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The article focuses on the 50th anniversary of the Lausanne Movement, which emerged in 1974 as a response to the ecumenical movement's shift towards social action and away from evangelism, and its development into a global evangelical movement. Topics discussed include the historical background; theological positions; and impact of the Lausanne Movement, also highlighting its significance in shaping the evangelical identity and its mixed record after 50 years of existence.

Gaston Richard was not only among the first to be informed of the 'revelation' that Durkheim announced about his reading of William Robertson Smith in 1895. Among all the Durkheimians, Richard was alone in publicly declaring himself on the matter. The radical nature of his witness went far beyond the fact of calling into question the date as well as the subject of this 'revelation'. For Richard, the constitution of Durkheim's religious sociology was ultimately 'only a moment from a more ample study' about obligation. The originality of his analysis derives as much from the fact of having seen the main source of Durkheim's inspiration in the neo-criticism of Charles Renouvier (parts 1 and 2) as from having criticized Durkheim's state-sociology, which was, if not the conclusion, then at least its political translation (part 3). Gaston Richard ne fut pas seulement aux toutes premières loges de la 'révélation' dont Durkheim fit part au sujet de sa lecture de William Robertson Smith, en 1895. De tous les durkheimiens, il fut encore le seul à s'y prononcer publiquement. La radicalité de son témoignage ira bien au-delà du fait de remettre en cause la date tout autant que l'objet de cette 'révélation' : pour Richard, la constitution de la sociologie religieuse durkheimienne ne fut en définitive 'rien qu'un moment d'une étude beaucoup plus ample' sur l'obligation. L'originalité de son analyse tient autant au fait d'en avoir vu la source d'inspiration majeure dans le néo-criticisme de Charles Renouvier (parties 1 & 2) que dans celui d'avoir critiqué la sociologie durkheimienne de l'État, qui en était sinon la conclusion, du moins la traduction politique (partie 3). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how the counter-revolutionary writer Joseph de Maistre (1753–1821) theorizes the notion of sacrifice. For de Maistre sacrifice understood as punishment is foundational to all societies. Durkheim used many of this author's works without citing them. At the time Durkheim was teaching his criminal sociology course on punishment and responsibility as well as preparing his course on religion dealing with 'revelation'. It is possible to explain his interests by the fact that de Maistre appears in Durkheim's core readings for theoretical 'juncture' that featured authors concerned with the articulation between questions of penal law and of religious phenomena. This provides additional evidence that for Durkheim religion is at the origin of the definition of the crime and of the establishment of the punishment. Cet article examine comment l'essayiste contre-révolutionnaire Joseph de Maistre (1753–1821) théorise la notion de sacrifice: pour lui, le sacrifice est compris comme une peine et il est à l'origine de toutes les sociétés. Or Durkheim fit usage de plusieurs de ses livres sans jamais les citer. Alors qu'il dispensait son cours de sociologie criminelle sur la peine et la responsabilité, et préparait sans doute aussi le cours sur la religion, dit 'de la révélation', il emprunta l'essai sur le sacrifice de de Maistre. On peut expliquer cet intérêt par le fait que De Maistre fait partie des lectures spéciales de 'charnière' théorique, qui renvoient à des auteurs se situant à l'articulation des questions de droit pénal et des phénomènes religieux repérés par Durkheim. On peut aussi, en conséquence, y voir une preuve de plus que, pour Durkheim, la religion est à l'origine de la définition du crime et de l'établissement de la peine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First, we return to the question of 'revelation' that has never been taken as an object of research. There has always been reluctance to take it seriously. However, Durkheim changed his thematic and theoretical perspectives from 1897, focusing on religious facts. Second, we explain how to treat revelation as a 'thing', as an object of research, insisting on the exegetical method by positioning ourselves prior to the emergence of 'revelation' (1895) to identify the paths that were decisive for Durkheim. All the articles in the special issue follow this approach. Third, we show how Durkheim went about 'treating religious facts as things', via the comparative method: by comparing the objectification of religion in other disciplines (history, law, psychology, philosophy), to arrive at a sociological synthesis; by comparing religious facts (and especially sacrifice) within different religions. The six articles in the special issue demonstrate the importance of the comparative method in social science. They ought to be compared with each other. Dans un premier temps, nous revenons sur la question de la révélation en rappelant qu'elle n'a jamais été traitée comme un objet de recherche à part entière. Il y a toujours eu des réticences à la prendre au sérieux. Pourtant, dans les faits, à partir de 1897, Durkheim a bien changé d'optiques, thématique et théorique, en ne s'intéressant plus qu'aux faits religieux. Dans un second temps, nous expliquons comment traiter la révélation 'comme une chose', en insistant sur la méthode exégétique, en se positionnant en amont de la révélation (1895), pour repérer les cheminements décisifs de Durkheim. Tous les articles du dossier suivent cette voie. Dans un troisième temps, nous montrons comment Durkheim s'y est pris pour 'traiter les faits religieux comme des choses'1, via la méthode comparative : en comparant l'objectivation du religieux telle qu'elle était proposée par les autres disciplines (histoire, droit, psychologie, philosophie, ethnologie...), puis en comparant les faits religieux (et spécialement le sacrifice) entre différentes religions. Les six articles du dossier démontrent l'importance de la méthode comparative en science sociale. Ils doivent eux-mêmes être comparés entre eux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including the scope for social action and the shape of social relations, and institutional design to control human behavior.

