This article aims to discover the roots of the debate between evangelical and contemporary theologians regarding contextual theology, evaluate both, and question the necessity of contextual theology. To achieve this goal, the author uses a qualitative research approach with a comparative research method, especially historical comparative research method. Based on this method, the fundamental difference between evangelical and contemporary theologians regarding contextual theology is the scriptural worldview that appears in the understanding, reasoning, philosophy and interpretation, as well as their respective models of contextual theology. Contemporary contextual theology is a continuation and/or evolution of liberal and/or modern theology with an agenda of liberation in the context of a pluralistic society. The contextual theology of Evangelical theologians is the continuation and development of Reformed theology (tradition) with a holistic mission and evangelization agenda. In fact, all fields of theology, such as biblical, systematic, historical, philosophical, let alone practical, must be contextual, so contextual theology does not need to stand alone as a field let alone a discipline.
The examination of the poetics inherent in the polemical prose authored by Uniate writers during the late 16th and the first half of the 17th centuries holds substantial significance for comprehending rhetoric as a pivotal element in the stylistic evolution of Ukrainian literature throughout this period. The objective of this article is to explore the interrelationship between the works of Uniate polemicists and the framework of classical rhetoric, particularly by elucidating the functioning of rhetorical figures and argumentation techniques within their texts. To accomplish this aim, a range of literary methodologies were employed. Those methods included historical-cultural, comparative-historical, biographical, structural-analytical, as well as hermeneutic approaches. An in-depth historical and theoretical analysis of the rhetorical tools originating from antiquity, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Baroque period – encompassing figures, tropes, and forms of argumentation – facilitates a deeper understanding of how these were used by Uniate writers in the polemical discourse of their era. The findings of the study reveal that the works of Uniate writers are constructed according to paradigms established in ancient Greece and are replete with diverse linguistic strategies aimed at persuading their audience. The scientific novelty of this work lies in its expansion of the comprehension in terms of how the rhetoric of antiquity, the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Baroque influenced on Ukrainian polemical literature. The implications for future research are linked to the rhetorical analysis of polemical texts. Moreover, it is expedient to explore the role of rhetoric in socio-political dynamics and the formation of religious consciousness during the epoch of the Union of Brest.
This article offers the architectural definition and interpretative keys to a unique project. It is a space shared by the three main Abrahamic faiths: the Jewish, Christian and Muslim religions. Although conceptually other religions could be accommodated. Its configuration is very elementary: a cubic volume, massive and almost blind, with a cylindrical space crowned by a simple skylight. Each of the religions is based on a scratching of the interior surfaces of the space, forming the ritual areas of each of them. And towards the center of the space there are other areas of prayer and celebration that could be shared among the believers of the different religions, from the conviction that they are addressed to the same God. In this configuration there is a will of invitation, of offering to all men of good will. The article, written by the architect of this space, mentions some plastic and conceptual references that have served as inspiration for the project and its presentation is intended to fuel the debate on the possibility of this space.
The Cao’an (草庵), situated in the Fujian Province of China, stands as a rare Manichean relic that has long attracted scholarly interest. In the Sunei (苏内) village where the Cao’an is located, there are numerous texts, narratives, and religious practices related to Manichaeism which are often cited as evidence of local Manichaean activities since the Song and Yuan Dynasties. However, drawing from anthropological fieldwork, this paper points out that the local villagers have a more complex and seemingly contradictory attitude towards Manichaeism. On the one hand, they are enthusiastic about worshipping “Moni guangfo” (Mani the Buddha of Light, 摩尼光佛) and collecting narratives of their Manichaean ancestors. On the other hand, they resist the local government’s attempts to strengthen the “Manichaean” characteristics of Cao’an and related village temples. Their familial ethics provides a critical and coherent perspective. The villagers have gradually accumulated a wealth of Manichaean-related texts and narratives to demonstrate the moral virtues of their ancestors. Their beliefs and rituals concerning Mani the Buddha of Light are also grounded in traditional familial ethics. This helps us grasp the reality of Manichaeism-related culture in contemporary China.
