Religions最新文献

{"title":"Deceptive Debauchery: Secret Marriage and the Challenge of Legalism in Muslim-Minority Communities","authors":"Mariam Sheibani","doi":"10.3390/rel15010010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010010","url":null,"abstract":"“Secret Marriage” is a category accommodating a range of arrangements that seek to conceal a marital union, typically from an existing spouse, the family of the bride or groom, a segment of the community, or the state. These contentious unions have seen an upsurge in recent times in Muslim-majority countries, and, more recently, in minority-Muslim communities in the West. This essay examines the phenomenon in minority communities using three interrelated lenses of analysis: the legal, the moral, and the socio-institutional. Taking this multi-faceted approach, in this essay, I first examine the legal doctrines of the four Sunni schools of law on the requirement of publicity and witness testimony in marriage before situating that legal discussion about contractual validity within a comprehensive analysis of the broader moral and religious legitimacy of entering into a secret union. I argue that while jurists stipulate disparate minimums for contractual validity, nearly all secret marriage arrangements are nonetheless considered invalid (fāsid), meaning they are incorrectly conducted by failing to meet the required conditions for the contract to produce its legal effects (ṣiḥḥa) and are also prohibited (ḥarām) in themselves or for their entailments, meaning contracting such a marriage is sinful and entails punishment. As I show, even as some jurists may make arguments that may seem to imply that some versions of secret marriage meet the basic conditions to make them technically valid, these same jurists nonetheless argue that such marriages are immoral, religiously deficient, unbecoming of a Muslim, and little more than a pretext for illicit sex. Apart from the theoretical question of whether a secret marriage meets the conditions of contractual validity, parties to a secret marriage in Muslim communities today further engage in a number of sins and transgressions and cause harms to spouses, children, parents, extended family, and the community that must also be reckoned with. The essay concludes with recommendations for how religious authorities can take steps towards regulating marriage in minority-Muslim communities, highlighting the need for public education on Muslim marriage practices that is embedded in a deeper religious morality centering the Sunna to counteract the dominant legalism in the Muslim community that underlies numerous contemporary dilemmas.","PeriodicalId":38169,"journal":{"name":"Religions","volume":"94 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138954207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatialization of Imperial Power: Spatial Reconstruction and Power Operation of Jinshan Temple during the Southern Inspection Tours of Emperor Kangxi","authors":"Aibin Yan, Shiyi Zhu","doi":"10.3390/rel15010007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010007","url":null,"abstract":"The Kangxi Southern Inspection Tours strengthened the Qing Dynasty’s control over Jiangnan Buddhism, thereby promoting the standardization and officialization of Jiangnan temples and externalizing imperial power through images and physical space. Taking Jinshan Temple as an example, this study combines spatial analysis of architecture and image analysis used by art historians to examine the transformation between physical and pictorial spaces in Jinshan Temple, revealing the spatial operation of imperial power. The intervention of imperial power sparked the space reconstruction of Jinshan Temple through a process of “merger-occupation-infiltration-adjustment”. Thus, the control measures of Kangxi are revealed, including the emphasis on the geographical significance of the temple, space occupation of royal buildings, change in landscape, and the adaptation of monks by adjusting their imagination of the sacred space. By determining the spatial reconstruction, we observe that the spatial strategy of power reflects Kangxi’s religious attitude toward Buddhism of “neither promoting nor suppressing, but treating it reasonably” 朕惟置之焉能有無之間, which may enrich our understanding of the influence of Kangxi’s Southern Inspection Tours on Jiangnan’s religious space.","PeriodicalId":38169,"journal":{"name":"Religions","volume":"50 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139168633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"I Am What I Do—Negative Work as a Lens for the Study of Movement Chaplaincy","authors":"Edda Stephanie Wolff","doi":"10.3390/rel15010011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010011","url":null,"abstract":"This article explores the application of the concept of negative work within Movement Chaplaincy, contending that this framework facilitates engagement with negative spirituality in this sphere of ministry. Using the lens of the ‘work of the negative’, it examines the interplay between spirituality and political activism in Movement Chaplaincy, addressing potential resistance and inquiries surrounding the fusion of ‘negative spirituality’—focused on the apophatic and mystical-paradoxical aspects—and practical collective activism. This approach emphasizes the practical and theoretical aspects of challenging prevailing narratives, investigating self-subverting