This essay explores a tension in the Catholic theological classroom brought about when teachers aim at dismantling racial injustice with resources from antiracist pedagogy. Where Catholic social thinkers package together reflection, judgment, and action, antiracist educators recommend forestalling the last step—action. The essay's primary aim is to clarify the tension—why it comes about and how it reveals itself—and proposes that Catholic theological educators respond by helping students broaden their understanding of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Religious Education Association (REA) and climate of populism and polarization in the US and the world. Topics include the implications of social polarization on religious education, development of leadership, the importance of outreach and dialog in shaping the future of the REA, and interaction between teachers and young students.

The extant literature finds religion to be a major determinant of life satisfaction. However, in contexts characterized by religious tensions, the outcome may be very different. In particular, the literature shows that religious polarization has a major influence on some economic outcomes. The analysis presented in the paper tries to identify the impact of religious polarization on a major component of life satisfaction: financial satisfaction. The paper inquires how belonging to a minority religion and living in areas with different levels of religious polarization affect the individual satisfaction with the financial situation of the household. The results show that the members of minority religious groups are less satisfied than the members of the dominant group, and that the financial satisfaction decreases—for a given income—as the religious polarization increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a language‐based tool for addressing the role of religion in violent conflicts. Value predicate analysis (VPA) is an easily transportable, relatively uncomplicated early warning tool for measuring the probable near‐future behavior of modest‐sized religious groups in settings of potential conflict. We show that it is possible to identify a range of nine types of probable group behavior toward other groups. This approach significantly refines current binary assessments of violent/not‐violent group conduct. The authors (1) provide a warrant for diagnosing religion‐group behavior through performative analysis; (2) present a theoretical overview of VPA; (3) summarize their research, data analysis, and field collection methods; (4) present field test results; and (5) conclude with recommendations for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era of rapidly evolving attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights, why do some Christian colleges and universities continue to discriminate against lesbian, gay, and bisexual students? The most intuitive answer to this question might point to many religious traditions' conservative teachings about same-sex relationships. Nevertheless, many schools associated with socially conservative religious traditions are actually inclusive of their sexual minority students. Building on recent insights from the literature on religion and the "culture wars," and analyzing original data on student handbook bans on same-sex relationships and "homosexual behavior" across 682 Christian colleges and universities, I show that it is when schools are associated with individualist religious traditions that emphasize personal piety that conservative teachings on same-sex relationships are associated with discrimination against sexual minorities. The study holds implications both for research on the exclusion of sexual minorities in schools and for theoretical debates on the relationship between religion and social injustice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era of rapidly evolving attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights, why do some Christian colleges and universities continue to discriminate against lesbian, gay, and bisexual students? The most intuitive answer to this question might point to many religious traditions' conservative teachings about same-sex relationships. Nevertheless, many schools associated with socially conservative religious traditions are actually inclusive of their sexual minority students. Building on recent insights from the literature on religion and the "culture wars," and analyzing original data on student handbook bans on same-sex relationships and "homosexual behavior" across 682 Christian colleges and universities, I show that it is when schools are associated with individualist religious traditions that emphasize personal piety that conservative teachings on same-sex relationships are associated with discrimination against sexual minorities. The study holds implications both for research on the exclusion of sexual minorities in schools and for theoretical debates on the relationship between religion and social injustice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Should the church become an active agent of social protest and change, or confine itself to its central and historic function of ministering to the soul? If the church should be an agent of social change, should the business corporation be a primary target of its efforts? These profound issues are dealt with in depth in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV is a deadly reality in South African communities, where people living with HIV (PLWH) do not only face physical sickness but also severe