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Dissecting Familiarity I did not know about the clergy sexual abuse at Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) until we, the contributors to this roundtable, started exploring this scandal in October 2022. [...]

Due to the current state of gender inequality, it is typical for both boys and girls to experience physical, sexual, or psychological harm based solely on their sex in both public and educational settings. This study aims to determine the students of Saint Mary's University Senior High School (SMU SHS) of their perception of gender equity. Additionally, this study seeks to determine the attitudes toward gender roles. The researchers used both qualitative and quantitative design and determined its research locale in Saint Mary's University Senior High School, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, and the SMU SHS student population, both Grade 11 and Grade 12 as research participants. Furthermore, the researchers made use of Stratified Random Sampling as the sampling method used in the Senior High School Department. The study used a mixed-method design and used various statistical tools to analyze data specifically, thematic analysis for qualitative data and inferential statistics. Results have shown that the respondents have a positive perception of gender equity, while a negative attitude toward gender roles. For the perception of the respondents towards gender equity when they were grouped according to their profile variable there is a significant difference in their perception, except for family type. For attitudes toward gender roles, there is a significant difference in attitude. Lastly, for relationships, there is a high positive correlation between a respondent's perception of gender equity and their attitudes towards gender roles. These findings may imply the urgency of promoting gender equity awareness and challenging restrictive gender roles in education. The findings also emphasize the need for proactive engagement with religious communities to foster a more inclusive understanding of gender, advocating for a delicate balance in restricting students' freedom while promoting awareness through educational initiatives and online promotion to create a more inclusive school culture help understand the influence of religious sects on respondents' attitudes towards gender roles and the administration of the school should advocate restricting students' freedom to express themselves, promoting awareness about gender roles and their negative impact, and highlighting the importance of inclusivity through online promotion and advertisement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed online public discourse on Twitter (later rebranded as X) during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand key factors associated with vaccine hesitancy by employing deep-learning techniques. Text classification analysis reveals a significant association between attitudes toward vaccination and the unique socio-economic characteristics of US states, such as education, race, income or voting behavior. However, our results indicate that attributing vaccine hesitancy solely to a single social factor is not appropriate. Furthermore, the topic modeling of online discourse identifies two distinct sets of justifications for vaccine hesitancy. The first set pertains to political concerns, including constitutional rights and conspiracy theories. The second pertains to medical concerns about vaccine safety and efficacy. However, vaccine-hesitant social media users pragmatically use broad categories of justification for their beliefs. This behavior may suggest that vaccine hesitancy is influenced by political beliefs, unconscious emotions, and gut-level instinct. Our findings have further implications for the critical role of trust in public institutions in shaping attitudes toward vaccination and the need for tailored communication strategies to restore faith in marginalized communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contributes to the emerging literature on decolonial research capacity-sharing (the process of strengthening individual/organisational capacity to shape research agendas, assess, design, produce, disseminate, and apply evidence). It provides a discussion of a participatory research capacity-sharing initiative led by Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI), which was aimed at practitioners, activists, and researchers, with valuable experience as professionals and activists but little to no prior research experience, from various parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. While existing literature (including publications on decolonial research capacity-sharing) often assumes that research capacity-sharing is led by and aimed at academics, our article reflects on the question of how decolonial research capacity-sharing can be implemented in interventions led by and aimed at non-academics. It therefore makes an important contribution to existing literature on research capacity-sharing, pointing to the important role practitioners, activists, and community members can play, especially in interventions informed by decolonial principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 14th canon of Laodicea, forbidding the exchange of τὰ ἅγια εἰς λόγον εὐλογιῶν , has never received a satisfactory explanation. This article suggests that it may be legislating against a local paschal custom which has become suspect due to its practice by Montanist communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I will examine the functions of oaths in narratives of encounter, confrontation and polemic between religious communities in late antiquity, especially Jews and Christians. Through an analysis of these narratives, I hope to show that oaths had several functions: specific oath formulae were strongly associated with specific religious identities, and as such could be used to highlight distance between religious groups. However, oaths could be used to demonstrate the permeability of religious boundaries, or even be deployed cunningly to conceal one's identity or subvert expectations of its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we provide a contribution to answering the question of how religious communication is possible. Religious communication is confronted with the essential paradox that statements about a principally inaccessible transcendence have to be made by immanent, known means. Metaphors, which we understand as mapping of a known source domain onto an unknown target domain, are particularly suitable for this purpose. We apply these assumptions to the Sumerian story Gilgameš, Enkidu, and the Netherworld to examine how the text is to be understood as religious communication. We identify the familiar physical and social spheres as the source domains and the netherworld as the unknown target domain. We show how the conceptual metaphor THE NETHERWORLD IS A PHYSICAL PLACE is elaborated by means of different slots, namely where the realm of the dead is located, how to get to and how to return from there, in which shape one is able to return from the netherworld, as well as how things are ordered there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the Second Vatican Council, the community church model began to find followers even in Hungary at the underground level. These developments mainly took the form of the Regnum Marianum and the Bokor base community, founded by the Piarist monk György Bulányi in the late 1960s. A new way of experiencing belonging to the Church was closely aligned with the synod’s vision of the Catholic Church, but this was precisely why the communist state considered it very dangerous, as it represented an autonomous organization and opposition to the official Church. The rhetorical structure