Search Results (313)

Spiritual intelligence (SI) is defined as a unique form of hermeneutic–relational intelligence that enables individuals to integrate cognitive, emotional, and symbolic dimensions to guide their thoughts and actions with reflection, aiming for existential coherence rooted in a transcendent system of meaning. It functions as a metacognitive framework that unites affective, cognitive, and symbolic levels in dialog with a sense of meaning that is considered sacred or transcendent, where “sacred,” in this context, refers inclusively to any symbolic reference or value that a person or culture perceives as inviolable, fundamental, or orienting. It can derive from religious traditions but also from ethical, philosophical, or civil visions. It functions as a horizon of meaning from which to draw coherence and guidance and which orients the understanding of oneself, the world, and action. SI appears as the ability to interpret one’s experiences through the lens of values and principles, maintaining a sense of continuity in meaning even during times of ambiguity, conflict, or discontinuity. It therefore functions as a metacognitive ability that brings together various mental functions into a cohesive view of reality, rooted in a dynamic dialog between the self and a value system seen as sacred. Full article

This article describes the design and implementation of a Specialized Mental Health Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program for clergy and theological students of all spiritual, religious, and cultural backgrounds. Addressing the need for mental health competencies in religious leaders and chaplains, this training equips participants with specialized skills in individual and group mental health spiritual assessment and spiritual care. Program participants become effective members of a multiprofessional team, gain knowledge of mental health philosophies of concordant and discordant spiritual orienting systems, and gain greater relational capacity. The Mental Health CPE Program includes traditional and novel CPE elements: (1) clinical practice, (2) group and individual supervision, (3) didactic presentations and journal clubs, (4) verbatim (Protocols of patient encounters) and case presentations, (5) group leadership training and practica, and (6) experience of faith reflections. This article provides insights into the origins of CPE, a description of the implementation in a free-standing psychiatric hospital, and observed developmental changes of program participants. We include graduates’ anecdotal feedback about their learning experience and its impact on their leadership in chaplaincy and in religious communities. Additionally, we report on areas for future development and further study of the effectiveness of Mental Health CPE. Full article

The proliferation of African diaspora churches, especially over the last four decades in Europe and the West, has not gone unnoticed. Over this period, there has been a planting and transporting of independent churches as well as branches of Pentecostal and charismatic churches from sub-Saharan Africa to the West. First-generation members of these churches have often been the pioneers, leaders, and custodians of the church culture and practices from their motherland. These first-generation members continue to hold on to liturgy and practices from ‘home’ (Africa) and seek to replicate them as authentic spirituality and spiritual formation practices. A significant part of the rise of these churches are the second-generation members who have a fluid identity and are finding newer ways to assimilate their parents’ socio-cultural and religious practices with that of their present ‘home’ European/Western nations. For these emerging-generation members, their parents’ culture, which is largely based on an African worldview, continues to shape church liturgy and practices. An integral component of the church’s liturgy and practical ministry is prayer. Prayer in its various forms plays a significant part in both personal and collective worship. This paper examines the impact of emerging generations on the dynamics and praxis of prayer in the Church of Pentecost UK. Prayer holds a significant place in the lives of these emerging generation members and forms part of their socio-religious identity. Against this backdrop of prayer from a generational and liturgical viewpoint, we explore the nature, dynamics, and context of the prayers of the emerging generation members of the Church of Pentecost, UK. We examine areas of continuity and discontinuity and explore how Western influences and modernisation have influenced the prayer language and style of the younger generation. Through participant observations and lived experiences, we argue that though prayer is central to the worship of the younger generation, there are significant variations between the generations within the broader framework of style, language, and content. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered the experience of loss and mourning, potentially increasing distress among bereaved individuals. This study aimed to assess this experience and examine the role of spirituality and religiosity in this context. Using a mixed-methods, cross-sectional design, this research employed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG), the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, the Burdened by Grief and Loss (BGL) scale, and an open-ended question regarding what participants found helpful in their grieving process. Of the 323 responses eligible for quantitative analysis, 225 participants responded to the open-ended question. Notably, 36.84% of the sample scored above 25 on the ICG, indicating significant grief-related distress. Quantitative findings revealed that individuals with spiritual engagement (religious or not) reported lower levels of grief and higher general well-being scores. Qualitative analysis of the open responses highlighted spirituality as the most prominent source of support in coping with grief during the pandemic. Given Brazil’s high mortality rate, a substantial number of people may be experiencing complications in their grieving processes. Healthcare professionals and spiritual/religious care providers should be equipped to offer appropriate support and foster interdisciplinary dialog to assist those bereaved effectively. Full article