stigmatisation. Literature shows that spiritual leaders (religious leaders/traditional healers) can have a very meaningful role in the reduction of HIV stigma. This article reports on part of a comprehensive community-based HIV stigma reduction intervention with PLWH and people living close to them, which included partners, children, family members, friends, community members and spiritual leaders. The focus of this article is on the experiences of spiritual leaders during and after the HIV stigma reduction intervention. The research took place in both an urban and rural setting in the North-West Province of South Africa and data collection was done by means of in-depth interviews with the spiritual leaders. The interaction with PLWH during the intervention activated new experiences for spiritual leaders: acceptance and empathy for PLWH, an awareness of their own ignorance, a stronger realisation of God's presence and a realisation that they could inspire hope in PLWH. A greater awareness was created of HIV and of the associated realities regarding disclosure and stigma. The inclusion of spiritual leaders as well as PLWH brought about a positive shift in the attitudes of communities through the increase of knowledge and understanding of HIV stigma. They saw themselves playing a much greater part in facilitating such a shift and in reducing HIV stigma in their own congregations and their communities at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invocation and necessity of a forgiveness process have become complicated and multifaceted within the South African society with its realities of crime, poverty, racism, injustice and abuse. The rhythms of forgiveness compel us to identify our present situation. Individuals, as well as larger social groups, should begin to reflect on the importance of forgiveness to deal with transgression, violence, revenge and bitterness. I suggest that forgiveness within the Christian doctrine needs to be situated and embodied in specific habits and practices of Christian life within the South African society. In response, people in South Africa are called to remember past transgressions while pursuing the repairing and healing of the brokenness and separations in relationships by embodying forgiveness. It directs the importance of the Church's prophetic task to proclaim the boundless gift of a constructive and transformative relationship with God, one another and God's creation. Practising forgiveness includes a process of seeking to embody Christian forgiveness that involves the transformation of people's lives, their world and their capability to restore communion within the field of social relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies show that Christian youth in the United States are dropping out of church because they are disillusioned with organized religion, not because they have lost faith in God. Scholars propose that these youth are approaching spirituality in individualistic ways and finding God on their own instead of in buildings designated as church. This research on Christian Hardcore punk rock problematizes the idea that the youth who leave conventional churches necessarily turn into spiritual individualists. Drawing on qualitative research at live music shows in secular venues, Christian rock festivals, and a subcultural ministries conference, this article shows that some youth are collectively reimagining and being church in and through music that both opposes mainstream Christianity and blurs religious and nonreligious boundaries. This article also offers a new approach to the study of youth and religious participation in an age in which mainstream religious practices are far less authoritative and meaningful to youth than these alternative cultural expressions are. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At Full Truth Calvary Church, members reject modern medicine, avoid prescription glasses, and even refuse to wear seatbelts, choosing instead to pray for healing and protection from God. Using three years of ethnographic data from Full Truth, I show that church members' rejection of modern medicine is an embodied, or physically enacted, religious practice shaped by church teachings that assign meaning to the ill or well body. Moreover, I find that when members do receive medical care, they must negotiate competing institutional logics to frame the incident in religious terms, either as persecution or as a rejection of Full Truth teachings. These findings extend past research on embodiment to show that healing practices allow believers to express their faith in ways similar to those who perform religious identity through dress or diet. They further reveal that embodied practices remain inseparable from institutional meanings, such that rejecting one is rejecting both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humanity is undergoing a fundamental, dramatic shift from a rural people to an urban people. Just as importantly, urban areas are growing ever larger. Despite sociology of religion's role to understand religion within the patterning of human societies, the field has largely ignored how the move to more and ever larger urban areas does and will shape religion. In this article, we present a framework for studying how urban matters. The framework, built from research on urban "laws" and forms, consists of four interlocking components: City Scale, Human Interaction, Diversity and Subcultures, and The Local. We outline each of these and suggest how they may be working to change the nature and