This article presents a case study of the Catholic Church from multiple case studies on narratives of youth development in South Africa. The purpose of this article is to illustrate mainstreaming youth development through an exemplary case of South Africa beyond thirty years of democracy. The article is also informed by the imperatives of critical theory to understand mainstreaming youth development in South Africa. I examine mainstreaming youth development about sustainable development via athepreneurship (to be described later in the discussion). As mentioned above, South Africa was purposively selected in this context. The argumentation forwarded depicts athepreneurship as one of the ways of mainstreaming youth development in the Church. Data were collected using the qualitative method of documentary analysis. The results of the article indicate the need to pursue the skills development capacities of young people so that they can contribute to the development of their livelihood. The study concludes by highlighting that the participation of youth in South Africa in sustainable development activities could serve as an anchor for mainstreaming youth development in Southern Africa beyond 30 years of democracy.
This article explores the excommunication of Theodosius in 390 AD and argues that, although the massacre of Thessalonica precipitated Ambrose’s condemnation, this episode was not a spontaneous event, but rather the result of the latter’s intellectual interest in the political and soteriological effects of penance. Deeply influenced by biblical exegesis, Ambrose portrayed Theodosius’ excommunication as a triumph for both himself and the emperor. However, later Christian sources predominantly depicted this event as a direct clash between church and state, an interpretation that has endured to the present day.
Sehat Ihsan Shadiqin, M. Agus Wahyudi, Alfiatunnur Alfiatunnur
et al.
Building mutual understanding among people of different religions is crucial in anticipating issues arising from individual religious identities. The concept of love, as viewed by Jalaluddin Rumi, can serve as a medium for nurturing interfaith peace. Rumi believed that love is at the core of human existence and emphasized its power in achieving tranquility. Through Rumi’s teachings, we gain an understanding of the significance of compassionate love in fostering mutual understanding and respect among different faiths. This article delves into Rumi’s life and works, highlighting his contributions to Sufism and his unique perspective on love. Furthermore, it delves deeper into Rumi’s concept of love. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the field of interfaith studies by exploring the potential of Rumi’s concept of love to promote mutual understanding and respect among religions through poetry and Rumi’s teachings. The research employs a qualitative method, specifically a literature review, drawing data from various references, books, and articles related to Rumi’s works and thoughts, particularly those discussing the concept of love. The findings reveal that Rumi’s concept of love can serve as a medium for addressing religious conflicts and building a more peaceful world. By embracing Rumi’s teachings on love, we learn to see beyond our differences and connect with each other at a deeper level.
This article aims to analyze the ideas of health and illness in ancient Buddhism, making use of the theoretical tools of medical anthropology and historical–philological inquiry. As a contribution to the conceptual history of medicine in Buddhism, I intend to focus the present investigation on the ascetic problem of the “end of the world” as a means of achieving complete healing. The asceticism of early Buddhism reconciles the goal of transcendence with that of healing, carrying out a complex reflection on awareness and presence.
Lila Pelita Hati, Nazil Mumtaz al-Mujtahid, Syukur Kholil
et al.
This article aims to analyze the development communication model of the Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB) in increasing the intensity of religious moderation in Medan City. Intolerance is a vital problem that damages the social order, especially in Medan City, one of the most intolerant cities in Indonesia. The urgency of this research is to find alternative solutions for a heterogeneous society to degrade intolerance. The Religious Harmony Forum has a vital role
in accommodating the interests of heterogeneous communities in order to create a harmonious social space. This research uses a qualitative method with a sociological-communicative approach. The data techniques used in this research are interviews, observation, and documentation that rely on two source types, namely primary data and secondary data. This article uses analytical interpretation and content analysis techniques to process raw data and create constructive solutions. The results show that the Religious Harmony Forum of Medan City is working on various programs with three periodizations. This
program is implemented through linear communication and participatory communication models. The dynamics of intolerance in Medan City have not been fully degraded, considering that there are still several programs that still need to be implemented. This program aims to encourage harmonious social intensity according to the guidance of the Qur'an, a society that puts aside religious subjectivity and is oriented toward humanity.
Iman Jauhari, Zamakhsyari Bin hasballah Thaib, M. Jafar
et al.