In this study, we explored how people experience love and how these experiences are linked to their overall mental health, well-being, and spirituality. A total of 1499 U.S. adults completed a survey that measured six different aspects of love. Using Latent Profile Analysis (LPA), we found evidence in support of four distinct profiles: High Love, Above-Average Love, Below-Average Love, and Low Love. The High Love group, which was characterized by particularly strong feelings of religious love, reported the highest levels of life satisfaction, gratitude, and positive emotions, as well as the lowest levels of anxiety and depression. The Above-Average Love group showed moderately high levels of love with some emphasis on spirituality, while the Below-Average Love and Low Love groups experienced lower overall levels of love and spiritual connection, along with poorer mental health outcomes. Our findings suggest that a deep sense of love—especially when it involves a connection to a higher power—may be a crucial factor in promoting mental health and life satisfaction. Full article

The majority of people living in the U.S. report that spirituality is an important part of their life that is influential to their well-being. However, individuals vary widely in how they conceptualize spirituality, which often stems from and overlaps with their conceptualizations of God or so-called “God image”. Examination of people’s experiences of spirituality and conceptualization of God can enable psychologists to improve their understanding of individuals’ core personal experiences. This study evaluates both spirituality and God image, as well as the relationship between these two constructs, using qualitative hermeneutic analysis of interviews with 63 adults (51% women, 49% men, aged 18–75) from a midwestern U.S. university town. Substantial overlap characterized participants’ descriptions of spirituality and God. Participants tended to either view spirituality in relational terms or as an abstract concept, with the latter conceptualization being distanced from personal experience. Religious concepts and personal experiences were integral to most participants’ descriptions of both spirituality and God. The results emphasize the importance of addressing contextual worldviews about spirituality, inclusive of personal experiences. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the challenges of balancing work and personal life for healthcare professionals, particularly nurses. In Spain, during the sixth wave of the pandemic, characterized by a high number of infections and increased healthcare pressure, these challenges became even more pronounced. This study examines how perceived stress, sociodemographic characteristics, and work-related factors influence Work–Life Balance among Spanish nurses in this context. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 305 Spanish nurses using the online Work-Life Interaction Questionnaire (SWING) and the Perceived Stress Scale (EP-10). The findings revealed that higher levels of perceived stress were associated with increased work-to-family conflict. This conflict was further intensified among nurses working rotating shifts. In the reverse direction, from life to work, perceived stress was again a significant factor, and having children contributed to increased negative life-to-work interference. On the other hand, certain variables were linked to more positive interactions. Having a paid caregiver was associated with lower positive work-to-family interaction, whereas religious beliefs were related to more positive experiences in this domain. Finally, being a woman and having children were both associated with greater positive life-to-work interaction. This study offers a vital perspective on the complex Work–Life interaction in nursing during crises, highlighting the urgent need for structural policies that alleviate stress and conflict while enhancing well-being by recognizing the protective role of family and spirituality. These findings open new avenues for designing more effective, responsive interventions for healthcare personnel. Full article

Marital crises are common and can arise at any stage of marriage. When facing difficulties, many spouses seek support from religious communities, which provide spiritual and emotional guidance. These communities play a vital role in marriage preparation and helping couples navigate crises. In response to rising divorce rates, changing gender roles, and economic pressures, religious communities are adapting their pastoral methods. One innovative approach is storytelling, which allows couples to connect with others’ experiences, helping rebuild trust and understanding in their marriages. This article explores the role of storytelling as a tool for supporting couples in crisis, particularly in the context of religious pastoral care, focusing on its impact on communication, marital bonding, and spiritual growth. Full article