Following the proclamation of the unified state of the South Slavs, the process of harmonizing legislation on religious organizations across the various historical provinces that became part of the state commenced. While regulations governing the organization and functioning of specific religious organizations were only enacted after 1929, efforts to draft comprehensive legislation to regulate interreligious relations and the legal status of all religious organizations continued until 1941, when they were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. One particularly sensitive issue addressed in these legislative drafts was the determination of children's religious affiliation. This paper argues that, while the drafts of interreligious laws and regulations adopted several progressive and modern concepts for determining children's religious affiliation, they simultaneously retained conservative provisions that favored recognized religions. These conservative elements reflected the broader framework of state-church relations in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia) during the interwar period.
This study aims to determine whether the communication style of preaching that Wahhabis have carried out follows the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. So far, Wahhabis have always claimed that Wahhabism is the most sunnah teaching; even clerics from their group get the title of Sunnah priest, while Priests not in line with Wahhabism are labeled as heretics. This study is based on a descriptive literature research approach. The data collection technique used in this
research was a literature study. At the same time, the analysis technique used in this research was descriptive. After conducting in-depth research, it was concluded that the preaching communication style that the Wahhabis have carried out is not essentially adhering to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. Several things cause this discrepancy. First, the Prophet's
Preaching is Holistic, not focused on a particular theme. In preaching, the Prophet Muhammad did it in a very balanced way. The Prophet preached the issue of monotheism, fiqh, and morality in an integrated manner without highlighting one side or the other. Preaching the Prophet like this was not followed by the Wahhabis. The Wahhabis, in their preaching, only focus on the purification of monotheism. Second, Wahhabis misunderstand the meaning of bid'ah (heretical) hadith. Wahhabis categorically reject all local traditions that did not exist at the time of the Prophet, even though the Prophet Muhammad's hadith about heresy should be properly understood. The bid'ah prohibited in the hadith is dolalah bid'ah, while the hasanah bid'ah is not forbidden and is even
highly recommended. Third, Wahhabis are seemingly commiting crimes by falsifying the books of the ahlu sunah wal jamah scholars. Wahhabis changed the contents of the Book, which was initially not following the teachings of Wahhabism, and they were altered to be in line with Wahhabism.
The Church is God's agency to bring about well-being in the world (Harold, 2018a). This bringing out of well-being to humanity call for an understanding of justice and compassion through a missional reading of the Bible and its intersection with "actions" of the Evangelical Church in post-apartheid South Africa. The aim of this article is two-fold, the first, is to examine the praxis of the Evangelical Church and its relevance to the marginalised in South Africa critically, and the second, is to help the ECSA understand that a missional reading or a missional hermeneutic through theosis brings about a correct understanding (orthodoxy) of
compassion, justice and the Missio Dei leading to the right action (orthopraxis). Using literature, this article will explore and recommend ways the ECSA can act prophetically by
speaking to and on behalf of the voiceless in South Africa. The researcher then employs the notion of Theosis to show that by acting compassionately, the Church reflects the very
nature of God.
This study aims to answer three questions, namely: 1) What is the level of implementation of the sending of Jesus disciples based on Matthew 28:18-20 among Christian Religious Education Teachers in Batam City? 2) Which dimension is the most dominant in determining the implementation of the sending of Jesus' disciples based on Matthew 28:18-20 among Christian Religious Education Teachers in Batam City? 3) Which background is the most dominant in determining the implementation of the sending of Jesus' disciples based on Matthew 28:18-20 Among Christian Religious Education Teachers in Batam City?. The teacher is a person who is entrusted by God in carrying out education and teaching in accordance with the gifts that have been given to him or her. The teacher is one of the human components in the teaching and learning process, which plays a role in efforts to form potential human resources in the field of development. They should remain faithful in implementing the purpose of being sent as disciples to make all nations become disciples of Christ or His witnesses as they carry out their vocation as teachers of Christian Religious Education. They should be supported to study further and conduct suitable relevant research. The role of Christian Religious Education teacher is a distinct and core calling in the Church today.
In the History of Religions, which examines all the religions in the world, the number of studies conducted in Turkey in recent years has been increasing. In this respect, there is a need for studies that deal with the course of the History of Religions in Turkey and analyze and analyze the point reached numerically and thematically. Academicians who are experts in their fields make some publications on this subject. This study aims to present numerical ratios, thematic data, and brief evaluations of postgraduate theses in the field of the History of Religions under the supervision of expert academics in Turkish universities. Due to the abundance and diversity of thesis studies in the History of Religions from past to present, this study is limited to theses completed only in 2021. The research was carried out using document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods of Social Sciences. The research data sources were obtained by scanning postgraduate theses on the Council of Higher Education (YÖK) National Thesis Center website. In this context, 57 theses meeting the relevant criteria were identified, and the study data set was created. The study presents these theses under thematic categories by listing their full tags and Turkish-English short summaries.