This article seeks to examine the perspective of Islamic law on child protection issues, by specifically comparing the teachings of Islamic law on child protection with the Child Protection Law no. 23 of 2002 in Indonesia. This research was based on a literature review with a descriptive analytical and comparative approach being taken. Among the main conclusions in this study are inter alia, that Islamic law provides the best protection for children when compared to conventional domestic legislation and international conventions on child
protection. In the Indonesian context, even though the Child Protection Law no. 23 of 2002 has been enacted, there are still many deficiencies in the articles that can be perfected by observing Islamic teachings. The rights of children in Islam start from the time of forming a family, by choosing a good life partner, and it is prohibited to for a spouse to commit adultery as this can devastate the couple and the children if there are any. Furthermore, Islam also protects children before birth by giving them the right to live and it vehemently opposes and
prohibits abortion and promotes the obligation to provide nafaqah (financial support a husband must provide for his wife during marriage and for a time after divorce), for pregnant women. After a child is born, Islam also provides protection by providing material and immaterial rights for children. In addition, Islam also provides protection for children in special conditions, such as children who are adopted and children with disabilities.
The use of podcasts as a learning strategy in Christian education aims to focus on students study areas and make them think creatively about what they hear, so that what is being learned can be properly implemented because students are actively involved in the discussion and get immediate feedback from what was discussed. This study examined the senior high school students' creativity towards Christian education about "love, sex, and dating" in terms of their activities in answering questions. The quantitative data was obtained from the responses of as
sample of the first-grade students that enrolled in a Christian education subject in SMAN 3 Tarutung. Questionnaires were given to them to respond to in order to assess the students' creativity based on the Guilford Theory of Creativity. The collected data was analyzed quantitatively from the students' answers by using the percentage of how many responses there were (fluency), how many types of responses there were (flexibility), the unusualness of the responses (originality), and the detail of the responses (elaboration). The Guilford theory system was used to quantify the relative level of students' creativity, and then to arrive at the
conclusion of this study, the collected data was analyzed quantitatively. The result showed a significant difference in students' creativity in understanding Christian education relating to "Love, Sex, and Dating" after using podcasts to convey the material along with two informants who were experts in Christian education. This study has an important contribution to make in helping academicians improve and enhance their teaching strategies to achieve the desired objectives of using podcasts as a learning strategy in Christian education so as to develop students' creativity optimally.
Geometric patterns are one of the most important features of Islamic monuments that are formed based on Islamic codes and concepts. The use of geometry in arrays and works of art and Islamic architecture has been a gateway to the knowledge of unknown universal codes, the manifestation of which is derived from the concepts of God. Soltan Mohammad Khodabandeh (Oljaito), Ghazan Khan's brother, was born to an Uzbek father and an Armenian mother. During his lifetime, Oljaito chose different religions until he was finally influenced by the Shiite religion and became very devoted to the Shiite dynasty, so much so that he decided to build a great tomb with various sacred decorations of Islamic art in Zanjan (the capital of Iran during the Ilkhanate) and move the bodies of Imam Ali (AS) and Imam Hussein (AS) from Najaf and Karbala to that place. However, after completing the construction, he faced strong opposition from the imitators of that time and could not achieve his long-held dream, and at the end of his life, he turned to the Sunnis again. After him, during the reign of his son, who had a special devotion to the Sunnis, the interior decorations were tailored to his beliefs, which had the color and scent of the Sunni concepts. The construction of the historic city of Soltaniyeh began during the reign of Arghun Khan, the Mongol ruler, and developed during the reign of Soltan Mohammad Khodabandeh as one of the great Islamic cities. By the order of Oljaito, the dome of Soltaniyeh located in Zanjan city was introduced in 704 AH, in the city of Soltaniyeh, the capital of the Ilkhans at that period, and in 712 AH the tomb of Oljaito was erected in the central core of the city of Soltaniyeh by his order. It is known as the tallest building and the largest brick dome in the world and one of the most beautiful historical buildings in the world, which is the manifestation of the glory and art of Islamic architecture and the objective manifestation of the evolution of Iranian architecture. The height of the dome is 48.50 meters; the diameter of the opening is 25 meters with 1.60 meters thickness, constructed by the double-shell technique. The purpose of this study is to interpret the concepts and geometric codes hidden in the decoration and architecture of Soltaniyeh Dome based on an analysis of Islamic concepts from the perspective of Quranology, Hadithology, Numerology, Abjad, Al-Jafr, Asma al-Hassani along with symbolism of geometric shapes and color in decoration and architecture. Also in the analysis of golden proportions of the building, 2020 PhiMatrix 1.618 Pro, Atrise Golden Section 2018, 2018 Golden Ratio and PhiMatrix Golden Ratio Design 2020 software have been used. For this purpose, the research questions are: 1- In what geometric forms are the meanings and concepts used in the decoration and architecture of Soltaniyeh Dome reflected in the arrays of this monument with the aid of numbers? 