This paper examines local knowledge, perceptions, and responses to changing climes in the Trans-Himalayan region of Dolpa in Nepal. Rooted within the environmental humanities and shaped by emerging understandings of faith-based ecospirituality, our research partnership focuses on the experiences of the indigenous Tarali Magar people of Gumbatara and neighbouring Shaharatara in the Tichurong valley. Through place-based engagements and drawing on various disciplinary threads and intellectual traditions, we review the effects of changing cultural, climatic, and ritual patterns on the lives and livelihoods of the Tarali Magar community. We explore how (i) agricultural practices are changing and adapting in response to wider systemic transformations; (ii) in what ways physical changes in the weather, clime and climate are experienced and imagined by Taralis through the lens of the Tarali concepts of nham (weather) and sameu (time); and (iii) local knowledge and embodied understandings about the natural and cultural worlds are embedded within Tarali spiritual traditions and religious worldviews. In reckoning with shifts in ecological patterns that disrupt long-standing agricultural practices and the cultural and religious knowledge systems that guide them, we demonstrate that Taralis are indigenous environmental humanists and empirical scientists. Through our study, we uplift culturally grounded, location-specific religious practices in the Tichurong valley and show how members of the Tarali community are contributing to global imaginaries for sustainable futures in our more-than-human world. Full article

As individuals grow older, they experience notable shifts in their health conditions, social positions, and personal identity. Studies show that finding meaning in life correlates with healthier lifestyle choices and enhanced overall well-being. This sense of meaning functions as a protective factor against life’s challenges, strengthening resilience during later years. The research utilized thematic analysis within a qualitative methodology to investigate the subjective sources of meaning among elderly people living in Romanian institutional settings. The analysis revealed several interconnected themes. Religiosity and spirituality emerged as a fundamental anchor, with participants often mentioning God, Divinity, and Higher Power in their narratives. They typically conceptualized life as a sacred gift and emphasized the importance of religious practices such as prayer and church attendance as essential to their sense of purpose. The intergenerational transmission of values also proved significant, with elderly individuals finding meaning in passing down moral and spiritual principles to younger family members, viewing this as their enduring legacy. Interpersonal connections played a crucial role as well, with quality relationships with family and friends fostering a sense of belonging, while broken relationships or isolation negatively impacted well-being. Daily life objectives, including short-term goals like maintaining routines or anticipating family visits, along with preserving functional independence, provided structure and immediate purpose for many participants. The research distinguished between religiosity and spirituality as related but separate concepts: while formal religious rituals offered community-based meaning, those less engaged with organized religion discovered transcendence through personal spiritual experiences such as connecting with nature. This study highlights cultural specificities, particularly how Orthodox Christian traditions shape existential narratives among Romanian elderly, and proposes practical interventions for retirement facilities to incorporate activities focused on spiritual engagement, relationship building, and opportunities for elders to share their wisdom with younger generations. Full article

“If it wasn’t for the women” is a common refrain in Black Church culture, made most popular by Cheryl Townsend Gilkes’ sociology of religion work in the 1990s. As conversations grow around a perceived disconnection from the church—particularly among younger generations—many Black congregations and denominations are asking the following question: Where do we go from here? One possible response is to ask the women. Black women have long been central to the sustenance and theological framing of the Black Church. However, many contemporary Black women theologians and church-adjacent writers are reshaping religious discourse in ways that move beyond traditional ecclesial boundaries and into the interiority of Black womanhood. This turn should be considered essential in any reimagining of the Black Church. This paper employs content analysis to examine five contemporary works by Black women thinkers—Candice Benbow, Lyvonne Briggs, Tricia Hersey, EbonyJanice Moore, and Cole Arthur Riley—whose writings reflect Black women’s embodied spirituality, theological imagination, cultural meaning-making, and institutional critique within Black religious life. Rather than signaling a decline in moral or spiritual life, their work points to the search for sacred spaces that are more liberative, inclusive, and attuned to lived experience. Through a thematic analysis of Power, Authority, and Institutional Critique; Afrofuturistic Visioning of Faith; Sacred Embodiment and Spiritual Praxis; Language and Rhetorical Strategies; Gender, Sexuality, and Sacred Autonomy; and Liberation, Justice, and Social Transformation, this study contributes to the evolving conversation on Black women’s spirituality, leadership in religious spaces, and a possible iteration of the Black Church. Full article