Philosophy of religion. Psychology of religion. Religion in relation to other subjects
<h4>Background</h4>There are various religions in Ethiopia, of which the Orthodox Tewahido Christian accounts for 44% of the population. According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido practice close to 200 days annually are dedicated to fasting. During this time, all followers who are above seven years old are expected to abstain from all types of food, including animal source foods and water for up to some hours daily. It is possible that such practice by mothers or caregivers could affect children's dietary practice. However, whether mothers/caregivers' fasting status influences dietary diversity of children during these periods remained uninvestigated.<h4>Methods</h4>A community-based longitudinal study was conducted in Debrebirhan, North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia in seven randomly selected kebeles. We collected data in a sample of 218 mothers/caregivers, from January 29 to February 25, 2019 in the pre-fasting period and from March 18 to April 10, 2019, during fasting period on same participants. Data was entered on Epi-Data version 4.4.2.1 and analyzed using STATA 15 software. Children's dietary diversity was measured using the World Health Organization (WHO) standardized questionnaire for infant and young child feeding. The McNemar paired test was used for comparison of baseline and end line measurements. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.<h4>Result</h4>A total of 218 and 216 mothers/caregivers with children 6-23 months participated in the study before and during fasting season with a response rate of 100.0% and 99.0% respectively. The median age of children was 14 months. The proportion of children who met the minimum dietary diversity before the fasting season was significantly higher (23.4%) compared to during the fasting period (5.5%). (P<0.001). The proportion of children who consumed dairy product was significantly higher (55.5%) before the fasting period compared to consumption during the fasting period (42.6%) (p<0.001). Similarly, consumption of flesh food was significantly higher before the fasting period (17.9%) compared to consumption during the fasting period (0.46%) (P<0.001).<h4>Conclusion</h4>The study revealed that mothers/caregivers' fasting status negatively affect the dietary diversity of children aged 6-23 months in the household by decreasing their consumption of animal source food. Intervention strategies in promoting children's dietary diversity should be designed in a way that considers Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Christian mothers/caregivers' fasting practice.
Los escasos testimonios escritos y datos arqueológicos, que evidencian las primeras manifestaciones de carácter cristiano conocidas hasta la fecha en el área de la actual provincia de Toledo, se datan a partir de principios del siglo IV y sugieren la existencia, en esos momentos, de un consolidado poder episcopal con sede en Toletum a la vez que una creciente vinculación de algunos acomodados terratenientes con el cristianismo. Con el objetivo de contribuir al debate sobre la implantación de esta religión en el ámbito rural toledano y su entorno, durante la etapa más antigua a la que estas fuentes escritas y materiales permiten acceder, se analizan algunas cuestiones que plantea la documentación disponible y se discuten críticamente las principales hipótesis avanzadas hasta la fecha.
This article is a theoretical treatment of the ways in which local worldviews on wealth acquisition give rise to contemporary manifestations of spirituality in cyberspace. It unpacks spiritual (occult) economies and wealth generation through a historical perspective. The article ‘devil advocates’ the ‘sainthood’ of claimed law-abiding citizens, by highlighting that the line dividing them and the Nigerian cybercriminals (Yahoo-Boys) is blurred with regards to the use of magical means for material ends. By doing so, the article also illustrates that the intersectionality of the spirit world and the acquisition of wealth (crime or otherwise) is connected with local epistemologies and worldviews, and its contemporaneity has social security benefits. Therefore, the view that the contemporary manifestations of spirituality in cyberspace signify a ‘new-danger’ and an ever-increasing outrage in Nigerian society is misplaced. I conclude that if people believe all aspects of life are reflective of the spiritual world and determined by it, the spiritual realm, by implication, is the base of society, upon which sits the superstructure comprised of all aspects of life, especially wealth. Inferentially, this conceptual position that the spirit world is the base of society is an inversion of Orthodox Marxist’s theory of economic determinism.
Introduction: The globalization in progress brings cultures and religions, that were once distant, ever more close, sometimes in a conflictual way. Often, the discussion has a superficial character because knowledge of the roots of one's own culture is being lost. Therefore, it is difficult to study other cultures in depth. In particular, in studying yoga, it seems appropriate to refer to the texts that are at the basis of both Western and Indian civilizations. The comparison of texts could add a little more understanding of a practice that has recently become an intangible heritage of humanity.