2- What is the role of geometry in creating spiritual connections between material, mystical worlds and creating a single message in the decorative arrays of Soltaniyeh Dome 3- The effectiveness of the arrays can be classified into how many levels? The research method was historical-interpretive. The method of data collection was library-based and fieldwork, using comparative-analytical data analysis subsequently. The results show that the concepts and meanings are reflected in the arrays in physical forms (in the form of buildings and the hierarchy of formation of spaces), religious symbols (such as Shamseh, celestial bodies), linear shapes (divine names and verses), and colors (to create a sense of space). The use of sacred numbers, symbols and religious forms in the spatial and physical structures of the building has caused a spiritual connection between the earth (material) and light (spiritual) world. Monument arrays are also categorized into 5 levels: geometric shapes (square, octagonal, and circle), numbers (4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 23, 36, 40, 42, 60, and ... 110), holy names (Allah, Mohammad (PBUH), Ali (AS)) and Sunni religious concepts, use of spaces, Quranic verses and hadiths in the form of Bannai script. Also, the results of the research show that all the components of the Soltaniyeh Dome are based on Islamic concepts that are appropriate to its use, which was a place for the burial of Imams. In fact, the master artists and architects of Soltaniyeh Dome, with full knowledge of various sciences such as geometry (complete knowledge of formal and mystical concepts of geometric shapes), mathematics (recognizing sacred numbers and their use in structural elements), occult sciences, Abjad, Al-Jafr, proportions, symbolism and chromology, have tried to create a sacred building that can be the property of God and the eternal court of the Shiite Imams.
Interaction between people is a cornerstone of being human. Despite huge developments in languages and communicative skills, interaction often fails, which causes problems and costs in everyday life and work. An inability to conduct dialogue also produces conflicts between groups of people, states and religions. Therefore, there are good reasons to claim that miscommunication and failures in interaction are among the most serious problems in the world. Researchers from different fields - linguistics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, brain research, philosophy - have tried to tackle this complex phenomenon. Their method-driven approaches enrich our understanding of the features of interaction in many ways. However, what is lacking is an understanding of the very essence of interaction, which needs a more holistic, phenomenon-driven approach. The aim of this paper is to show that the only way to reach this goal is multidisciplinarity, that is, using the results and methods of different fields of research. This is not an easy goal and task because the way of thinking and doing research varies greatly discipline-wise. A further obstacle is the researchers training, which, as a rule, focuses on the tradition of only one field of research. The Multidimensional Model of Interaction provides a good framework for a more holistic approach to interaction by viewing the complex phenomenon from different angles. The model includes various phases of the process of interaction, beginning with the choice of the topic by the speaker and ending with identification of the reference by the recipient, as well as the mental worlds of the interlocutors (knowledge, attitudes, values, emotional state etc.), recipient design (accommodation of speech) and external circumstances.
PACHOUMI, ELENI and EDWARDS, MARK (eds.) (2018). Praying and Contemplating in Late Antiquity Religious and Philosophical Interactions, Studies and Texts in Antiquity and Christianity 113. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck. 229 pp., 79,00€ [ISBN 978-3-1615-6119-1] [Book review]
This article examines the existing sources on King Merkourios and the unification of Nobadia and Makouria with the intension to shed light on the King’s probable contribution to this unification and the fact that he has been called a “New Constantine” by at least one source and by modern scholars. The article highlights the fact that there was no royal fanatical disposition against the Melkite Orthodox Church and that the unification of the two kingdoms was the result of economic, practical, military and political reasons rather than religious ones, which were probably secondary. The examination of sources from Merkourios’s reign, the preMerkourios period and the post-Merkourios epoch leads to new interpretations and suggestions as well as to alternative hypotheses.