The article seeks to read the contribution of religious practices in prison education within the broader framework of spirituality as a search for meaning in life. It argues that religious engagement can foster cognitive and emotional development, providing inmates with a sense of purpose, community, and resilience that supports their reintegration into society. In light of an exceptional and extremely significant experience with APAC in Brazil’s police-free prison model, the authors aim to highlight the nexus between spirituality and re-education in contexts of deprivation and restriction of personal liberty. Indeed, the APAC (Association for the Protection and Assistance of the Convicted) model, central to this study, emphasizes nonviolent coexistence, responsibility, and spiritual care as part of its rehabilitative framework, with a significant reduction in recidivism rates and costs compared to traditional prisons. The model’s approach, grounded in a collective sense of responsibility and spirituality, aligns with Viktor Frankl’s and Paulo Freire’s theories on meaning and liberation, illustrating how spirituality can transform prison environments and promote social justice. The study concludes that spirituality in prisons not only aids individual redemption but also calls for structural changes to support reintegration, marking a shift towards a more human-centered penitentiary system. Full article

Victims of domestic violence who bring their experiences to the attention of their spiritual communities and faith leaders have experienced both betrayal and courage from their religious institutions. There is much hurt in the betrayal and much to celebrate in the courage. Institutional betrayal can be embedded in systemic and organizational cultures that repeat themselves even with new leadership and across generations. When leadership hesitate to take actions to protect members, or values the institution above the individuals that depend on it, betrayal ensues. Alternatively, institutional courage can be implemented through improved practices and updated organizational policies. This is true in all communities, including those of faith. When clergy take supportive actions to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those within an institution, healing is more likely to follow. Faith leaders must seek to engage proactively, protect the vulnerable against injustice, and create cultures that benefit those who depend upon the institution. It takes courage to practice institutional courage! Full article

Though many Christian churches exist in Hong Kong, some who claim to be Christians are not members of churches, nor do they attend a Sunday service regularly. They identify as faithful but not religious. Some might even be pursuing advanced degrees in Christian studies. Why do they not join an institutional church then? Have they experienced trauma in institutional churches, and how do they process such issues? What do they hope for spiritually? Is there something in Christianity that cannot be replaced by secular spirituality which leads them to still claim to be Christians? In this article, I explore the experiences of dechurched Hong Kong Christians through archival and qualitative study, a method that foregrounds the often contradictory, complicated lived experience of faith, and ask questions about their earnestness and commitment to Christianity outside of the institutional church. I aim to understand the theological and religious perspectives of dechurched Christians and question the role of institutional churches in Hong Kong, discussing the following: (1) mundane trauma as a cause for leaving church, (2) the tendency of contemplative believers to leave church, and (3) the fragility of religious identity. I conclude that the institutional church in Hong Kong, as it is now, needs radical reimagination. Full article

Although there has been an increasing focus on religious and spiritual experience in literary studies within the context of post-critical and post-secular movements, much of the research is framed around the idea of “upward transcendence” in redemption narratives. This focus tends to overlook the negative aspects of life, such as absurdity, meaninglessness, and existential anxiety. Furthermore, it frequently resonates with capitalist ideals that champion a “seamless existence” while dismissing the unrefined essence of materiality. This article engages in two main tasks: First, it emphasizes the negative dimensions of religious and spiritual experience, drawing on Slavoj Žižek’s interpretation of theological and non-theological literature. Second, it expands the definition and scope of religious and spiritual experience, proposing an alternative paradigm based on absurdity and meaninglessness. This paradigm, “downward transcendence,” rejects the redemptive promise of “ascension” and redefines the sacred by engaging with the disruptive and unsettling fabric of existence, reconstructing the coordinates of the sacred within the fissures of reality. Through the case study of Sartre’s Nausea, the article explores how existential absurdity and meaninglessness can reconfigure the sacred, particularly through marginality and the transformative potential of negative experiences. It ultimately proposes downward transcendence as a radical reimagining of spiritual and existential freedom. Full article