber façades. They established connections between the Dunhuang materials and the modern studies of art and architectural histories. In the second phase, 1950–2000, scholars, mainly Chinese, explored the majority of the primary materials and managed to establish a research framework for research that is still valid today. Some others conducted refreshing studies from the perspective of spatial conception. The third phase, from 2001 to the present, witnesses the emergence of new materials, perspectives, and technologies, which stimulate interdisciplinary and innovative studies of the Dunhuang materials. Finally, this review reflects on the received conceptions the field has brought us to consider the architecture of a Dunhuang cave temple and points out issues of space for future investigations. Full article

Between the eighth and ninth centuries, the world entered a second period of strong winter monsoons, which precipitated a series of recurrent natural disasters, including reduced summer rainfall and prolonged droughts. The various types of droughts that occurred in southeastern China are documented in historical records, which also include the official-led ritual prayers to the local deities that were conducted during these challenging periods. As evidenced in these historical records, officials implemented a series of measures to provide solace to the populace, including the restoration of shrines and temples and the offering of sacrifices and prayers to the local deities, such as the Wutang God 吳塘神 and the Chutan God 儲潭神. These actions were intended to leverage the influence of the local deities to mobilise labour and financial resources for the implementation of public works, including the reclamation of barren land and the construction of dikes and ponds. These initiatives ultimately proved instrumental in enabling the populace to withstand the adverse effects of disasters. This approach represents a distinctive strategy for coping with drought in ancient China. It may provide insights into how governments and non-governmental organisations can utilise the influence of religious beliefs to unite people in addressing the climate crisis in the present era. Full article

Aiming to address the issue that existing multi-view stereo reconstruction methods have insufficient adaptability to the repetitive and weak textures in multi-view images, this paper proposes a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction algorithm based on Feature Enhancement and Weight Optimization MVSNet (Abbreviated as FEWO-MVSNet). To obtain accurate and detailed global and local features, we first develop an adaptive feature enhancement approach to obtain multi-scale information from the images. Second, we introduce an attention mechanism and a spatial feature capture module to enable high-sensitivity detection for weak texture features. Third, based on the 3D convolutional neural network, the fine depth map for multi-view images can be predicted and the complete 3D model is subsequently reconstructed. Last, we evaluated the proposed FEWO-MVSNet through training and testing on the DTU, BlendedMVS, and Tanks and Temples datasets. The results demonstrate significant superiorities of our method for 3D reconstruction from multi-view images, with our method ranking first in accuracy and second in completeness when compared to the existing representative methods. Full article

This study explores the intricate relationship between Baroque religious architecture and the transformation of the territory in Paredes de Coura, Portugal. Between the second half of the 17th century and the first half of the 19th century, Paredes de Coura, located in northern Portugal, gradually transformed its religious spaces and buildings. Parish communities and private initiatives, driven by a deep religious motivation and favourable conjuncture factors, rebuilt, enlarged, and built dozens of chapels and churches from scratch, mostly in Baroque configuration but with differentiating characteristics. This process gradually gave the rural landscape a unique singularity, i.e., a transformation of significant cultural and historical importance. Numerous artisans constructed these buildings and filled their interior spaces with works of sacred art, mainly carved altars, originating primarily from Paredes de Coura and Alto-Minho municipalities. This systematic study, based on the analysis of contemporary documentation of religious buildings and extensive fieldwork, ensures the thoroughness and reliability of our research and aims to disseminate the data related to this process, presenting an overall reading of religious architecture and seeking to understand the reasons which were at the base of the construction of such a large number of temples in the municipality of Paredes de Coura during this period that changed the territory. This also highlights how Baroque religious architecture was a product of artistic and spiritual ambitions and a powerful agent of territorial reconfiguration, affecting settlement patterns, infrastructure, and social hierarchy. The legacy of these transformations continues to influence the region’s cultural landscape today. Full article