Search Results (191)

Based on ethnographic data collected in Germany, this article compares ultra-conservative Salafi and progressive, LGBTQI-plus Muslim movements and examines their negotiation of religious identity and practice within and in contrast to ‘mainstream Islam’ (e.g., DİTİB). While on the surface these movements appear to be on the fringes of Islam and clearly opposed to each other, a closer look reveals interesting moments of convergence and publicly gained prominence. In doing so, this article explores the actor biography issues that drive affiliation, including negative experiences with mainstream mosques and the search for authentic expression and roots. It analyses the politics of labelling (e.g., ‘Salafi’, ‘liberal’), and how these groups define their target audiences in relation to the perceived mainstream. It examines the negotiation of cultural diversity and Islamic ‘purity’, contrasting Salafi reform with progressive interpretations. Finally, it examines strategies for challenging mainstream institutions. By comparing these groups, the article offers a nuanced insight into Islamic practices at the margins. It sheds light on the various strategies employed to discredit mainstream Islamic institutions, ranging from theological differences to power struggles within the contested religious field. Full article

Ṭāhā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān’s Suʼāl al-ʻunf (The Question of Violence) is perhaps the most extensive philosophical-religious critique of violence in Islamic ethics in the last decade. He distinguishes between the notions of violence, force, and struggle, rejecting violence based on Islamic sources and critical ethics. He also suggests dialogism and ethics of trusteeship as viable forms of intellectual confrontation along with a toolkit for engagement with Islamist violent groups. This paper offers first an overview of the current perspectives on non-violence in Islamic ethics. Then, I will explore Ṭāhā ʿAbd al-Raḥmān’s background and trajectory in order to contextualize his contribution to the ongoing debates on ethics in the Moroccan context. Subsequently, I will discuss his main theses and arguments on Islamist violence as well as the toolkit he offers to overcome it. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, particularly for older adults. They were identified as a high-risk group. While research has primarily focused on health measures, less is known about their adaptation processes during this period in the UK and Colombia. This study explores “how older adults in the UK and Colombia adapted during the health crisis after one year”. We conducted interviews with 29 participants in the UK and 32 participants in Colombia, aged 63–95, about their experiences one year after the pandemic. We analysed their anonymised transcripts using constructivist grounded theory. The pandemic highlighted older adults’ ability to learn new skills in the face of adversities. Some found new goals; others found pleasure in optimising existing skills and tasks. Some compensated for the lack of social connectivity by intensifying hobbies. We identified three broad ways older adults adapted. Cognitive adaptation included acceptance, positive reframing, and religious trust. Emotional regulation was experienced not only through deep freeze, weather impact, social support, religion, pet companionship but also emotional struggles. Finally behavioural adaptation was enacted through routine modification, use of virtual technologies, intertwined cognitive–emotional–behavioural adaptation, and previous experiences. However, adaptation varied, with some individuals struggling to adapt, highlighting that while adaptation is possible for some, it is not universal among all older adults. Full article

This article investigates how the Jewish leadership in early medieval Palestine employed religious elements to consolidate its power among Jewish communities across the Muslim world. It suggests that the Palestinian Academy in Jerusalem leveraged its location to enhance its authority. The first section analyzes the 921/922 calendar dispute between the Palestinian and Babylonian Jewish centers. I argue that this ostensibly religious conflict was fundamentally a political struggle for leadership, demonstrating how religious authority was utilized for political gain. The second section examines the Hoshana Rabbah ceremony on the Mount of Olives, a key event presided over by the Palestinian Academy and its head, the Gaon. Taking place on the final day of Sukkot, this ceremony attracted Jewish pilgrims from across the Muslim world to Jerusalem. This part analyzes how the Palestinian Academy strategically employed this significant religious gathering—acknowledged even by rival Jewish centers—as a political demonstration to assert its leadership over the Jewish world. Furthermore, the analysis delves into the ceremony’s historical origins, the motivations behind its establishment, and its deep connection to Jerusalem. Full article

Divorce represents a significant life transition with implications for emotional well-being, social integration, and economic security. This study examines the post-divorce experiences of women in Abu Dhabi, focusing on four challenges: financial insecurity, emotional distress, co-parenting difficulties, and struggles in forming new relationships. Drawing on data from the 5th Cycle of the Abu Dhabi Quality of Life Survey (n = 4347), the study explores how these challenges affect indicators such as life satisfaction, mental health, social trust, and financial stability. The findings show financial insecurity is the most prevalent and detrimental issue, particularly among older and less-educated women. Co-parenting stress peaks among women aged 35–49, while non-Emirati women report heightened financial vulnerability. Emotional distress is associated with poor sleep, reduced trust, and digital coping behaviors. Older women face greater social reintegration challenges. Religious practice emerges as a frequent coping mechanism, especially among those experiencing stigma and isolation. Guided by the Stress Process Model, the study highlights the interplay of social and psychological stressors and offers practical insights for psychiatric and mental health practitioners supporting women through family disruption. Full article