of the alternative church history elaborated by Bulányi made it clear that the Bokor movement was intended to represent the common memory not only of the Piarist monk but also of the community as a whole. Our paper aims to present the cornerstones of this narrative, which defines the most important arguments for the identity and self-understanding of a religious community marginalised from the Church in the 1980s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Navigating transitions across community boundaries, such as former Haredim leaving their covenantal communities of origin to integrate into mainstream society, is a widespread phenomenon with profound societal implications. This study investigates the impact of current community affiliation and perceived social support on the sense of coherence (SOC) and community sense of coherence (ComSOC) coping resources of former Haredim. Conducted in 2022, the study surveyed 147 ex‐Haredim in Israel. Findings reveal that perceived social support and strength of community affiliation predict higher SOC and ComSOC levels throughout the disaffiliation process. ComSOC shows greater sensitivity to influence than general SOC and is its strongest predictor among the studied variables. Other significant predictors are involvement in the ex‐Haredim community, years since leaving, and family disconnection. In its salutogenic quality and focus on coping resources, this study offers insights for supporting individuals navigating disaffiliation challenges and similarly profound change processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accommodating new religious communities has become a central issue in Western Europe. However, the role of religious identification in shaping intergroup relations still needs to be better understood. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the factors influencing public support for the accommodation of religious diversity, drawing on two statistically representative surveys conducted in Catalonia, Spain. The results revealed that religious identification moderates the relationship between the perception that religions other than Catholicism threaten society's way of life and the level of support for accommodating religious diversity. Contrary to initial assumptions, practicing Catholics were more supportive of religious accommodation than nonpracticing Catholics and nonbelievers, regardless of the level of threat they perceived. Moreover, cross‐group friendships mitigated the negative impact of perceived threat on support for religious accommodation, particularly among nonbelievers. Overall, the findings underscore the importance of cross‐group friendships in fostering more inclusive societies and provide valuable insights for religious governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the everyday processes of othering and exclusion of particular religious communities in expanding urbanscapes. It maps how deliberate contests are produced over cities’ histories, politico-cultural legacies and spatial arrangements, to isolate and displace communities. Specifically, it addresses how exclusion of Muslim residents is constructed in social and spatial terms in contemporary urban India. Focussing on the middle-sized central Indian city of Bhopal, I explore the emergent tensions that have steadily consolidated invisible, yet often impermeable, mental borders within that setting. In doing so, I highlight the disturbing implications of these processes of boundary making and solidification. I discuss what they mean for the everyday existence of people and communities, and how they produce fractured urbanisms. Drawing upon a mixed approach, I piece together archival records, press reports and a wide selection of other literature, as well as on-field conversations and observations, to examine how the city of Bhopal is sought to be reimaged as Hindu, and its socio-spatial character reconfigured, isolating and disenfranchising its Muslim residents. Finally, I reflect on the manner in which such shifts frame the exclusion of specific communities and produce a contested urban. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis hermeneutical review of biblical discourse of disability seeks to promote inclusive religious participation. Although the Bible is a religious book among Ugandans, there is limited discussion on how it can enhance social and religious participation of persons with disabilities. The review revealed that disability representation, human dignity and essence, divine human integrity and social empowerment dominate biblical discussion of disability. So, the article asserts that disability interpretation and representation shapes the construction of social identities and enhances inclusive participation for persons with disability. Therefore, an African disability hermeneutics is recommended to transform religious teachings and theological interpretations of disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomena where religion decides to break its own boundaries, is one where a lack of information exists. This study sought to explore the lived experiences of clergywomen inside the churches considering the limited local studies and literature conducted about clergywomen in the country. In light of this, additional knowledge is contributed to the few existing bodies of literature, specifically information about clergywomen's challenges, roles, and how they view themselves, highlighting the essence of clergywomen in the country. Purposive sampling was used to select participants with predetermined standards of serving the church as a clergywoman and actively participating in religious activities. This study utilized phenomenology, which included conducting one-on-one semi-structured interviews to gather data. The findings presented "ascension to pastoral ministry", "roles and responsibilities", "financial difficulty", "mockery", and "disagreement" as themes. It was also found that the participants have positive relationships, a supportive environment, and "positive view of themselves" even though they experienced struggles. The participants had different roles in the church, encountered several struggles, and had painful yet pleasing experiences as they defined them, leading them to have a positive view of themselves. Based on the findings, it is recommended to women in clergy, religious institutions and to the community to be more accepting of clergywomen in religious organizations. Moreover, further studies regarding clergywomen with different backgrounds such as single and married clergywomen as well as other members of the church including LGBT+ members are emphasized for future researchers to gain an in-depth understanding of the phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religious moderation is a concept that seeks to promote values of tolerance, affection, and inclusion among different believers in a society. This article aims to explain important aspects of modern society, as it encourages tolerance, respects diversity, and creates an environment that recognizes and respects religious diversity and provides equal opportunities for all individuals without any discrimination based on religion. The method used is the study of literature on the key topics of "religious moderation," "inclusive society," and "reliance freedom." From regular studies, it has been found that inclusive societies, governments, religious institutions, educational institutions, and individuals have a responsibility to participate in efforts to promote religious moderation and build inclusive society. One of the steps that can be taken to form an inclusive society is the implementation of inclusive education approaches, interfaith dialogue, and cross-religious collaborative activities, which can help create societies that respect religious diversity, give equal opportunities