methods, and unearthing layers of non-identical elements within this process. It suggests that the evolving interest in the role of spirituality within social movements, coupled with initiatives like the Daring Compassion project, signifies a synergy between academic exploration and practical spiritual care provision. Ultimately, this article seeks to interpret activist work through the lens of spiritual accompaniment, creating space for an expanded understanding of activism across diverse identities and power dynamics. It proposes that the concept of ‘negative work’ serves as a tool for interpreting and deepening comprehension of the intrinsic dynamics within Movement Chaplaincy, fostering an inclusive and transformative approach to social and political change.","PeriodicalId":38169,"journal":{"name":"Religions","volume":"126 43","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138953632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"To Touch or Not to Touch? An Ethical Reflection and Case Study on Physical Touching in the Pastoral Accompaniment of Vulnerable Persons, Especially Minors and Persons with Intellectual Disabilities","authors":"Axel Liégeois","doi":"10.3390/rel15010005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010005","url":null,"abstract":"Our aim is to develop an ethical reflection and a case study on physical touching by Christian chaplains in their pastoral accompaniment of minors and persons with intellectual disabilities. To this end, we develop an ethical evaluation method consisting of four elements: context; motives; possible actions; and effects. Following this method, we highlight how to evaluate physical touch, formulate ten ethical recommendations, and discuss a case study. Regarding the context of the asymmetric relationship, our recommendations are for chaplains to (1) deal with power in a responsible way and (2) foster their sense of responsibility. Given the complexity of chaplains’ motives, we recommend that chaplains (3) clarify their motives and (4) strengthen their integrity. For the ambiguity of physical touch, we recommend chaplains to (5) seek the appropriateness of touch, (6) consider age and development, and (7) nurture professional ethics. As for the multiplicity of effects for vulnerable persons, our recommendations for chaplains are to (8) give priority to the vulnerable person, (9) not cause harm, and (10) obtain free and informed consent. We encourage chaplains to touch vulnerable persons when appropriate for pastoral accompaniment but to be particularly careful about the use of power and to make a strong effort to obtain consent for touching.","PeriodicalId":38169,"journal":{"name":"Religions","volume":"119 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138958334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Muslim Social Activity and Placemaking in Australia","authors":"Rizwan Sahib, Vanessa Katakalos","doi":"10.3390/rel15010006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010006","url":null,"abstract":"For generations, Muslims have engaged in daily life in the West—what this study identifies as Muslim social activity. Through social activity in Western societies, Muslims transform spaces into places by seeking to belong, feel at home, care, materialise religious and ethno-cultural values, and live meaningfully. The concept of place has not been used to explain Muslim social activity in the West. This study addresses this lacuna by explaining it in Australia as placemaking.","PeriodicalId":38169,"journal":{"name":"Religions","volume":"27 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138957354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When Does Psychotherapy Encourage Selfishness?","authors":"Deborah Y. Park, J. Peteet","doi":"10.3390/rel15010008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010008","url":null,"abstract":"This paper explores how psychotherapy, with its inherent focus on the self, may inadvertently contribute to problematic selfishness. By comparison with religious traditions which have encouraged humility and dedication to serving others, psychotherapeutic schools have historically emphasized ways to meet one’s own needs. We review here the evolution of ego-centric approaches toward more relational and growth- and virtue-oriented ones, before considering four clinical contexts which risk fostering undue absorption with oneself and one’s therapy. A greater awareness of these risks can help clinicians and patients appreciate the role of moral values, world views, and religious commitments in shaping the direction of their work.","PeriodicalId":38169,"journal":{"name":"Religions","volume":"46 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139169262","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“Open Sobornicity” in Dumitru Stăniloae’s Theology—Christian Orthodox Creeds in the Context of Contemporary Ecumenical Relationships","authors":"Nathanael Neacșu","doi":"10.3390/rel15010012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010012","url":null,"abstract":"This study analyses several of the key principles of Father Dumitru Stăniloae’s conception of Orthodox ecumenical theology. It considers the foundations, the possibilities, and the type of ecumenical manifestation, specifically regarding the relationships between Orthodox Christians and Christians of different denominations and traditions. This is a necessity as the result of the