Search Results (264)

In today’s plural and global context, the Theology of Religions and Interreligious Dialogue play a decisive role in fostering mutual understanding and a genuine culture of encounter. This article examines the theological and spiritual foundations of this task through a re-reading of Paul Tillich and Jacques-Albert Cuttat. Starting from Tillich’s unfinished reflection on the significance of the history of religions, this study reconstructs his ontological and pneumatological framework, with particular attention to the notion of a mystical a priori as the structural condition of all religious experience. On this basis, it analyses Cuttat’s model of “assumptive convergence” between the two “religious hemispheres”—East and West—as an experiential and spiritual unfolding of Tillich’s intuition. This article argues that Cuttat’s proposal anticipates, in practical and mystical terms, the theology of religions outlined by Tillich, showing how Christian mystical experience can assume, discern, and transfigure other religious traditions without syncretism or relativism. In this perspective, mysticism emerges as a fundamental theological principle for articulating truth, plurality, and ethical responsibility in interreligious dialogue. Full article

This article addresses the need to rethink models for managing religious diversity in Europe, which, among other causes, has transformed into a multi-religious society, breaking with Christian hegemony as a result of the migration processes of the last century. The author proposes governance as an essential tool for managing religious diversity, understood as a style of government that promotes interaction and cooperation between the State and non-state actors, including religious denominations, in decision-making processes to regulate this phenomenon and enable individuals and the groups they belong to, to exercise their fundamental right to religious freedom. This approach seeks the social inclusion and effective participation of religious minorities to combat their marginalization and radicalization. To this end, we propose moving away from laicism positions that seek to exclude religion from the public sphere or from those that defend the political use of religion as an element of national identity, proposing instead a model of positive secularism like the Spanish one. Analysing the Spanish model, the article argues how the political participation of religious minorities through a model of religious governance in the management of religious diversity is crucial for building inclusive and safe societies where social cohesion and the full observance of religious freedom and other fundamental rights are achieved. Full article

Religious plurality is an increasingly prevalent phenomenon in contemporary societies, and managing it within the healthcare sector presents significant challenges. In this regard, healthcare systems must strike a balance between religious freedom and the organisation of healthcare services. This paper will address the management and legal treatment of religious diversity in healthcare, focusing on the impact of artificial intelligence in this area. There is no doubt that Artificial Intelligence is transforming the management of religious diversity in healthcare. While many advances have been observed in this area in recent years, numerous ethical and privacy challenges have also emerged, which are undoubtedly leading to the need for a reconfiguration of the legal framework. Issues such as conscientious objection by healthcare personnel, access to treatments compatible with patients’ beliefs, and possible tensions between the right to health and religious freedom will be analysed. The influence of Artificial Intelligence on decision-making and the personalisation of treatments, along with the ethical and legal challenges this entails, will also be explored. Based on this analysis, we will reflect on current challenges and possible improvements in managing religious plurality in healthcare systems. Our aim is to promote a model that provides better medical care, adequately addresses ethical and privacy challenges, respects diversity, and guarantees fundamental rights. Full article

The principal objective of this paper is to analyse the treatment that Spanish law gives to the refusal to receive blood transfusions on religious grounds, with special reference to the case of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The aim is to determine how different fundamental rights are reconciled with other constitutionally protected legal rights. To this end, the position of patient autonomy, informed consent, the right to refuse treatment, and advance directives will be examined. Following this analysis, there are suggestions which aim to achieve an appropriate balance between these conflicting rights. In summary, this study seeks to establish a framework of legal and ethical protection for cases when patient autonomy and the duty to protect life come into conflict. Full article

In the history of Turkish-Islamic culture, every stage of human life—from birth to death—has been ritualized with profound symbolic and spiritual meanings. Turkish religious music has functioned as a fundamental element in these transitional phases, possessing both aesthetic and devotional dimensions. In individual rites of passage such as naming, circumcision, beginning school, and marriage, as well as in collective rituals such as bidding farewell to and welcoming Hajj pilgrims or observing religious days and nights, Turkish religious music has held a significant place. Confronting death—an inevitable and sorrowful reality of life—Turkish society has employed religious music as a consolatory and spiritually guiding medium, transforming it into a ritual mode of expression intended to soften the disruptive impact of death and to give meaning to the mourning process. Sufi order funerals represent one of the manifestations of this aesthetic depth. In this context, (Janāza) funeral ceremonies are not merely occasions of farewell but also rites of metaphysical acceptance and surrender. Since death is considered not an end but “wuṣlat,” that is, reunion with the Absolute Truth (al-Ḥaqq), within Sufi thought, the funeral rites of Sufi orders have been shaped accordingly. In Mawlawī, Bektāshī, Jarrahī, and Rifāʿī orders, not only the canonical funeral prayer (ṣalāt al-janāza) but also various forms of religious music are performed, imparting both aesthetic and spiritual depth to the ceremony. This study aims to examine the religious musical practices present in the funeral ceremonies of these four major Sufi orders, all of which have historically maintained a close relationship with music. A qualitative ritual-musicological approach has been adopted; semi-structured interviews were conducted with the Shaykh of the Rifāʿī order, the Zakirbaşı of the Jarrahī branch of the Khalwatī order, and a Dede of the Bektāshī order. The data sources of the study consist of interview materials, archival-based works, literature on the history of Sufism, sources on Turkish religious music, and digital recordings of Sufi orders’ funeral rituals. The limited number of interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis, while textual analysis and contextual interpretation were employed to examine in detail “the musical forms, thematic structures, performance contexts, and symbolic functions” present in these rituals. Preliminary findings indicate that the music unique to Sufi order funerals fulfills multiple functions, including “spiritual consolation, strengthening social solidarity, doctrinal expression of belief in the afterlife, and transforming mourning into a sacred experience.” The funeral traditions of the four orders examined possess distinctive musical structures, and these structures constitute an identifiable aesthetic form within the Ottoman and Turkish religious-musical tradition. It has also been determined that the repertory performed in Sufi orders’ funeral ceremonies is largely rooted in the tekke (Sufi lodge) musical tradition and that various forms of Turkish religious music are prominently represented in these rituals. This study has brought to light the religious musical repertory performed within the funeral rituals of Sufi orders—an area that has remained insufficiently explored to date—and has demonstrated that this repertory exerts positive psychosocial effects on both Sufi adherents and other participants in their approach to death. In this respect, the study sheds light on the repertory of Turkish religious music and offers an original contribution to the scholarly literature. Full article

Religion is often regarded as a divine concept resistant to change or transformation, yet history reveals that religion can evolve and transform into new cults or religious movements. This reformation or alternative state of religion is often considered an aberrant version of the original. In Sri Lanka, an aberrant form of religion emerged during the modernization and colonization periods, particularly influenced by Protestant groups and urban Buddhists. The significance of this aberrant form of Buddhism is that it lacks the depth of true religious thought and is instead reflected in the mainstream of politics and nationalism rooted in race. Due to the demand to protect Buddhism, which was echoed by this aberrant version, the recognition of Sri Lanka’s diverse ethnic and religious identities gave rise to separatism and a fragmented form of nationalism. One of the key features of aberrant religion is its tendency toward fundamentalism and extremism, as it becomes distorted in the name of safeguarding religion. The consequence of aberrant religion was the fabrication of nationalism tied to ethno-religious identities, particularly among the Sinhalese majority, turning non-violent Buddhist thought into violent racism that cultivated discrimination in cultural values and even escalated into civil war to defend Buddhism and promote Buddhist nationalism. However, in time, the post-nationalist protest movement known as the “Aragalaya” rejected the pathological nationalism generated by aberrant Buddhism and brought about a systematic shift towards a unified nationalism. Thus, this study reflects on the formation of aberrant versions of religion in Sri Lankan history, their extension into nationalism and race, and the continued presence of aberrant religion in the contemporary context. Full article

Anti-gender groups, by promoting a Christian-inspired traditional view of family, challenge the idea that European society is becoming more secular. Given that previous literature has highlighted how these groups extensively use digital media and are connected to the Vatican, this article explores the following questions: How do anti-gender groups discuss religion on social media? What is the role of religion for anti-gender activists? By means of a review of research on anti-gender movements, secularism, and activism, this article argues that anti-gender groups do not directly contribute to the growth of religious institutions but use religion to bring actors together in mobilizations, in what I define as an instance of Christian transcalar activism. A mixed-method approach, including quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Instagram pages of the anti-gender group CitizenGO, combined with observations and interviews with activists, suggests that religion is not a central topic in digital narratives, which mainly construct a perceived marginalization of Christians in secular society; however, Catholicism is fundamental for activists as a motivation for action and a socialization force. In conclusion, anti-gender groups’ digital media use connects different actors and mobilizes people who are already religious and who engage in activism through their religious communities. Full article