Material and Methods: In this article, texts in hand, we intend to offer an example of how two cultures, the Hindu one, with particular reference to yoga, and the Jewish–Christian one, present common contents. For reasons of space, the Jewish and Christian traditions have come together in that they, although present very different characters, share a good part of the same sacred book, the Holy Bible, as their foundation. For Hinduism, yoga and Vedānta have come together in that aimed, in different ways and languages, to the same purpose: the realization of the identity between ātman and Brahman. The texts taken as an example in this case were the Bṛhad-Āraṇyaka-Upaniṣad and Yoga Yājñavalkya.
Results: We found textual evidence of commonality between the concepts of vital breath and speech, present in both traditions. In addition, the functions attributed by the texts to both these concepts – that is, to give life, remove demons and blot out sins – appear to be common.
Discussion: Yoga has been defined by Sri Krishnamacharya as the “India's biggest gift to the world.” However, in the West, it is increasingly becoming “simply” a sporting practice. The comparison between the two traditions therefore appears necessary to recover the knowledge of both, the common traits and, ultimately, to deepen all that yoga has to offer regarding the understanding of life itself. The short comparison of texts we made in the present article reveals similar conceptions regarding fundamental concepts, such as vital breath and speech, and suggests the possibility of finding broader commonalities.
Other systems of medicine, Therapeutics. Pharmacology
“Kamil insan” konsepsiyası irfan və transsendental fəlsəfənin ontologiyasının əsas predmetlərindən biri olub, İbn Ərəbi və Sədrəddin Şirazinin fəlsəfi dünyagörüşündə geniş müzakirə obyektinə çevirilmişdir. Bu konsepsiya irfanda ilk dəfə İbn Ərəbi tərəfindən irəli sürülmüşdür. İbn Ərəbiyə görə kamil insan haqqın bütün isimlərinin təcəllasıdır. İbn Ərəbinin nəzərincə, kamil insan yaradılışın mükəmməl modelidir. Sədrəddin Şirazi fəlsəfəsində kamil insan aləmlə-insanlar arasında ilahi feyz vasitəsi kimi xarakterizə olunur. O, varlığın obyektivliyi nəzəriyyəsi əsasında, kamil insanın aləm və insanla əlaqəsi haqqında İbn Ərəbidən fərqli fikirlər irəli sürür. O, kamil insanı təbiət aləmi və metafizik aləm arasındakı əlaqələndirici hesab edir. Ona görə, kamil insan insan və aləm arasında harmoniya yaradır. Bu məqalədə İbn Ərəbi və Sədrəddin Şirazinin insan və kamil insana dair nəzəriyyələrini təsvir, təhlil, müqayisə və bəzən də tənqid edərək, mövzunu nəzərdən keçirmişik. Nəticə olaraq, bu xüsusda Sədrəddin Şirazinin İbn Ərəbidən fərqli fikir irəli sürdüyünü göstərmişik.