to all individuals, and create a prosperous social order. In conclusion, the article emphasizes the need for cooperation to strengthen religious moderation and create an inclusive society based on the principles of solidarity, understanding, and mutual respect in order to disseminate moderate religious education by blending religious principles with universal human values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the legacy of the historic contribution of faith communities to education for the employment rights of teachers in schools with a religious character. The contribution of faith communities to state education was originally reflected in a settlement by which staffing could reflect the religious foundations of the school. This paper traces the development of the legal framework covering employment by religious ethos employers, in particular the introduction of more generous protection for religious equality at work. As a result, the position of teachers in faith schools in England has diverged significantly from that of staff employed by other religious ethos organisations. The anomalous position of teachers in faith schools arises because the legal position is dependent on the historical foundations of the school rather than on the current religious practice of the school. This situation is at odds with the wider legal framework in which protection against religious discrimination and the protection for freedom of religion must be justified with reference to the genuine and current religious needs of the organisation. The paper concludes with proposals for reform that maximise the rights of both teachers and communities of faith, without unduly restricting the rights of either. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article critically examines the Islamic Religious Community (IRC) in North Macedonia, focusing on its significant role in influencing religious practices, socio-political dynamics, and interfaith relations within the country. Since its inception following the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the IRC has been central to redefining the public role of Islam, advocating for religious freedoms, and supporting the development of democratic values. Through a mixed-methods approach, this research traces the historical evolution of the IRC, analyzes its constitutional and legal framework, and assesses its impact on North Macedonia's multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. While the IRC's contributions to promoting interfaith understanding and national stability are highlighted, the study also critically engages with the institution's shortcomings, particularly the controversies related to its leadership and the challenges posed by its political entanglements. These issues have, at times, compromised the IRC's efforts in fostering social cohesion and interfaith harmony. The findings provide valuable insights into the complex role of religious institutions in enhancing social stability and democratic governance in diverse societies, positioning the IRC as a significant case study with implications for similar contexts globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on maritime pilgrimages to the Madonna of the Reef in Perast (Montenegro) and the Madonna of Zečevo in Nin (Croatia), the authors explore how tourism—which has become the primary economic driver for local populations—has impacted these centuries-old and deeply religious sites and practices. Local religious and cultural heritage, which has evolved into a tourist attraction, is deeply integrated into the local way of life, particularly within maritime and fishing communities. The shift in the dynamics of everyday life and the evolution of these sites and communities—now framed predominantly within the realm of tourism as the primary economic driver—has resulted in religious practices and pilgrimage sites transforming into tourist attractions. The research is divided into two segments. The initial phase, conducted between 2021 and 2023, involved group interviews using a consistent methodology and research instrument, engaging pertinent stakeholders from the respective local communities. The second segment involves a content analysis of websites promoting maritime pilgrimages and categorising them into two distinct groups: (1) websites of national, regional, and local tourist organisations responsible for promoting tourism in Croatia and Montenegro, and (2) Tripadvisor. The research and analysis indicate that local stakeholders lack the intention to promote and utilise maritime religious pilgrimage as a tourist attraction. While both maritime pilgrimages have undergone transformations and incorporated new elements, these changes are not primarily driven by tourism. Instead, they result from general shifts in everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs approaches from religious studies and Appalachian studies to examine the history, influence, and future of a multifaceted ethos of extraction, particularly as it influences the coal industry, in the Appalachian region of the United States. While many studies of extraction and the coal industry focus on their economic and political dimensions, by examining a broader ethos of extraction, this paper highlights multiple religious influences, including the entanglements between religious communities and extraction-based industries, the powerful moral narratives that serve to interpret and justify extraction, and the dynamics involved in shaping local identities and perceptions of place that enable this ethos to influence post-coal transition efforts. The result is a broad survey of the influences and impacts of resource extraction in Appalachia that challenges many of the longstanding stereotypes that can still be commonly found deployed about the region. In examining these influences, the paper also describes how academic interpreters have helped to shape popular conceptions of the Appalachian region that ultimately support ongoing extractive practices. Building upon insights from grassroots, anti-extractive activist communities in the region, the paper concludes by suggesting some ways that academics might adopt restorative ethics and practices in their work to address the entanglements between extractive scholarship and exploitation and devise alternative paths for just futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern era, we increasingly encounter threats and challenges caused by climate change, and as a result, "green" thinking has become a necessity in every person's life. It is believed that environmentally focused thinking can be invigorated with the help of Homo Climaticus, who is defined as a rational person in a climate crisis. However, it must be recognized that to understand the essence of Homo Climaticus, it must be compared with other archetypes. Within the framework of this article, the authors have evaluated the interaction between Homo Climaticus and Homo Religiosus in the context of environmental management. The analysis of these archetypes outlines the synergies and conflicts that arise from the fundamental differences in the worldviews of these archetypes, although both are committed to preserving the environment. Homo Climaticus is fundamentally based on science and data related to environmental management, whereas Homo Religiosus is motivated by faith-based ethics and the moral necessity to protect the world created by God. Recognizing and utilizing the strengths of both these archetypes can create more effective environmental management. Such an interdisciplinary approach indicates that collaboration between scientific and religious communities can provide a comprehensive strategy for addressing global environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study unpacks the Buddhist assimilation of Namsan (South Mountain) in