profound actual theological crisis and the lack of clarity of principles of faith at the ecumenical level across the whole Christian world. This study fills this gap by seeking to identify the doctrinal principles that define Orthodox Christian life in an ecumenical context and the manner in which such theology can be practically applied.","PeriodicalId":38169,"journal":{"name":"Religions","volume":"126 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138953696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Third Dimension of Coptic Books: Sacrality in Materiality","authors":"Paola Buzi","doi":"10.3390/rel15010004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010004","url":null,"abstract":"Books are complex objects. They have an undeniable material dimension, because they are artifacts characterized by a refined technology that has evolved over the centuries, and at the same time, they are vectors of intellectual products, consisting of the work(s) that they convey. However, books may also have a third dimension, since they embody the sacrality of a cult, belong to a performing rite, are offered to god(s) for the salvation of a soul, etc. Therefore, they incorporate an intrinsic sacredness for the simple reasons that they contain certain texts and are used on certain occasions to perform a certain rite. This paper explores the sacred aspect of Coptic codices and their third dimension, analyzing in particular the special case of books buried with a deceased person.","PeriodicalId":38169,"journal":{"name":"Religions","volume":"31 26","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138955904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Diaconal Work of Sisters Kristína and Mária Royová—An Example of the Link between Christian Anthropology and Social Work","authors":"Peter Jusko, Albín Masarik, Ján Nvota","doi":"10.3390/rel15010009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010009","url":null,"abstract":"Considering the intermingling of problems in today’s multi-crisis environment, this text explores the possibilities of intertwining social work and pastoral care. In the search for effective approaches, we find dynamic patterns in the activities of the Royová (Roy) sisters. Their diaconal work is an important source for social work history illustrating how social work took the form of diaconal (charity) work with a rich pastoral reach at the time. Their activities represent a natural link between Christian anthropology and social work. This study mainly investigates the Christian (spiritual) basis of the social and charitable activities of the Royová sisters, the beginnings of the institutionalisation of social and charitable work in Slovakia and Serbia through the organisations founded by the Royová sisters, the Christian-social interpersonal contribution of the Roy sisters to the development of Slovak and European social work personified by their cooperation with several personalities of social and charitable work at the international, national, and local levels, and the contribution of the Roy sisters in the creation of women’s, volunteer, and international roots of social and charitable work in Slovakia and Europe. In their responses to the needs of their environment, we find significant stimuli for pastoral theology, which is supposed to respond to the needs of the multi-crisis environment of today.","PeriodicalId":38169,"journal":{"name":"Religions","volume":"33 15","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138994265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heidegger’s World: Re-Enchanting through Thingness","authors":"Xiaochen Zhao","doi":"10.3390/rel15010003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15010003","url":null,"abstract":"This study investigates how Martin Heidegger’s notion of “the thing” (Das Ding) can help rescue modern disenchantment with regard to its root in the World, a concept developed from “being-in-the-world” presented in Being and Time, and later taken as a participant in the bilateral polemos illustrated in die Gestalt (signifying Being’s strife to disclose itself against the Earth: self-concealing concealment). In Section 1, I analyze the occurrence of disenchantment by critically reviewing several thinkers’ discussions of it, pointing out that “faciality”—which has structured the modern Western understanding of reality—is the cornerstone of ontotheology, as well as the collapse of it: disenchantment. In Section 2, to demonstrate how Heidegger’s rediscovery of usefulness in a de-subjectified discourse of signification has challenged the positivistic view attached to “faciality”, I examine Heidegger’s idea of “readiness-to-hand,” revealing the basic temporal–spatial units composing the “handiness” of categorical beings and its relation to Dasein, progressing thereon to the analysis of a thing-centered worldview of Heidegger’s phenomenology. In Section 3, I demonstrate how this thing-centered worldview has the potential to form a preparative stage for re-enchantment of the World by uncovering the concealed existentiality within things, aligning with Heidegger’s polemos in his philosophy of art.","PeriodicalId":38169,"journal":{"name":"Religions","volume":"72 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2023-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138956698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"哲学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}