This article explores the philosophical foundations of religion in Ibn Rushd’s thought, with particular attention to his treatment of miracles. It argues that Ibn Rushd relocates the discussion of miracles from the domain of natural philosophy to that of practical philosophy, where religion fulfills a civic and ethical function by shaping public belief and encouraging virtuous action. The study begins by examining Ibn Rushd’s critical engagement with the Ashʿarī theologians, focusing on his deconstruction of their arguments on miracles and his rejection of al-Ghazālī’s occasionalism in the debate over causality and the proof of miracles. It then turns to Ibn Rushd’s constructive position, which rests on three central elements: first, belief in miracles is fundamental to religious faith and not open to philosophical dispute; second, the miracle that validates prophethood consists in the establishment of divine laws that regulate thought and conduct; and third, this conception is grounded in the Qurʾān, representing the most authentic understanding of revelation. While the primary aim of the article is to clarify Ibn Rushd’s philosophical account of miracles and his reorientation of the debate toward practical philosophy, it also highlights his broader concern with the role of Sharīʿa in guiding communal beliefs and moral practices. This study also brings to light Ibn Rushd’s reliance on tawātur as a form of self-evident knowledge that secures certainty without the need for rational proof. Full article

Recent advances in reproductive science have prompted a profound reexamination of some of the most fundamental anthropological aspects of human life: the value of nascent human life, the meanings of motherhood and fatherhood, and the concept of family. Abrahamic religious traditions in particular offer a rich moral heritage, developed over centuries, that can significantly contribute to ethical reflection on assisted reproductive technologies. This article examines the Judeo-Christian and Islamic traditions, which are predominant in the Western cultural context and greatly influence the lives and moral frameworks of more than half of the world’s population. The study underscores the strength of the ethical foundations shared across these religious traditions and common values, principles, and moral concerns, while also seeking to understand and integrate the distinctive nuances that differentiate them. Full article

The tradition of Chinese philosophical interpretation contains an inherent tension between “objectively interpreting classics” and “subjectively constructing systems”, with three major Han Dynasty commentaries on the Laozi—Laozi Zhigui, Laozi Daodejing Heshanggong Zhangju, and Laozi Xiang’er Zhu—serving as typical manifestations of this tradition. As a core concept of the Laozi, ziran constitutes a shared entry point for their interpretations. However, due to differences in ideological positions and construction goals, they have formed distinct interpretive approaches. Laozi Zhigui constructs a philosophical system centered on ziran. At the cosmological level, it defines ziran as both the Dao’s inherent nature of being without will or deliberate intervention and the fundamental law governing all things’ self-generation and self-sufficiency, thereby dispelling the Dao’s attribute as a ruling entity. At the practical level, it advocates “the naturalness of xingming”, proposing that rulers should practice wuwei to purify their minds while the people follow their inherent nature to achieve self-harmony, pursuing the social ideal of “returning to primal simplicity”. Its core aim is to criticize the theological teleology prevalent in the mid-to-late Western Han Dynasty and provide an alternative path of rational speculation for the intellectual circle. Laozi Daodejing Heshanggong Zhangju puts forward the idea that “the nature of the Dao is ziran”, emphasizing that ziran is the inherent nature of the Dao rather than the innate state of humans. It rejects the notion of all things generating themselves independently, highlighting the Dao’s supreme status transcending all things and its ruling role over the universe. This interpretation is closely bound to the commentary’s core tenet of “cultivating the Dao for longevity”, arguing that humans can only obtain the Dao’s nourishment by consciously aligning themselves with “the Dao’s nature as ziran” through practice. Thus, ziran becomes an “ought-to-be” state requiring active pursuit, integrating distinct health-preserving practices and preliminary religious overtones. Laozi Xiang’er Zhu undertakes a subversive reconstruction of ziran from a purely religious perspective, reducing it to a synonym for the deified Dao (Supreme Old Lord) and completely eliminating its independent philosophical status and original connotation. Abandoning the traditional understanding that “the nature of the Dao is ziran”, the commentary fully serves the construction of Taoist doctrine, completing the ideological leap from “interpreting the Laozi” to “establishing Taoist theory”. The differentiated interpretations of ziran in these three works not only demonstrate the diverse possibilities of interpreting the Laozi but also clearly reflect the historical trajectory of Han Dynasty thought transitioning from philosophical speculation to religious practice. Full article