El capítulo estudia varios textos con alusiones religiosas de la Historia Augusta desde una doble perspectiva. Por un lado, se describen las alusiones satíricas presentes en estos pasajes. Por otro, se reconstruye la crítica política que contienen estos mismos fragmentos. El objetivo último del trabajo es proponer una lectura coherente para el conjunto de la Historia Augusta. Se analizan varios fragmentos de la Vita Marci (13, 6), la Vita Pertinaci (1, 2-3 y 14,1-3), la Vita Didii Iuliani (7, 9-11), la Vita Pescennii Nigri (6, 5-8), la Vita Heliogabali (5, 4-5; 6, 4-5 y 28, 2) y la Vita Alexandri Severi (49, 6) para los que el autor proporciona traducciones originales. La lectura de estos textos permite definir el registro historiográfico y la personalidad crítica del esquivo y pícaro autor de la colección de biografías imperiales de los siglos II y III d.C.
From ancient times, the two Islamic and western civilizations expanded their rule over a large part of the world, and today, they have their dramatic confrontation. This research tries to examine the nature of this conflict, the destructive features and constructive interactions between the two in the existing atmosphere that as the result of social media like Facebook has gathered people from different nationalities and religions. The researcher has had an active participation in Facebook for two years , during which he has collected some documents and conducted interviews about two dominant themes, namely Islamophobia and Roman Islam, and after coding them has carried out Fairclough discourse analysis. The results show that the Roman Islam discourse is much weaker than Islamophobia, and offers a decorated and merciful picture, not of the genuine Islam, but the one supported by the west, paving the way for Islamophobic assaults, and this latter is expressed with a more popular approach to and criticism of the western media and officials.
Johann Walters, Koos Vorster, Riaan Rheeder
et al.
The Parliament of the World’s Religions made a call to the international society to find shared values that could effectively direct the new world order that is characterised by its polycentric and heterogenous character. In response to the call and informed by the Global Ethics Project, a research study was conducted under the auspices of the Unit for Reformational Theology and the Development of the Society, at the North-West University, South Africa. The study focused on how the global economy could be organised differently in order to address the severe anomalies of superficial ethics of materialism, instant gratification and the philosophy of futility that underlies the unfettered consumerism of the secular age. The study therefore searched for a new framework of flourishing or an ethic paradigm for economic prosperity. The study introduces a new ethics labelled Theoconomy. In this article, the epistemology and ontology of the research study are expounded.
Practical Theology, Practical religion. The Christian life
İraqın Nəcəf şəhərində yerləşən dini-elmi mərkəz min ilə yaxındır, fəaliyyət göstərir. Şeyxüt-taifə Tusi Nəcəfə köçdükdən sonra bu şəhər bir məzarlıqdan şəhərə çevrildi. Alimin burada dini-elmi mərkəz açaraq, ictihad prosesini sürətləndirən üslublarla tədrisə başlaması digər bölgələrin alimlərini də cəzb etdi. Şeyx Tusidən sonra Nəcəf mərkəzinin elmi inkişafında birəsrlik durğunluq dövrü yaransa da, bu, ibn İdris Hillinin zamanına qədər davam etdi və daha sonra buveyhilərin və səfəvilərin dövlət dəstəyi dini-elmi mərkəzin fəaliyyətini artırdı. XVI əsrdə dini-elmi mərkəzin dərslik mətnləri ərsəyə gəlsə də növbəti durğunluq dövrü yarandı. Bu, Nəcəfdə əxbariliyin yayılması ilə bağlı idi. XVIII əsrdə üsuli alimlər əxbariləri üstələdilər və ictihad prosesini yeni rasional qaydalarla sürətləndirən bir dini-elmi cərəyan yaratdılar.