Kyŏngju through the creation and aggregation of Buddhist sculptures and structures on its slopes during the seventh to tenth centuries. Though steeped in native lore regarding nature deities and efficacious rocks, auspicious geological features such as Namsan were recast as part of a Buddhist landscape filled with manifestations of the Buddha and his attendants. These images served to demarcate claims of Buddhism's place in the peninsula and were situated within sites that were previously marked and claimed by indigenous systems of belief. Employing an approach that draws parallels with David Harvey's concept of urban environments as palimpsests, this paper reveals that Namsan was a multifaceted site, with military fortifications, temples, and rock-carved sculptures augmenting its spiritual and political significance. The repeated installation of Buddhist imagery 'recovered' the mountain, subsuming indigenous beliefs under Buddhist practices. This research finds that Namsan's landscape was purposefully layered, reflecting the dialectical relationship between various communities and their religious and social practices over time. Analyzing Namsan as a palimpsest underscores the strategic appropriation of the mountain's materiality and sacrality to establish a Buddhist territory deeply intertwined with the Silla elite's politics and ideologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the mosque has become increasingly vital, particularly in contemporary societies such as Britain, where both the place and status of religion in public life are constantly discussed and debated. Indeed, in the contemporary period, the role of the mosque has several dimensions, ranging from a social space, educational and cultural exchange, and community cohesion centre to a knowledge hub. In this context, this paper suggests that a mosque should be seen as an independent religious institution, although these are influenced by and responsive to governments, elites, pressure groups, public bodies, etc. Using a thematic analysis of news items in The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph over a period of two years (8 July 2005–7 July 2007), it finds that in the aftermath of 7/7, the mosque as a religious place and an institution for British Muslims is largely seen as incompatible and a threat to secular British society and that it is linked with radicalisation and terrorism. According to Quranic texts and revelations, it is indeed a fact that mosques are open to all. This is logical since God's mercy, love, and forgiveness are for all of mankind without any distinction, which is perhaps why the mosque has been the sacred house of God Himself. This study aims to reveal the development of visible hostility in some sections of the British media and political campaigns. Moreover, it intends to trace the determination and idea of the mosque as a religious place and an institution for British Muslims rather than only a place for worship. Finally, this study will argue the role of the mosque in promoting community cohesion and mutual understanding within the Muslim and other faith communities located in Britain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practical theology has historically engaged in sustained theological reflection on the practices of the Church that intersect with the practices of the world. As field of study, it engages in interdisciplinary engagement that combines social and theological forms of reasoning and analysis. As a broader field of praxis, it seeks to support the conditions where people of faith are formed, and communities of faith may flourish. In both expressions, practical theology exists in a dynamic relationship to institutions (e.g., congregations, denominations, universities) and contributes research and praxis that supports the future of institutions and the faith they mediate. While institutions are often the source and site of practical theology, "institutions" are taken for granted as a clearly-identifiable social form and a fixed expression. However, transnational changes in congregations and related faith-based institutions require an account of the nature and role of institutions within practical theology. In this gap, this paper advances a two-part argument: first, institutions are sites of multimodal gathering, creating containers for various forms of encounter where individuals and communities gather around a shared context, shared stories, shared practices, shared resources, and a shared journey. Second, theology for institutions can be sustained by attending to five modes of institutional engagement and analysis that are marked by attention to shared context, narratives, practices, resources, and a journey. Three sections advance this argument. The first part introduces three different situations of institutional encounter to question the relationship between theology and institutions amid a changing organizational landscape. The second part engages Alasdair MacIntyre as an interpretive framework to identify the gap of institutions in the field of practical theology. The third part concludes by detailing the structure of a theological account that resolves this gap in the field and may attend to the forms of gathering institutions provide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Divine Doppelgängers: YHWH's Ancient Look-Alikes" explores the similarities between the God of the Bible and other ancient deities in the Near East. It questions how the Bible's depiction of God differs from the gods of other cultures and examines the theological implications of these parallels. Various scholars contribute to the discussion, offering different perspectives on the issue. The article delves into the historical context of ancient beliefs and their impact on monotheistic traditions, providing a scholarly and erudite exploration of the topic for readers interested in theological debates. [Extracted from the article]

Spiritual trauma is one of the common outcomes for Christian women trauma survivors together with other psychological challenges (McNulty & Wardle in Child Abuse & Neglect, 18, 549–555, 1994; Rudolfsson & Tidefors in Pastoral Psychology, 64, 453–467, 2015; Yih in "Business as usual": Are Hong Kong faith communities supportive to Christian women with sexual harassment trauma? under review). Victims frequently experience much disappointment with the pastoral or congregational support they receive in the aftermath of their disclosure, which critically exacerbates their primary traumatic overwhelm and causes various faith-related challenges collectively known as spiritual struggle (Doyle in Sexual abuse in the Catholic clergy: A decade of crisis, 2002–2012 (pp. 171–182). Praegar, 2011). In this paper, I critically examine the spiritual aspect within the complex processes of Hong Kong Christian women survivors of sexual violence trauma recovering from the impacts caused by the responses of the victims' faith communities using the qualitative research methodology of interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The paper contributes to the growing efforts to develop an integrated and holistic provision of theologically robust and trauma-informed pastoral care for those struggling on the complex and challenging journey in the aftermath of trauma caused by sexual violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the experiences of 12 survivors of domestic violence, 9 women and 3 men, regarding how their congregations responded and how that affected their views of God. These qualitative interviews were part of a larger mixed-methods study on domestic violence and the church that sought to provide further insight into the intersection of faith, domestic violence, and church response. Domestic violence occurs in religious families, just as it does in the general population. In these cases, the victims