Missionary periodicals during the late Qing dynasty played a crucial role in introducing, translating, and systematizing Western scientific knowledge, thereby facilitating China’s transition from the traditional epistemic frameworks of “Lixue” to modern academic disciplines. Situated within a framework of knowledge transmission and disciplinary formation mediated by Chinese Christianity, this study moves beyond prior scholarship that mainly focused on individual missionary figures such as Young John Allen or specific publications like The Church News. Instead, it adopts a broader perspective, employing an integrated quantitative and qualitative analysis to examine their collective role in scientific modernization and disciplinization. The research argues that translational activities in these publications fundamentally reshaped China’s knowledge landscape. It specifically traces the semantic evolution of “Gezhi” (格致) and the transformation of “Lixue” from a moral-philosophical tradition toward the modern natural sciences. By reconstructing this process, the paper illuminates how Chinese Christianity contributed to knowledge structuring and academic modernization, highlighting its significant impact on contemporary disciplines such as Translation Studies. The findings underscore the multifaceted interactions among religious media, knowledge production, and social change. Full article

Exploring different religions allows us to identify not only differences, but also similarities between them. The search for these similarities and differences regarding such fundamental matters in human life as marriage and family justifies the creation of this article. This comparison of positions considers world religions that have existed for centuries and have a significant number of followers, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Based on holy books, documents of religious communities, and scientific publications, the authors have undertaken to answer the following questions: what are marriage and family, and how are they treated in each specific religion? How are marriages formed? What are the responsibilities of spouses/parents, and what functions do families serve? What moral norms protecting marital and family life do specific religions indicate? The value of human beings and interpersonal relationships, the succession of generations and educational needs, the responsibility of the older for the younger, and also the not uncommon permissive and corrupting trends in the world, oblige us to transmit normative content approved by individual religions that is essential for the life and development of individuals and societies. Full article

This article re-imagines the conceptual and existential dimensions of religious fundamentalism, which is generally conceived as a belief in the literal interpretation of texts and their application in contemporary society. A major argument in fundamentalism discourse centres on textual religious or sacred texts of organised religions, from which inspiration is usually drawn to counter the corrosive effects of modernisation. The militarisation of sacred texts by religious fundamentalists—a kind of hardware—is predicated on the interpretation of the texts—the software—which provides ideological scaffold to religious fundamentalism. This article argues that though religious fundamentalism is extensively considered textual-based, the Ombatse traditional religious movement—a non-text-based religious movement—challenges not only many of the fundaments of traditional African religious thought but also the text-based thesis of religious fundamentalism. I suggest that Ombatse could be situated, epistemologically, in the locale of resistance to religious colonialism and political marginalisation. Full article

The article examines human dignity as a fundamental category of Christian anthropology and its role as a basis for sustainable development. It highlights the continuity of the Church’s teaching on the inseparability of human dignity, justice, and solidarity, and interprets them in the context of current social and ecological challenges. Methodologically, the study applies a conceptual and theological analysis of magisterial documents (from Leo XIII to Francis), complemented by the relevant secondary literature in the fields of theology, philosophy, and ethics. The results show that human dignity is not only a theological concept but also a practical criterion for shaping social, economic, and environmental policies aimed at sustainability. The discussion emphasizes the interdisciplinary potential of human dignity to serve as a bridge between religious and secular discourses on sustainable development. The study concludes that integrating the principle of human dignity into the sustainability agenda provides a stable anthropological foundation and strengthens the ethical dimension of global responsibility. Full article

This study critically examines the civil–religious influence of Korean conservative Protestantism, which mobilizes heteronormative strategies to oppose anti-discrimination and family rights legislation, through the lens of Christian normativity. These movements justify heteronormative values by appealing to the immutability of the “creation order” in Genesis. Yet such literalist interpretations disregard contemporary findings in evolutionary biology and animal behavior that document same-sex phenomena across species, thereby framing creation and evolution in rigid opposition. Imported from American fundamentalism, “creation science” has further fueled an anti-intellectual public sentiment that naturalizes heterosexuality as divine law. The absolutism of the creation order and special revelation exposes deep theological contradictions when confronted with the existence of diverse sexual and gender identities. In response, this study turns to process theology, which reimagines creation as open-ended, dynamic, and co-creative. Engaging Catherine Keller’s apophatic theology to reopen theological space for sexual minorities, it further develops Justin Sabia-Tanis’s interpretation of transgender transformation as a process of co-evolution, in dialogue with Donna Haraway’s notion of cyborg hybridity. Moreover, drawing on John B. Cobb Jr.’s “persuasive political theology,” it argues that participation in divine co-creation must be expanded into the socio-political sphere. Ultimately, this study seeks to resist anti-intellectualism and advocate for a transformative Christian civil religion in Korea—one oriented toward justice, inclusion, and continual co-creation. Full article