Pharos Journal of Theology最新文献

{"title":"Behind the ‘bruised male ego’ – negotiating women ‘pressures’ in the homes during COVID-19 lockdowns: Congolese and Zimbabwean men in focus","authors":"Martin Mukole, Canisius Mwandayi","doi":"10.46222/pharosjot.105.411","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.105.411","url":null,"abstract":"The COVID-19 pandemic and the experiences of lockdown measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus led to a range of negative impacts on the mental health of human societies globally. Our societies were characterized by deteriorating mental health, high levels of stress as well as a sharp rise in abusive cases. In most cases of abuse, men have been fingered as culprits behind it all given the eroding of their male ego. Faced with the reality of their inability to provide, most males were stressed up and vented out their frustration on those near them, who in most cases were the vulnerable women and children. While it is indubitably true that women and children have been the most affected groups due to the lockdowns, this has resulted in the neglect of men themselves. In as much as studies have confirmed the violent attitude developed by most men towards women and children in homes during COVID-19 lockdowns, this paper argues that men were also victims in a number of cases due to the pressures coming from women and children to keep providing something on the table despite being barred from attending to their informal/formal jobs due to the imposed COVID-19 restrictions. This paper takes cognizance of the neglect of voices sympathizing with males in the narratives, thus, we argue that behind the ‘bruised male ego’ there is found a woman, hence the woman needs to be talked to as well instead of just seeing her as a victim of abuse in all the cases. The discussion in this paper is largely based on desktop research. This paper sympathizes with the neglected male voices during COVID-19 lockdowns, invites men to voice out their struggles for the wellbeing of their mental health, and invites African society to rethink some of the attributes given to men that condemn them to suffering in the name of masculinity.","PeriodicalId":32676,"journal":{"name":"Pharos Journal of Theology","volume":"2007 30","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141707128","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"LGBTQI Rights crucified in Indonesia? New Penal Code anti missio Dei?","authors":"J.S. Thinane","doi":"10.46222/pharosjot.105.318","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.105.318","url":null,"abstract":"Literature continues to document the ways in which Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQI) communities continue to grapple with or face unprecedented abuse in many nations of the world. Members of LGBTQI groups are reported to face discrimination and legal obstacles in countries like Indonesia, since its socio-cultural norms acquiescently discourage homosexuality or gender transitioning in any form. Furthermore, recent amendments to Indonesia's Penal Code, which contain provisions that may endanger the lives and safety of LGBTQI communities in unprecedented ways, have shown that such norms, if relentlessly upheld, strongly influences the direction of public policy. In light of such harmful provisions, one could argue that the rights of the LGBTQI community in Indonesia are being slowly but agonizingly crucified, perhaps analogous to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The primary proponents of this symbolic crucifixion, who conceal their intentions behind legislative modifications, seem to be politically motivated Islamic religious conservatives who publicly oppose LGBTQI rights. In light of these occurrences, this paper employs the Missio Politica framework and literature reviews to investigate the new Indonesian Penal Code and assess whether or not it violates the internationally acknowledged rights of the LGBTQI community. Drawing from literary works, it uses the term \"crucifixion\" in a metaphorical manner to emphasize the radical ways in which Islamic conservatism has violated LGBTQI rights over the years, and how these violations are now being formalized through Indonesia's new penal code. To be clear, this paper's accusations are not directed against Islamic teachings per se, but rather against intolerant Islamic conservatives who view LGBTQI preferences as ‘crucifiable’ sin and advocate for change of state laws to reflect such harmful sentiments. Overall, it is argued that certain sections of the recently enacted Indonesian Penal Code not only offend the LGBTQI community, but also undermine the redemptive goals of missio Dei in that country while having global contagion effects. The scope of this paper requires more research as not as much has been done to assess how certain recently enacted provisions of the Indonesian Penal Code impact LGBTQI rights in the context of fulfilling the redemptive goals of the missio Dei.","PeriodicalId":32676,"journal":{"name":"Pharos Journal of Theology","volume":"72 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141234614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Sociological study of the religious identity of young people in Central Asia and Europe (following the example of Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Poland)","authors":"Dinara Osmonova, Saikal Zhunushova, Shirin Kostuk, Alaigul Bekboeva, Gulbu