Using space as a conceptual framework, this paper analyzes the nature of a controversy that arose in Ethiopia when the government and three religious groups—the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC), Protestants and Muslims—clashed over claims to Ethiopia’s most famous square, Meskel Square. Critical discourse analysis of the media content of the controversy revealed that the EOTC sees the square as inherently religious and claims to use it exclusively for worship. The controversy, on the other hand, allowed the government and the other two groups to redefine the space as a shared avenue for “everyone”. The clash became a symbol of the power struggle between religious groups in Ethiopian politics. While the conflict was overlooked by the mainstream media, individuals from different political–religious orientations debated the issue in greater depth and detail through social media. The controversy has long-term implications for EOTC-related religious spaces in Ethiopia. Full article

The transnational turn in migrant studies emphasizes complexities in migration, partly related to the agency that migrants may exercise. Chapter 44 in the biblical Book of Jeremiah holds a story of migration that is peculiarly insensitive to such aspects: religious practices performed by a local community are condemned, and so are they. Through a series of analytical steps—reflection on historical conditions of migration at the time, on the historical value of the biblical sources, on a cognitive theory of mimesis in narrative, and on praxeological analysis—this study tries to regain a view of migratory complexity and migrants’ agency in that story. The reading uncovers how migrants were “doing community” through their religious practices and through their dispute with the prophet. The story reflects an enduring pattern of struggle between local communities and trans-local forces. It also reflects change in traditional communal patterns due to social changes brought about by migration. Full article

Various religious responses to the AIDS epidemic were and still are often laden with stereotypes and homophobic attitudes, sometimes justifying the disease as a divine response to “sin”. This study is dedicated to examining prayers written by non-Orthodox gay rabbis to commemorate those lost to AIDS-related causes and to pray for healing and robust health for those living with the virus. In each of these prayers, most of which are recited on World AIDS Day (WAD), the worshiper is invited to remember the deceased and the hardships they endured, as well as to bless the present moment; those struggling with the virus; and the medical teams treating it. The textual analysis illustrates how AIDS liturgy reveals the congregation’s distinct religious–therapeutic egalitarian culture. These prayers serve as political instruments of resistance against AIDS-phobia and related stereotypes, demonstrating how LGBTQ+ collective memory can be constructed through religious liturgical texts rather than exclusively within secular frameworks. This is another way for non-Orthodox Jewish communities to signal their liberal agenda and distinguish themselves from conservative communities. Full article

This article explores the historical and contemporary evolution of turbat al-ḥusayn, the sacred soil of Karbala, as a central element in shaping Shīʿī identity and ritual practices. From the early Islamic centuries, turbat al-ḥusayn has served not only as a symbol of healing and blessing but also as a key component of Shīʿī collective memory. The paper examines the development of turbat rituals across three significant periods: pre-Safavid, post-Safavid, and post-revolutionary Iran. During the pre-Safavid period, including the medieval Islamic centuries, the sanctification of turbat evolved through the efforts of Shīʿī Imams such as al-Bāqir and al-Ṣādiq, who integrated it into the theological framework of wilāyah (guardianship) and Shīʿī ritual practices. This period also witnessed the gradual codification of its ritualistic and medicinal uses in foundational Shīʿī texts. During the Safavid era, turbat became institutionalized as a marker of Shīʿī identity, with its economic significance expanding through the production of prayer tablets and rosaries. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, turbat was reinterpreted as a symbol of martyrdom and resistance, aligning with revolutionary ideologies and narratives that paralleled the sacrifices of Karbala with contemporary struggles. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced new dimensions to turbat’s role, with its promotion as a medicinal remedy by religious figures, despite lacking historical precedent in traditional Shīʿī teachings. These developments illustrate how turbat al-ḥusayn continues to be dynamically recontextualized in response to modern challenges. The study concludes that turbat al-ḥusayn transcends its ritualistic and spiritual origins, serving as a flexible and enduring symbol of Shīʿī identity. Its evolving interpretations underscore the interplay between tradition and modernity, highlighting its ongoing relevance in both devotional life and socio-political discourse. Full article

This paper analyzes the development and consolidation of anticommunist discourse in the General Conferences of the Latin American Episcopate (CELAM), from Rio de Janeiro to Aparecida. It adopts a critical perspective to examine the construction of the “messianic fraternity” myth—an ideological narrative contrasting Christian ideals of community and redemption with Marxist principles of class struggle and revolution, which served as a central axis for the Church’s rejection of communism in Latin America. Grounded in a critical analysis of the CELAM’s final documents, this study identifies the theological, political, and social underpinnings of this stance, situating it within the historical and geopolitical dynamics that positioned the Church as a key counterforce to Marxism in the region. It also examines how anticommunist positions shaped pastoral strategies, particularly in relation to social movements like liberation theology, and reinforced an episcopal identity centered on defending Christian values against a perceived global ideological threat. This analysis highlights the Church’s internal tensions and contradictions and the broader impact of its anticommunist stance on Latin America’s sociopolitical and religious dynamics in the twentieth century. Full article