of abuse often first reach out to their pastors or clergy members for assistance. Using transcendental phenomenology, the authors sought to understand the survivors' experiences in disclosing abuse to their faith communities. The findings show that despite numerous painful experiences with the church, the survivors' faith and views of God largely stayed intact. Further domestic violence education, connection to resources, and attention to congregational policies and practices are vital in the faithful response to abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines gender-transformative programmes that seek to engage religious leaders in gender-based violence prevention across southern African countries. It focuses on the 'gender-transformative' paradigm implemented by an international South-African NGO, in collaboration with local and global organizations. On the basis of two years of ethnographic fieldwork, the research uncovers local dynamics that challenge the effectiveness of existing strategies, highlighting intersectional negotiations and decolonial narratives framing the transformation of gender roles within religious communities. The article provides evidence that emphasizes the significance of recognizing intersectional power dynamics related to participants' age, gender, language and religious rank in gender-transformative programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1983, Robert Cover challenged the U.S. Supreme Court's approach to conflicts between the law of the state and the religious commitments of "insular communities." Over 40 years later, Cover's call remains urgent, and is of special relevance in New York. In Brooklyn and the Lower Hudson Valley, Hasidic yeshivas with tens of thousands of students seek dispensation from state policy that requires all students to receive a basic secular education. Meanwhile, federal religious liberty jurisprudence, significantly changed since 1983, still fails to satisfyingly arbitrate between the commitments of religious communities and the law of the secular state. Part I of this Note sets the theoretical and doctrinal stage. It explains the intervention made by Professor Cover in Nomos and Narrative, outlines the free exercise maximalism of today's Supreme Court, and proposes how Cover's ideas could be used to redeem a religious liberty jurisprudence gone awry. Specifically, as part of determining when the law of the insular religious community must bend before the law of the state, Part I argues that courts should inquire into whether the state's law is paideic (world- creating) or merely regulatory. Part II applies these ideas to the pressing case study of Hasidic education in New York. It provides the reader with an overview of Hasidic education and the current legal landscape. It also cautions that current doctrine is ill-equipped to handle the dilemma. Finally, Part III encourages New York government to articulate its compulsory education law as a world-creating commitment of the state and urges the courts to recognize the legitimacy and necessity of such a claim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite religion's ubiquity, its role has long been ignored by international relations scholars. One of the reasons behind ignoring religion's influence in international politics is the anti-religion sentiments based on the theory of secularization. The belief that religion is a thing of the past has hampered the explanatory prowess of international relations scholarship. This article aims to explain how faith informs Pakistan about its divine role in international politics. It is argued that Islamic eschatology is pivotal in contouring Pakistan's religious identity which is pivotal to how Pakistan establishes its ties with its arch-rival India. Prophetic register that exists in Pakistan act as a call to action to reform the community on religious bases. This article concludes that the role of religious prophecy must be accounted for to better explain popular religious aspirations that constrain the policy option for policymakers both at the domestic as well as international level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working within the framework of a conception that makes social practices central to religion, I present an account of religious beliefs as beliefs that are targets of group-specific social practices organized around the norm that these beliefs are to be held. In addition to opening up new avenues of investigation regarding the ways religious adherents negotiate the expectations of their communities around issues of believing, the account generates reasons to resist the idea that religion is characterized by a distinctive kind of doxastic or quasi-doxastic propositional attitude. On my understanding, belief-targeted social practices can generate cognitive dissonance when they make religious adherents responsible for holding beliefs that they do not have good reasons to hold. And the variety of results produced by this dissonance suggests that there is no uniform resolution to this situation, but rather that belief-targeted social practices generate considerable instability within religious communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fictional narratives centred around the Partition of India in 1947 usually voice the plight of the women caused by the communal riots and hatred among religious communities. Saadat Hasan Manto, in his short story 'Thanda Gosht' (trans. 'Cold Meat'), translated into English by Khalid Hasan as 'Colder than Ice', brings out the other side of Partition's gendered narrative – the impact of the violent creation of borders on Indian men. Through the notion of 'strange encounters', the paper demonstrates the metaphoric connection between the female body and the contested land of pre-Partition India while the masculine and oppressive Ishwar, who symbolises political leaders mandating the Partition, fails to exert his supremacy as he is traumatised by the psychological repercussions of the aftermath of violence- sexual on a micro level, communal on a macro level. By critiquing the familiarity and strangeness that underscore the Self-Other binary, the essay visualises alternate paradigms of gendered nationalist encounters- how the male communalist perpetrator's masculinity is a product of myriad privileges, his hegemonic power in a patriarchal system being one. It will also interrogate notions of shame and honour that pervade such gendered encounters underlined by violence to demonstrate how Manto's stories subvert that discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the case of Min Joshua Chung, an ordained pastor who was found guilty of sexual misconduct but has since been restored to ministry within the Presbyterian Church in America. The author examines the concept of holiness and how it has been misused to perpetuate patterns of sexual and spiritual abuse, particularly within Asian American Christian communities. The article argues that the theological justifications used to forgive and restore Chung's power while silencing and marginalizing the victim-survivors are deeply flawed and rooted in heteropatriarchal norms. The author calls for a reexamination of the concept of holiness and the development of a theo-ethical framework that prioritizes justice and love. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the issue of clergy sexual abuse within religious communities, focusing on a case of abuse at Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) led by Min Joshua Chung. The author argues that clergy sexual abuse is not limited to specific religious groups and is a global issue. They highlight the role of power dynamics, cultural influences, and societal prejudices in perpetuating clergy sexual abuse. The article also explores the impact of militarism on Korean Christianity and how it contributes to the maintenance of rape culture within churches. The author emphasizes the need to challenge the hierarchical, militarist structure of faith communities and break the male clergy bonding that protects perpetrators and perpetuates misogyny. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the emergence of the @letters_from_rahab Instagram platform, which provides a space for victim-survivors to share their stories of abuse within Covenant Fellowship Church (CFC) in Champaign-Urbana, IL. The church, predominantly Korean and Korean American, has a history of abuse involving lead pastor Min Joshua Chung and other leaders. The article emphasizes the need for feminist pastoral theologians to critically examine responses to clergy sexual abuse and support victim-survivors in their healing. It also highlights the importance of centering marginalized voices and challenging dominant narratives in addressing clergy abuse within faith communities. The text discusses the importance of feminist narrative approaches in addressing clergy sexual abuse within Korean and Korean American communities, prioritizing victim-survivors' experiences and empowering them to develop alternative narratives. The @letters_from_rahab Instagram account is highlighted as a healing community and safe space for victim-survivors to share their experiences. The text calls for cultural sensitivity and intersectionality in addressing abuse within faith communities and urges feminist theologians to promote healing and justice. [Extracted from the article]

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Purpose: Religion could drive development. Although Ghana is touted as the most religious country in the world, notably, some Charismatic/Pentecostal churches operate at the expense of community development and members' welfare. This study sought to achieve three objectives: to determine whether there is an opportunity for organizing the various churches for interfaith cooperative collective action; to assess the association between people's religiosity and the propensity to join interfaith cooperative collective action and to assess people's perceptions of the institutional framework that could facilitate the organization of the religious community in Ghana for interfaith collective action. Design/methodology/approach: Descriptive statistics and an ordered probit model (OPM) were used to analyze cross-sectional data from a representative sample of households in the Greater Accra Region. Thematic analysis was also used to analyze the qualitative data. Findings: The study found that generally, there is a positive response to a proposal to mobilize churches in an interfaith cooperative collective action, but distrust poses a great threat to interfaith cooperative collective action. The study also found that affiliation with the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and Pentecostal/Charismatic is negatively (positively) associated with the propensity to join a collective action, respectively. Finally, the results of the study found that accountability, proper management and fair distribution of the proceeds from a collective action will help in mobilizing churches in Ghana in an interfaith collective action. Originality/value: This is the first major study to explore the possibility of interfaith collective action among religious denominations aimed at accelerating poverty reduction and wealth creation in any developing country. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2023-0670 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health programs' successful implementation often requires a thorough consideration ⁠ of local cultural contexts and effective community engagement. The complexities and obstacles that public health initiatives may face in culturally ⁠ diverse communities are highlighted by our case study, offering valuable insights. ‍ This article focuses on analyzing a particular incident that occurred in Gobe Challa Village, connected ⁠ to the implementation of the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program. In Gobe Challa Village, an incident occurred that centered on discord within the community and religious fears, resulting ⁠ from misunderstandings surrounding and a general lack of comprehension about the CHAMPS program. Our resolution process involved engaging the community, and religious leaders in constructive dialogue. Throughout this involvement, we delivered extensive elucidation on the aims and ⁠ protocols of the CHAMPS program, mitigating conflicts within the community. The community successfully achieved acceptance of the CHAMPS program by directly ⁠ and respectfully addressing misconceptions and fears, fostering a common understanding. This study emphasizes the significance of effective communication, community engagement, and ⁠ consideration of cultural customs when implementing public health programs. The experiences derived from this incident can act as a practical ⁠ manual for future public health initiatives encountering analogous cultural and societal dynamics. The main emphasis is on highlighting how a proactive, sensitive, and inclusive approach can ⁠ alleviate potential conflicts while also promoting program acceptance and encouraging community engagement. These discoveries have relevance to various public health initiatives and emphasize the significance ⁠ of a culturally conscious, community-involved approach in executing global health programs. ‍ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Members of consecrated life communities exhibit homogeneity with regard to factors that are relevant to health, including diet, daily activities, religiosity, and housing. This may be indicative of the manner in which the community influences the formation of the health-seeking attitudes of its members. Purpose of the study: The objective of this study was to validate a survey about health awareness and health-seeking attitudes among consecrated people and to identify potential issues to be improved. In addition, the study aspires to provide insights into the lifestyles of consecrated persons in Poland, based on the results of the survey and available data. Materials and Methods: The study group included 27 female participants, members of societies of apostolic life and non-habitual apostolic religious congregations of the Roman Catholic Church. The participants were invited to express their comments and suggestions on the survey, with the purpose of validating the survey before using it as a tool for a larger study. Results: All participants agreed that nutrition, rest, and physical activity had a significant impact on health. A total of 89% of participants considered their lifestyle as healthy and a similar proportion indicated that living in a consecrated community had a positive impact on their health, with the most positive influence of factors related to spiritual exercise, rhythm of the day, and sense of interpersonal connection within the community. Approximately 44% of participants indicated that their attitude was based on a healthy diet and adequate sleep quality. However, they identified an existing need to improve the balance between work and rest. Additionally, 4% of respondents admitted irregular eating habits, ignoring quality of alimentary products, non-satisfactory rest time, and insufficient sleep. Conclusions: Even though the purpose of this study was only to validate a survey predestined for a larger study, it already gives an insight into the level of awareness of health behavior and lifestyle of residents of religious communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An issue information is presented which discusses article about research on Fair Trade, encompassing a full range of topics, interests and voices in new works, ideas and lively debate about the challenges and future of Fair Trade.