Alykulova","doi":"10.46222/pharosjot.105.316","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.105.316","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of the article is to determine the situation in the field of religious preferences of young people in the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Poland by studying the specific features and dynamics of the development of traditional beliefs in the Central Asian and European regions. The main methods used in the preparation of the work were the system-analytical method and the statistical method. The characteristic features of different areas of religion in Asia, as well as the origins and root causes of the formation and development of religious trends in Kyrgyzstan, are studied. The key moments in the history of the transformation of the Kyrgyz society in the XVIII-XXI centuries are outlined in the context of the influence of this process on the emergence of specific signs of local religious trends. Different approaches and concepts to the study of the young generation of the Central Asian Republic and Poland are evaluated by considering the qualitative and quantitative results of a number of sociological surveys. The results and conclusions of this work can be used as a basis for the development and implementation of a number of political and social reforms with an emphasis on raising awareness of the issue among the younger generation of Kyrgyzstan.","PeriodicalId":32676,"journal":{"name":"Pharos Journal of Theology","volume":"65 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141231658","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling the depths of trauma and the profound impact of rape and shaming on the Babylonian women in Isaiah 13:16 – A trauma and resilience reading of the violent \u0000narrative in Isaiah 13:16","authors":"Elizabeth Esterhuizen, A. Groenewald","doi":"10.46222/pharosjot.105.320","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.105.320","url":null,"abstract":"The book of Isaiah is one of the world’s oldest surviving resistance literature. Isaiah 13 \u0000describes God who collects an army for the battle against Babylon which will lead to Babylon’s utter desolation and destruction. Isaiah 13:16 deeply shocks the reader when it states that the wives of the Babylonians shall be raped and ravished by the men of this marching army. A literary, contextual, and historical methodology will be applied. Integrated insights from trauma studies will be used as a multidisciplinary approach to engage with these texts. A trauma perspective helps the reader to look squarely at the violence that the Bible often advocates and it can only become comprehensible if understood as the reaction of a dominated people to their domination. The oracles against the nations express the hope of freedom and return to their land, but also the hope of a triumphant reversal of the role of oppressors and oppressed. Insights from trauma studies suggest that these features transform this oracle into a work of resistance, recovery and resilience.","PeriodicalId":32676,"journal":{"name":"Pharos Journal of Theology","volume":"8 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141233601","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The educational ministry of early Korean colporteurs","authors":"Kang-Hyun Kim, Jun-Ki Chung","doi":"10.46222/pharosjot.105.310","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.105.310","url":null,"abstract":"The study of the history of Korean colporteurs is relevant to recreate their important role in the spread of education in Korea and their impact on the present, as well as to understand the intercultural influence and innovative approaches to education. The purpose of the article is to identify the educational activities of Korean colporteurs. In the course of the study, a number of methods of theoretical cognition were used, such as analysis, synthesis, comparison, specification and generalisation. As a result of the study, the following conclusions were reached: the colporteurs were the first to translate the Bible into Korean and played an important role in spreading Christian teaching and educational activities in Korea. \u0000\u0000Сolporteurs played a key role in training and supporting local colporteurs and new believers, providing them with education and training to become spiritual and educational leaders in an environment where the majority of the population rejected Christianity. Acting as intermediaries between foreign missionaries and Korean women, biblical women expanded the church’s influence and, with special training, were prepared to preach the Gospel and distribute the Bible to non-Christians, introducing new perspectives on the role of women in a society where Confucian tradition had limited their activities. Colporteurs also contributed to the preservation of the Korean language and culture in the face of Japanese colonisation by promoting and\u0000maintaining the Korean Hanguel writing system and facilitating the creation of a standard Korean language. This article will be useful for historians studying missionary activity in general, as well as for scholars studying the history of 19th-century Korea.","PeriodicalId":32676,"journal":{"name":"Pharos Journal of Theology","volume":"89 17","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141230555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Agency of Children and Animals in the Prevention of Catastrophe: Judith 4:8-15 and Jonah 3:6-10","authors":"SJ (Lilly) Nortje-Meyer","doi":"10.46222/pharosjot.105.319","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.105.319","url":null,"abstract":"In recent feminist research, women and children are not seen collectively as one marginalized group, but children and animals have been given their own research focus and categories. Judith 8:1 states an impressive list of forebears of Judith that defines her character and role, but scholars say nothing about the fact that she prefers to terminate this lineage by not having children or offspring, no legacy. In Judith, children are absent in the victory section, their crying out to YHWH during the period of mourning is not recognised and forgotten. \u0000\u0000Children and animals form a vulnerable group, especially in biblical narratives. In Judith 4:8- 15 and Jonah 3:6-9 at the time of a national disaster, a period of communal mourning is called by the leaders. Children and animals are given the agency to petition YHWH to intervene and not allow the crises to happen. This agency of children and animals contradicts their vulnerability as they are not involved in decision-making concerning their participation in events and overall well-being. In this paper, the agency of children and animals in Judith 4:8- 15 and Jonah 3:6-10 is critically assessed to determine if they are given a real agency to petition YHWH or if their vulnerability is exploited for communal purposes and interests. Although Judith’s role inspires feminists to focus on her independence and perseverance in saving Israel, as well as to undermine motherhood as an essential woman attribute, what has the story to say about the future and agency of children and animals, the most vulnerable in society?","PeriodicalId":32676,"journal":{"name":"Pharos Journal of Theology","volume":"20 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141231763","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pastoral Therapy on Euthanasia: Christian Humanism and Ubuntu Embracing Openness","authors":"M. Phalatsi-Shilubana","doi":"10.46222/pharosjot.105.41","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.105.41","url":null,"abstract":"The debate over practices of physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia and other end-of-life questions is still ongoing in many countries around the world. At least, as of 2024, only 15 countries had varyingly legalised it under very specific, regulated conditions, while many more still view it as an extremely complex issue that, amongst other things, conflicts with their deeply held religious beliefs. Premised on their belief in the image of God as the source of human life, most monotheistic religions, but Christians in particular believe in the preservation of human life to its natural end. However, the unquestionable reality of this traditionally-held Christian belief does not preclude the rare reality where terminally ill Christians themselves, upon suffering excruciating pain, begin either to desire some form of a hastened death overtly or covertly. Under such conditions, however, pastoral therapists in particular lack the aptitude to openly initiate practical dialogues with patients, be it in the spirit of Ubuntu or to concretise the Christian position. That being said, the purpose of this article is to prepare Christian pastoral therapists in particular and the counselling profession in general to openly handle cases where agonising human suffering leads to suicidal thoughts or actions. In order to\u0000achieve this, the paper, through the use of literature reviews and desktop studies, draws on literature encompassing specific biblical instances in which not only physical suffering, but also mental suffering somehow led to suicidal events. The African concept of Ubuntu is then integrated into Christian humanism to promote pastoral therapeutic dialogue which may enrich Christian self-knowledge about the sacredness of human life, despite the urge of suicide or euthanasia. As per Christian humanism framework, Christian self-knowledge is inspired by the excruciating suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross. All things considered, pastoral therapy is endowed with the ability to present the image of God in human suffering while rejecting the urge for euthanasia or suicide.","PeriodicalId":32676,"journal":{"name":"Pharos Journal of Theology","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141402609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Abortion as an ethical-religious problem in Islam","authors":"Yuldash Bertymuratov, Arna Mukanova, Gulnaz Razdykova","doi":"10.46222/pharosjot.105.312","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.105.312","url":null,"abstract":"The relevance of this article lies in the increasingly active public discussion among Muslims, the challenge posed by the induced termination of pregnancy by Muslims and the problems stemming from it. The increasing calls from Muslims to the spiritual authorities for clarification of this issue in various countries confirm this trend. However, a comprehensive understanding of Islamic attitudes towards induced abortion remains poorly understood. Islamic discourse permeates the entire socio- cultural facet of Muslim society. It is transforming and developing among the communities of modern \u0000Muslim countries, matching the dynamics of changes in attitudes on the issue of induced termination of pregnancy from the early Middle Ages to the beginning of the ХХI century inclusive. In this regard, the purpose of this work is to describe and reveal