This study explored the role of digital platforms in shaping gender dynamics within Christian religious leadership in Nigeria. Historically, religious leadership in Nigerian Christianity has been predominantly male-dominated, with women often relegated to subordinate roles despite their significant contributions as preachers, healers, and founders. The advent of digital platforms has introduced a new paradigm, offering both male and female leaders with avenues to expand their communication, authority, and influence. Utilizing mediatization theory, this research investigated how online spaces allow women to bypass traditional patriarchal structures, engage broader audiences, and influence religious narratives. Through in-depth interviews with twenty religious leaders across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and comment analysis from online community interactions, the study identified eight main themes that reveal the complex interactions between gender, authority, and influence in both digital and offline contexts. The findings suggest that while digital platforms provide women with increased visibility and opportunities, male leaders retain a higher level of authority and reach, even in online spaces. The study highlights the dual nature of digital media as both liberating and limiting for female leaders, presenting an environment where empowerment coexists with persistent gendered expectations. This research contributes to understanding how digital platforms impact gendered access to religious authority, revealing the ongoing struggle for gender equality within Christian leadership in Nigeria. Full article

The religious landscape of Aotearoa New Zealandis a dynamic and shifting field. One of the most riveting dimensions of religion is blooming via an indigenous Māori renaissance, which is displayed in a struggle over narratives, language, and tikanga (protocol) around sacred sites. In the digital age, social media platforms have become sites of negotiation, contestation, and the clarification of Māori religious authority in relation to sacred places. One of the hallmarks of digital culture is the flattening of traditional modes of hierarchical authority. In this article, we explore the discourse in an online news article’s comment section debating tikanga around nudity on the summit of Taranaki Mountain, a place widely regarded as sacred to Māori. This project follows the work of Neumaier and Klinkhammer in tracing the contours of what we identify as a form of mediatised interreligious contact between settler secularity and Indigenous Māori. Using this frame, we argue that this case study affords a deeper understanding of Māori perspectives, settler appeals to secularity, and the digital environment shaping and forming these points of contact. Full article

In this paper, I will argue that Aquinas provides a framework for why and how religious communities, specifically Christian religious communities, can minister to those who struggle with suicide. Aquinas thinks that charity makes us friends of God, and to be God’s friend is to love one’s neighbor and care for his needs. After examining what Aquinas has to say about suicide, I consider in some detail what he has to say about charity. In light of recent psychological research, I use what Aquinas has to say about charity to suggest ways in which the church should help those struggling with suicidal ideation. Full article

Teachers in Islamic schools are often required to navigate complex identities. They balance personal and/or school-based religious obligations with contemporary secular-based commitments to meet organisational demands for institutional compliance. Behaviourally, the motivations and attitudes of teachers play a vital role in shaping a learning environment that fosters a sense of community and caters to the needs of students. However, recent studies on Islamic education suggest a real struggle in managing such complexities. Consequently, scholars have called for specialized programs to counter such issues, focusing on the need for schools to renew their commitment to promoting educational values, principles and practices that are rooted in the Islamic tradition. Several higher education institutions have responded to this call by establishing programs in Islamic studies and Islamic education. Nevertheless, there is limited knowledge of the organisational and behavioural significance of such programs on the professional identity of teachers. Using semi-structured interviews, this article presents findings from four teachers who had completed a postgraduate qualification in Islamic education at an Australian university. The six-phase thematic data analysis, informed by Muslim identity and an Islamic worldview, revealed that secular teacher education provided participants with ‘a license to teach’ but lacked in ‘nurturing a purpose for teaching’. The findings also revealed a distinct connection between Islamic teacher education, professional learning and professional identity, whereby Islamic-based pedagogies ‘enlightened and empowered’ teachers toward becoming ‘faith-centred’ in their professional practice. While the study was limited to four teachers, it contributes knowledge to the Islamic education, organizational and behavioural fields of inquiry in two ways, by underlining that (i) the professional identities of Muslim teachers are shaped by a knowledge-seeking mindset, and (ii) Islamic teacher education and professional learning create pathways towards the renewal of teachers’ professional identities in Islamic schools. Full article

Ideas about shared religious education are in need of further exploration in post-apartheid South Africa. This is necessary, considering the contributions from faith communities in their shared resistance to apartheid. While some sectors of the Christian community, and particularly the Dutch Reformed Church provided a religious justification for apartheid, other denominations, together with Muslim, Jewish, and Hindu communities struggled against this white supremacist ideology. In other ways, the neglect of the potential of shared religious education provides an apt commentary on how some within-faith communities responded to a democracy by retreating into faith identities, as made explicit in the proliferation of faith-based schools. It follows, however, that if religious communities can mobilise together to resist the apartheid state, then it should be possible for these same communities to unite to work towards the kind of transformed society envisioned in their struggle against apartheid. Hence, the interest of this article: if faith-based schools are an inevitable manifestation of democratic and pluralistic societies, then what can these schools share in terms of content and ethos towards advancing democratic values? How might a shared religious education facilitate and sustain the reform measures, necessary for social transformation in South Africa? Full article