content of religion among urban dwellers. We discuss the substantial need for research to test, revise, and continue building the framework if we are to understand how urban impacts religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do we make sense of a movement like the Islamic State, where violence and religion seem to be inextricably intertwined? Though observers sometimes accuse religion as causing the problem, and other observers think that such movements have nothing to do with it, my approach is to focus on what some scholars have called the culture of violence: the analysis of worldviews. The sociological task is to understand these worldviews in social context, to determine the social and political factors that have shaped communities that embrace distinctive worldviews. This essay focuses on the social and political development of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, explores the notion of worldview analysis in general and as applied to this movement, and determines that there are at least three different kinds of worldviews related to groups of followers who may survive, in different ways, the eventual collapse of the territorial control of the movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares the violent activity of secular and religious terror organizations. Utilizing data compiled by the Global Terrorism Database cross-referenced with secondary and primary sources regarding the degree of religious components embedded in organizations’ ideologies, it tests the violent patterns of activity carried out by organizations guided by predominantly secular, secular/religious, and religious ideologies, between the years 1970 and 2012. The findings confirm that a) religious ideology correlates with specific, more deadly, attack tactics and violent patterns; and b) the degree of religious components within terror organizational ideology should be tested along a spectrum: the more religious an organization is, the more attacks it tends to carry out, and the deadlier its attacks become. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The necessity of describing the subject of social action connected with the revealed shortcomings of the modern philosophers of the activity approach is substantiated. Such approach demonstrates the possibility of substituting a research object. So that, social activity is considered not as an act, but as a social event that is registered, classified, is statistically determined. The action of the crowd or the individual as a mass person is meaningfully identical to what can be determined by the statement «man acting», but «not thinking». Such an understanding of social action does not reveal meaning, which would be appropriate to the philosophical way of thinking. Thus, the methodological problem is manifested, since in the absence of the foundations of the thought social action, the spiritual reality selflessness, social philosophers have to admit the lack of a method of philosophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although sociological research in the Durkheimian tradition has generally accepted that religious involvement protects against suicide, few studies have examined this theoretical proposition outside Western industrialized settings. Using multilevel models to analyze data from the World Health Organization Mortality Database and the World Values Survey (1981-2007) across 42 countries in seven geographical-cultural regions, this study explores whether religious participation is more protective against suicide in some regions than others and, if so, why. Results indicate that while religious participation is protective in Latin America, eastern Europe, northern Europe, and English-speaking countries, it may aggravate the risk of suicide in East Asia, western Europe, and southern Europe. This regional variation is the result of differences in both the degree of integration/regulation of religious communities and suicide underreporting. Overall, the findings support the network perspective of Durkheim's classical theory and suggest that researchers should be more cautious about suicide underreporting in less industrialized settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper endeavours to engage with development literature grounded in sociology and anthropology in an effort to highlight the conceptual shortcomings of development debate that sees status of women narrowly defined in terms of certain measureable indicators. It builds around the central theme that based on such universalistic assumptions, policies targeting the uplift of women's status in the developing countries have not achieved the desired results. In Pakistan's case, such failure is generally laid at the door of religious traditionalism and such conservatism is seen as the biggest hurdle in the path of women's development. The paper uses historical and philosophical methodologies to answer two central questions posited by it in terms of the adequacy of the criterion of status measurement as well as the role of religion in the status of women. Within sociology it is well known that the identification and definition of problem has a bearing upon its solution. The paper deconstructs the 'definition of the problem of women's low status' within the development discourse and establishes that status as is currently defined by development agencies does not reflect the particularities of Pakistani women's situation. It also concludes that as opposed to religious traditionalism, cultural imperatives, govern women's roles and statuses. It