Drawing on my research of Luton Fair Trade Town, in this article I argue that faith communities, working in partnership with Fair Trade Towns, are well-placed to raise awareness of sustainable development. I will discuss the ability of faith communities to raise awareness and bring about change towards sustainable development, utilizing both social and spiritual capital. An analysis focusing on social capital highlights the ability of faith communities to bridge different sections of society, issues and geographies. Spiritual capital concentrates on the motivation to action and this can provide a challenge to the status quo and a vision of how society can work differently, offering a necessary contribution to working towards a sustainable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Folklor / Edebiyat is the property of Cyprus International University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article presents positions on the digitability of religion as they are lived and reasoned about by digital natives who claim to be religious, spiritual, and/or searching and curious in this regard. Data were collected through explorative participant observations and semistructured interviews with digital natives with transmigratory biography elements in Switzerland. Examples of the borders that interlocutors drew between digitable and nondigitable aspects of religion are also presented to provide an overview of the emic assumptions about the possibilities and limits of religious digitability in the field. The analysis revealed that digital natives tended to see almost all aspects of religion but not all aspects of the religious community experience as digitable, and sometimes value the nondigitability of certain nuances of community explicitly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Methods Results Discussion Social connections in the host country improve International Medical Graduates' (IMGs') well‐being, intercultural competence and performance at work but is an issue that has been largely overlooked in the academic literature and policy discussions. The aim of this study was to better understand the social connections that IMGs form by exploring this phenomenon in a UK context.IMGs and UK Medical Graduates (UKMGs) practising in Scotland were invited to participate. This was a qualitative study using online semi‐structured interviews for data collection and reflexive thematic analysis.Forty‐one participants were recruited (24 IMGs and 17 UKMGs), selected with maximum variation in terms of gender, ethnicity, speciality, grade and country of primary medical qualification. Twenty‐one (58%) of the participants had experience working in other parts of the UK.Five themes were identified: (i) overcoming early isolation, IMGs strove to overcome their initial social isolation which harmed their mental well‐being; (ii) where connections are made, IMGs form social connections mainly at work and within their religious communities; (iii) seeds of segregation, some IMGs found themselves outside tight UK native friendship groups. Alcohol was a socially exclusive activity for some IMGs, as were other host country cultural norms. Exclusion led IMGs to form social connections with other IMGs or other ‘outsider’ groups; (iv) degrees of Discrimination, discrimination and racism were experienced by some IMGs. Discrimination was individual, structural and institutional, and (v) “Open (ing) the door”, participants described interventions at organisational, departmental, and individual levels to improve IMGs' ability to form social connections.This study highlighted the challenges that IMGs face when trying to form social connections. More emphasis needs to be placed on promoting an environment where social connections, in particular between IMGs and host country natives, can flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the reasons for the high rates of maternal and child morbidity and mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa is the rising proportion of teenage pregnancy. Preventing teenage pregnancy is critical to meeting sustainable development goal number three which aims to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births. To support the achievement of this goal, this study aimed to assess the spatial variation and factors associated with teenage pregnancy in Ethiopia using the recent nationally representative data. Methods: A secondary data analysis of the 2019 Ethiopian mini Demographic and Health Survey was conducted with a total weighted sample of 2211 (unweighted 2100) teenagers. The Bernoulli model was fitted using SaTScan version 9.6 to identify hotspot areas and the geospatial pattern and prediction of teenage pregnancy were mapped using ArcGIS version 10.7. A multilevel logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with teenage pregnancy among teenagers. Adjusted OR with 95% CI was calculated and variables having a p-value less than 0.05 were statistically significant factors of teenage pregnancy. Result: The prevalence of teenage pregnancy among adolescents aged 15–19 years in Ethiopia was 12.89% (95% CI: 11.56%, 14.36%). The SaTScan analysis identified a primary cluster in the Gambella region of Ethiopia (log-likelihood ratio = 14.02, p < 0.001). A high prevalence of teenage pregnancy was observed in Somalia, Afar, Gambella, and the southern part of the Oromia regions of Ethiopia. Age, educational status- primary and secondary, religion- protestant, having television, contraceptive knowledge, household head-female, and region- Small peripheral were significant determinants of teenage pregnancy. Conclusion: The spatial distribution of teenage pregnancy in Ethiopia was nonrandom. Age, educational status, religion, having television, contraceptive knowledge, sex of household head, and region were significant determinants of teenage pregnancy. Therefore, concerned government bodies and other stakeholders should organize periodic educational campaigns and youth-friendly reproductive health services. Collaboration between healthcare professionals, and religious and community leaders could also form a strategic partnership that makes interventions more comprehensive, culturally sensitive, and effective in reducing teenage pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a qualitative study of religious practice in a working-class and middle-class Muslim American community. Given the small sample size (N = 18), this study is exploratory and suggests avenues for future research on social class and religious practice among Muslim Americans. The results indicate that different social classes have