the question about the use of abortion in the Islamic world. In the study specific “introductory” examples from the Muslim world are presented for disclosure given by those. In the course of this study, the topic of abortion as a social and medical\u0000phenomenon was briefly studied and covered through the lens of terminology, social, medical, religious and legislative factors. The process of transforming Islamic religious ethics with regard to abortion is briefly outlined. In the sequence since the beginning of Islam and the development of this religious speech in the ХХI century, the prism of the views of the Sunni and Shiitic directions, as well as the 4 Sunni theological schools, in the context of solving the problem of abortion. Examples were provided of legislative solutions to the problem of induced termination of pregnancy in some Muslim\u0000countries, Asia Minor, the Middle East, North Africa and Australia. The materials of this article contribute to the study of ethical and religious problems in Islam.","PeriodicalId":32676,"journal":{"name":"Pharos Journal of Theology","volume":"6 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141230384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interaction of politics and religion as a factor in shaping the religious culture of Kyrgyzstan’s youth","authors":"Dinara Osmonova, Saikal Zhunushova, Ulan Imanbekov, Ulan Sharshenaliev, Aimira Moldobaeva","doi":"10.46222/pharosjot.105.39","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.105.39","url":null,"abstract":"Democracy and frequent changes of government in Kyrgyzstan contribute to the spread of various religious movements in the country. Social processes, political shifts and the spread of radical religious ideas among young people emphasize the relevance of this study. The purpose of this article is to assess the impact of Kyrgyzstan's religious policy on the religious consciousness of contemporary youth. The study used general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, generalization, historical and critical, comparative, dialectical, as well as empirical methods of surveys and questionnaires. The study showed that the religious policy of Kyrgyzstan is characterized by democracy and liberalism, based on the secular nature of the state. Kyrgyzstan is a multi-confessional country, with more than 30 religions. The vast majority of Kyrgyzstan's population are Sunni Muslims, and the second most common religious denomination is Orthodox\u0000Christianity. Since 1991, Kyrgyzstan has witnessed a process of Islamization, and non-traditional religious movements, both Islamic and other religious doctrines, have also penetrated and gained popularity in the country. The state's liberal policy in the field of religion facilitates the penetration of non-traditional religious organizations from abroad into Kyrgyzstan. Young people are particularly susceptible to new religious movements. This phenomenon can lead to the spread of radical religious ideas among the youth of Kyrgyzstan. In this regard, the state should pay closer attention to the policy in the field of religion. The practical value of the work is determined by the fact that its results\u0000can be useful in further research on this issue.","PeriodicalId":32676,"journal":{"name":"Pharos Journal of Theology","volume":"7 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141229888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isbijab – a new centre for the development of Islamic law (XI-XII)","authors":"B. Ilesbekov, Tungysh Abylov, Shamshadin Kerim, R. Mukhitdinov, Yergali Alpysbayev","doi":"10.46222/pharosjot.105.35","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.46222/pharosjot.105.35","url":null,"abstract":"The relevance of this article covers historical, religious, local and diplomatic factors, which reflect the importance of research and the multifaceted nature of Isbijab. The purpose is to study the Isbijab School of fiqh law in the Middle Ages in the context of Islamic law and the history of Kazakhstan. In this work, standard historiographical methods are used: historical-systemic method, historical-comparative method, method of historical periodization and others. The main result is to clarify the role of the fiqh school of Isbijab in the context of studying the history of Islamic law on the territory of modern Kazakhstan and in the region as a whole. The authors also found that Isbijab was one of the centres of Islamic studies and law not only in Kazakhstan but also in the\u0000whole of Central Asia in the XI to XII centuries. It was the time when Isbijab developed its legal concept and school of fiqh, the Hanafi madhhab. This school of Islamic law introduced a new generation of legal scholars and their pupils, whose major works and academic degrees paved their way in the historiography. Their experience helped the researchers to study the manuscript works of medieval Isbijab jurists from a historical-legal and theological point of view. The paper shows the findings of an ongoing study of Isbijab legal practitioners in the framework of the \"Mukhtasar al-Tahawi\" book. Work has practical relevance not only in the context of Islamic studies and Islamic law but also in history, international relations, country knowledge and in other disciplines.","PeriodicalId":32676,"journal":{"name":"Pharos Journal of Theology","volume":"51 20","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141232078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}