therefore, challenges the dominant perspectives of women development as universalistic and of minimal relevance to Pakistani women calling for extensive research on the lives of Pakistani women that can be used as the basis for development interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religion affects people’s daily lives by solving social problems, although it creates others. Female sexual and reproductive health are among the issues most affected by religion. Apostolic sect members in Zimbabwe have been associated with higher maternal mortality. We explored apostolic beliefs and practices on maternal health using 15 key informant interviews in 5 purposively selected districts of Zimbabwe. Results show that apostolicism promotes high fertility, early marriage, non-use of contraceptives and low or non-use of hospital care. It causes delays in recognizing danger signs, deciding to seek care, reaching and receiving appropriate health care. The existence of a customized spiritual maternal health system demonstrates a huge desire for positive maternal health outcomes among apostolics. We conclude that apostolic beliefs and practices exacerbate delays between onset of maternal complications and receiving help, thus increasing maternal risk. We recommend complementary and adaptive approaches that address the maternal health needs of apostolics in a religiously sensitive manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the intersectionality of religion and social welfare in Richmond, Virginia requires going back to the beginning of the Virginia colony. In the crucible of the colony, the religious and social welfare functions of a parish community were one and the same. However, after the Revolutionary War it was just a matter of time before the entire system was disassembled. The process of disentanglement of church and state created an identity crisis in Virginia. In the late 1700s, the emergence of charitable efforts began with leading men of Richmond who tried to address the temporary needs of travelers, followed by groups of women who discovered new roles they could play through charitable works. The new "system" became a potpourri of societies, congregations, associations, and county units attempting to provide for the social welfare of the populous. The intersectionality of religion and social welfare continued as a diverse landscape of small and large organizations and congregations performing the social welfare functions in Richmond and throughout the Commonwealth emerged. Today, to attempt to separate the church from the state in this conglomerate of agencies is neither possible nor desirable. However, understanding its' historical complexity is essential if one is to engage in contemporary practice within Richmond's health and human service system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the papal encyclical "Caritas in veritate," written by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009. The author comments on the social doctrine of the Catholic Church and the importance of the Church in social development, according to Benedict XVI. The themes of love, good will, and knowledge are also examined.

This paper analyzes religious organizations in the context of the situation in which religion is situated in modern societies. The paper critically discusses the main perspectives on secularization in two dimensions: how they explain the condition of religion in society and, consequently, how these perspectives understand organizations. For the most influential perspectives about secularization, religious organizations lose social relevance as they entail a debacle, individualization and worldliness of religion. Drawing from Niklas Luhmann's theory, this paper considers religious organizations as a dimension of religion with social and analytic relevance. Finally, following Luhmann's theory, the paper proposes an analytic framework to study religious organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents findings from an in-depth qualitative study of the Israeli Druze community, focusing on the community's struggle to retain their traditions and protect their religion in an era of global communications and rapid societal change, and especially the move to higher education. Sixty semi-structured interviews were conducted with Israeli Druze in their forties and fifties, and 60 with their young adult children. Findings show that both young adults and their parents' generation see higher education for young people as key to economic success and to personal fulfillment. Pursuing higher education means compromising on some religious rules. Yet there is universal commitment to maintaining the Druze values and way of life. This is a traditional society that, so far, is still deeply grounded in Druze religious values while the younger generation makes the inevitable leap into the future through higher education. The study reveals the characteristics of the Druze community in terms of tradition and change, with higher education marking a permeable boundary between these two uneasy companions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer's continuing challenge and influence on the ecumenical movement in the 21st century. Topics include the threads that link together Bonhoeffer's destiny with that of the ecumenical movement, his calls for a status confessionis related to apartheid, nuclear weapons or the global economy, and the need for authoritative witness by the church about war and violence, justice and injustice, and hunger and poverty.