different views regarding the proper role of religion in their lives. Moreover, social class provides people with unequal resources to meet certain demands placed on them by their religious community and society in general. Other aspects of community life (e.g., social networks) also intervene and mediate institutional relationships and affect religious practice. The social and cultural elements that facilitate perceived compliance with a particular interpretation of religious praxis can be analysed in terms of social and cultural capital. This study suggests that social and cultural capital can help scholars understand differences in religious practice among Muslims across different localities and classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAlthough studies have been conducted regarding the faith journeys of people with disabilities, little is known of those nurturing and accompanying them, their parents. The faith journeys of parents of children with disabilities are a critical yet underattended source of theological insight. In this qualitative research study, we interview and study the perspective of seven married parents of children with disabilities who actively participate in ministry at their local faith communities or a national arena. While these criteria limit the number of parents caring for children with disability, they gave us greater insight into the challenges and graces received throughout their faith journeys, the role of their immediate family, their faith communities, and the universal Church. Five emerging themes were identified reflecting the rich yet complex strengths and frailty of their faith journeys. This study intends to amplify the stories of parents of children with disabilities becoming key conversation partners. Their hope-in-tension narratives inform and challenge the understanding of Christian anthropology, the centrality of faith, and the vocation of marriage, and in turn lead to concrete pastoral recommendations in three critical dimensions: ecclesiological, catechetical, and ministerial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Western Muslim youth engage less in romantic relationships than their non-Muslim peers, an observation usually attributed to chastity norms that oppose Muslim youths’ premarital sexual activity. In this study, I ask whether chastity norms also shape cross-gender interaction beyond romantic relationships and lead to fewer cross-gender friendships among Muslim than non-Muslim youth. To isolate the consequences of chastity norms from institutionalized practices of gender segregation in Muslim religious communities, I study friendship-making in German coeducational schools, which provide ample opportunities for cross-gender friendships. I apply multilevel exponential random graph models to large-scale data on adolescents’ school-based friendship networks, finding cross-gender friendships to be generally infrequent but notably rarer among Muslim than non-Muslim youth. However, this lack of cross-gender friendships is limited to Muslim youth who hold strong chastity norms, while more liberal Muslim youth have as many cross-gender friends as non-Muslims. Among non-Muslims, chastity norms are unrelated to cross-gender friendships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal‐source foods (ASFs), contain high amounts of essential nutrients that are readily absorbed by the body. However, children in resource‐constrained settings often have limited access to these nutritious foods. This study aimed to investigate the reasons for the low consumption of ASFs among children in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. A community‐based mixed‐methods study was conducted, using exploratory qualitative methods supplemented by the analysis of secondary data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS). The qualitative study employed a multiphase stepwise design and the maximum variation purposive sampling technique, enroling a diverse range of participants such as mothers and/or caregivers, household heads, religious and community leaders, health and nutrition experts, and others. The qualitative data were analysed using a thematic framework analysis method, while the quantitative data were analysed using SPSS v22 statistical software. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of ASFs among children under 5 years of age in the region. Despite the large and diverse livestock populations available, only 13.2% of children consumed at least one animal‐source food (ASF) in the prior day. The most consumed ASFs were dairy and eggs, whereas beef, organ meat, and seafood were the least consumed. Household demographics such as residence, literacy level, paternal age, and household wealth quintiles influenced the overall consumption of ASFs. The main reasons for the low consumption of ASFs among children were unaffordability and poor awareness among caregivers. In addition, religious misconceptions, price hikes, limited availability during certain seasons, low productivity, insufficient support from health professionals, and time constraints for caregivers were also mentioned as significant barriers to ASF consumption in the area. The consumption of ASFs among children in Ethiopia, particularly in the Amhara region, remains very low. This is mainly due to the caregivers' levels of awareness and unaffordability of ASFs. It is recommended that behavioural and sociocultural interventions be implemented that target caregivers to improve the consumption of ASFs among children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the relationship between Qur'an exegesis, ritual practice, and the formation of religious identities and communities? This is the central question this essay will address by focusing on the first Persian Qur'an commentary to have been composed by a Twelver Shiʿi scholar, Shaykh Abu al-Futuh al-Razi (d. 1131), titled The Cool Breeze of Paradise and Breath for the Soul (Rawd al-Jinan wa Rawh al-Janan fi tafsir al-Qur'an). In particular, I examine the mutually reinforcing dynamic between text and ritual in the curation of pre-modern Muslim publics. Through a close reading of Razi's exegesis, I show the interaction of Qur'an exegesis, Shiʿi rituals of remembrance and the cultivation of distinct sensorial reactions and capacities – an important medium for the narration, transmission, and indeed determination of religious identities. I argue that Razi's commentary served the dual role of "explanatory written text" and "oral ritual telling", while establishing its authority in each of these contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]