Religion (General), Philosophy of religion. Psychology of religion. Religion in relation to other subjects
Based on ethnographic and photographic work conducted between 2007 and 2018 in Colombia and Cuba, this article discusses the tensions between the photographic image and the production of archives as forms of memory of the country’s Afro-inspired religious systems. Fundamentally, the approach relates to diaspora religions from Cuba, and, in such manner, the article questions the relations and understandings of the image within religious scenarios in ethnographic research conducted throughout these years. At the same time, it reveals the shortfall and need to rethink notions such as being and representing, derived from the practices, spaces, and daily and collaborative experiences of the practitioners with the researcher.
Thus, the article and the photographs presented here seek to grant a different space to that which these currently hold in the production of knowledge, that goes beyond considering them as ways to archive memory or as simple accessories to the written word. Finally, the above emerges as an attempt to conduct an-“other” anthropology of image —based on the photographic image—, in which it is understood that photography has a dynamic nature of multiplicity, which connects it to different dimensions including the economic, aesthetic, historical, political and sociocultural. This gives way to narratives of the world that are equally multiple, traversed by contradiction, and which do not intend to emulate or mirror reality.
This article reflects on Kloppenborg’s significant theory of the stratification of the Sayings Gospel Q. In
The Formation of Q, Kloppenborg identifies three redactional layers in the Sayings Gospel Q: the
“formative stratum” (or Q¹), the “main redaction” (or Q²), and the “final recension” (or Q³). He ascribes
the saying about avoiding the courts in Q 12:58-59 (Matt 5:25-26 // Luke 12:58-59) to the main redaction.
As an alternative, it is argued here that this logion belongs to the formative stratum. As part of arguing
the latter case, the realistic socio-historical context of the logion in first-century Palestine will be
considered with new and unprecedented interest.
Genghis Khan (1162-1227), Mongolia’s great emperor, ruled over large parts of the world for a long period of time. Under his banner, he had nomadic tribes and desert people. For the ruling, controlling, uniting and disciplining the variant people, he framed a conventional constitution named “Yasa” (Holy laws), which comprised of primitive traditions, customs, laws, law of different religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and Genghis Khan’s own insights and decisions. This contained punishment for every kind of crime. There was no room for forgiveness. His aim was to subjugate the whole world under him.
Abstract: This article will elaborate the sufism thought of Fethullah Gulen. He has transformed Sufism from purely spiritual experience turned into an activity that is directly in contact with the issue of Muslims and human beings on this earth. Two of the most prominent organizer of the mystical transformation is education and the world peace movement. He tried to bring peace to the world across cultures, religions and ethnicities. The thought pattern of Gülen which is based on religious values and the universality has created a concept which is more popular in the community, but do not abandon spiritual values. The transformation of ideas and concepts of sufism who taught the importance of devotion to others, selflessness and love of neighbor. Abstrak: Artikel ini akan mengelaborasi pemikiran tasawuf Fethullah Gulen. Ia telah mentransformasikan tasawuf dari yang hanya bersifat pengalaman spiritual berubah menjadi sebuah aktivitas yang langsung bersentuhan dengan persoalan umat Islam dan manusia di bumi ini. Dua agenda yang paling menonjol dari transformasi sufistiknya itu adalah pendidikan dan gerakan perdamaian dunia. Ia berupaya mewujudkan perdamaian dunia lintas budaya, agama maupun etnis. Pola pemikiran Gülen yang dilandasi nilai-nilai keagamaan dan universalitas telah menciptakan konsep yang lebih memasyarakat namun tidak meninggalkan nilai-nilai spiritual. Transformasi dari pemikiran dan konsep tasawwuf yang mengajarkan pentingnya pengabdian kepada orang lain, tidak mementingkan diri sendiri dan cinta terhadap sesama. Keywords: transformasi, tasawuf, perdamaian, pendidikan, generasi emas.
The subject of the nature of the human being is one that has received extensive coverage in the religions of the world. One hand, all world's religions have the idea of a fall from grace and the conce pt of sin. On the other hand, according to the all religions, mankind can or must get rid of from this sin. But how can they reach to the salvation? We can see common methods or technics in each religion. For instance, repentance, purity, good deeds, prayer, fasting, respect to the sacred beings, times and places etc. We aimed in this article a comparative approach to the sin, salvation methods and saviors in some great religions of the world