Religious plurality has implications for religious organisations active within the public realm. Using semi-structured interviews, I examine how Christians and Christian organisations are framing faith discourses so that they resonate with religiously neutral discourses dominant in the public sphere. There are indications of a shift towards the use of profane terms instead of sacred terms to explain aspects of the Christian faith and Christian teachings of love, compassion, and belonging are amplified to counter criticisms that Christianity is a threat to liberal rights and beliefs. This article conceptualises these discourses as two social action frames: the ‘Love Frame’ and the ‘Inclusivity Frame’. I do not refute claims that the social significance of religion is declining but argue that Christians and Christian organisations are working within the confines of secular discourses to disseminate their messages in order to build credibility as egalitarian public service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been claims that contemporary Catholic schools in Scotland are related to sectarianism by the Church of Scotland, academics, the secular lobby, the press and media and public figures, at various points in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. These individuals and groups have all highlighted the anomaly of state funded educational institutions being allegedly related to a serious social problem - sectarianism. This article presents a close examination of these claims and argues that there is very little empirical evidence to substantiate the alleged relation between contemporary Catholic schools and sectarianism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The education system in Northern Ireland is characterized by division, with around 95% of the pupil population attending predominantly co-religionist schools. In a society that is transitioning from a thirty year conflict that has been framed by hostilities between the main Catholic and Protestant communities, reconciliation interventions in education have sought to promote the value of intergroup contact between pupils attending separate schools. Some qualitative research suggests that such initiatives are more likely to have positive outcomes for pupils from more middle class backgrounds than those from more disadvantaged communities and areas that experienced high levels of conflict related incidents and deaths during the pre-ceasefire years. Drawing on contact theory and empirical evidence from a large scale quantitative study, we seek to examine this theory. Using free school meals as a proxy for social class, our findings are consistent in finding that there is a differential impact of contact for those from less affluent backgrounds, and we conclude by arguing that this should be reflected in policy responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El artículo discurre sobre la importancia de la religión en el desarrollo de relaciones entre comunidades. Los autores comentan sobre el rol de la espiritualidad para personas afectadas por conflicto y violencia. También se considera la relación entre la religión y la asistencia humanitaria para los marginalizados.

Contentment is an important dimension of virtuous human character (akhlaq) in the context of our attitude towards material provision and worldly sustenance, and our attitude towards sharing our sustenance with others. We first explore the position which the discipline of cultivating human character holds in Islam. It discloses the direct relationship of human character with our society and the environment. These relations are the foundation on which the treatment of contentment (qana'ah) is based. After defining the term qana'ah, we discuss the "good wholesome life (hayatan tayyibah)" mentioned in the Qur'an (al-Nahl 16:97) which denotes 'self-contentment'. The term provides the premise that a virtuous and pure life in this world is based on human self-control towards his means of provision, his society, and the environment. With a disciplined human attitude towards material means, material abundance or scarcity of worldly things will not disrupt one's conviction and self-sufficiency. We then discuss the by-products of non-contentment and greed such as wasting of food and other natural resources. This leads us to the topic of self-discipline in terms of dealing with the material world and our fellows. Finally we discuss the importance of self-discipline through frugal-moderation for individual and civilisational renewal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ‘resurgence’ of religion in global affairs has precipitated a new interest in sectors that have traditionally marginalised religion, exposing the pervasive influence of secularisation theory in the way religion is conceived. Increasingly cognizant of the limitations of their own intellectual heritage, political scientists have developed a number of new and fruitful approaches to religion. I argue that scholars of religion have much to gain from engaging with international relations theorists, in particular from an emerging trend to consider what religion does rather than what religion is. Combining insights from international relations theory and security studies with an analysis of the functional similarities between religion and security, I outline a new direction for the study of religion, suggesting that renewed attention should be paid both to functional accounts of religion and to its role as a system of social differentiation, orientation, and action. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In a country regarded as one of the most violent and unequal in the world, no community in South Africa is spared the intrusive, disruptive and traumatizing effects of a seemingly well-established culture of violence. Although people are affected by these in an individual capacity, the well-being of entire communities is at risk. This presents us with the question of whether our pastoral care orientations are adequately aligned with the needs of the communities affected by disruptive phenomena. In response to this question the article sets out to present a pleading case for pastoral theologians and care givers to become aware of the traumatizing contexts within which our communities exist. It further provides Biblical and theological motivation for a (w)holistic understanding of health, well-being, healing and restoration that is only fully understood when such understanding is undergirded by an acute awareness of the relational and communal dimension of each of these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines how Dorothy Day established a diverse readership in the first decade of the Catholic Worker. I argue that Day uses rhetorical transcendence to bring the resources of her religious faith into the public sphere while establishing her discursive ethic of fostering common ground. My analysis demonstrates that Day invented human dignity and social action as ultimate terms that effectively persuaded beyond her own faith community, prompting a new, diverse community of action. As rhetorical invention, transcendence creates discursive spaces in which people with diverse ideologies may act together--spaces that ameliorate public discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]