Religion (General), Philosophy of religion. Psychology of religion. Religion in relation to other subjects
<p>As founder of the Focolare Movement, Chiara Lubich was greatly influenced by various fields and disciplines. Her thinking offers a platform of common ground for dialogue. The fundamental elements of Chiara’s dialogue are the concepts of <em>love</em> and <em>fraternity</em>, which not only help the Catholic Church to have dialogue with other cultures and religions, but are also relevant to the academic world and our daily life. Chiara’s thoughts on <em>unity</em> offer a fresh new perspective; once we have adapted our thinking to this, then a new kind of education becomes possible. Her spirituality of unity—introduced to Asia in 1966—has been influential despite the fact that most of the population are non-Christian. Recently, some Asian scholars have been exploring new approaches using Chiara’s philosophy to improve their research methodology and teaching; in Taiwan, the “Culture of Unity” course has experimented with new educational techniques influenced by Chiara’s thinking. This paper aims to examine Chiara’s thoughts on education, as well as her influence on higher education in Taiwan.</p>
The goal — the study of peace and peaceful existence as the basis of the entire human civilization — has been achieved by solving of the following tasks: 1) philosophical and linguistic analysis of the concepts of «peace» and «peaceful existence»; 2) consideration of the problem of peaceful existence in a logical-historical aspect; 3) the study of the praxeological aspect of the problem, that is, specific ways to achieve peace; 4) consideration of the essence and foundations of the social world; 5) highlighting the role of religions and religious denominations to ensure a peaceful existence. Research methods include methods of historical and philosophical, cultural and linguistic analysis, comparative approach. Results. The main aspects of peaceful existence as a basic concept of the whole human history and civilization have been considered. Peace and war as two dialectical foundations of human existence are closely interconnected throughout world history. This proves both the conducted linguistic analysis and the logical-historical approach to the problem of peaceful existence. The state of the peace was not always recognized as indispensable for individual and social being. Following Heraclitus, philosophers often had recognized the benevolent nature of war as a factor that binds states and nations together. But in the twentieth century, the war acquired such qualitative characteristics that any military confrontation can lead to a nuclear apocalypse, although even today many advanced technologies appear precisely in the military industry. In the era of civilizational confrontation caused by globalization processes, the achievement and preservation of universal peace has become a vital task for all mankind. Findings. The notions of a peaceful existence have evolved from thinking about the artificiality of the world and the naturalness of hostility and war for humanity and the individual to the axiomatic concepts that extol world peace on the planet as the only means to avoid nuclear apocalypse. Globalization can contribute to the awareness of the fragility of the entire human civilization and the uniqueness of the sociocultural formations that make it up. In order to achieve peace on the planet, it is necessary to abandon attempts to unify it by force. The entire wealth of human culture cannot be simplified and unified within the framework of a single geopolitical, economic and cultural paradigm. Aggressive attempts of such a kind can lead to the complete destruction of mankind.
Political institutions and public administration (General)
Theological educators are now nurturing dialogue, schemes, and practices that are intended to recognize the myriad of challenges and opportunities resulting in teaching Theology and Religious Instruction in a racially, religiously, culturally and ethnically diverse demographic environment. The article highlights the effectiveness of interactive learning as opposed to direct classical style teaching in Theology and Religious Instruction. The traditional method
makes a teacher or lecturer the centre of teaching and learning: the master over didactics and pedagogics. Direct teaching can still be effective in some instances, though research shows that interactive learning promotes students towards self-directed learning. While there are various methodological approaches such as the historical, literary, cultural and traditions based studies approach, teaching about religion is required to convey three central premises of academic education , namely, that religions are within their own dogmas relatively diverse, dynamic and entrenched in a particular ethos. This is where interactive learning becomes important since it is a useful approach. It is variously called computer-based learning, cooperative, blended, active, and collaborative learning. It is deemed as the opposite of
passive learning - a pedagogical approach that incorporates social networking and computing into course design and delivery. The primary reasons for applying this method of teaching is to assist with summation, formativeness, and it serves as motivation during the learning processes. In teaching theology, this approach promotes the students’ capacity to work independently and cooperatively. It further sharpens and hones excellent teaching
abilities and skills. Above all, it develops students into self-directed learners.
The article investigates the problem of fixing the priestly institution indigenous religions cheremis and votyaks domestic researchers XVIII - early XX centuries. Considered attempts to systematize and classify, construct hierarchies clergy studied ethnic groups by the scientific community. Based on a comparative analysis concludes functional similarity clergy, openness, availability of certain analogies in the systems considered religious institution. The author traces the presence of dissonance research in building systems priests associated with the lack of a unified approach to the study generated problems. Puts forward the assumption that the distribution of responsibilities between the ministers of religion, taking into account the location of the participants in supplications, is a certain image, a universal model, a figure resembling a branching "world tree".
Up to now, philosophical approaches to Qohelet (Ecclesiastes) have tended to focus mostly on how parts
of the book relate to some concepts in ethics and epistemology. By contrast, metaphysical assumptions
in the text have received comparatively less attention. Yet while Qohelet is not a metaphysical textbook,
the language of the author invariably contains many metaphysical assumptions about issues of interest
popularly associated with this philosophical discipline (especially in its analytic form) and which still have
not been studied in a conceptually nuanced manner. In light of this gap, the present study aims to provide
a meta-theoretical prolegomenon to future descriptive metaphysical perspectives on the book. Bracketing
controversies regarding the nature and possibility of metaphysics as such, the author offers an
introductory overview of those concepts discussed therein and with reference to which Qohelet could be
read in a comparative-philosophical manner.