Christian Groups Research Articles

Authority as a Challenge

The early Christian world was diverse. Various groups of Christians held opposite views on crucial theological and social elements while claiming to be the true followers of Jesus Christ. In this diversity, two streams of Christianity were particularly popular: proto-orthodox Christians and Valentinian Gnostics. These groups were included in the sharp polemical discussions and battles, as they tried to gain a monopoly in the early Christian world. In the end, proto-orthodoxy won thus marginalizing Valentinian Gnostics. In that process, Church authors, such as Irenaeus and Justin Martyr reclaimed the history of Christianity by defining themselves as the guardians of orthodoxy. Furthermore, they put the label of “heresy” on Valentinians claiming that they are not real Christians, but a subversive group that had corrupted the original message of Jesus and his disciples. In this paper, I have tried to demonstrate that one of the crucial reasons for the triumph of the Great Church was related to the concepts of authority and organization. To show that, I have analysed what kind of attitude Valentinian Gnostics had toward authority and organization. As sources reflect, Valentinian Gnosticism was an anti-structural movement that emphasized an individual approach to the divine through esoteric knowledge. Furthermore, their belief in the threefold division of humanity affected their attitude toward bishops and apostolic succession. Consequently, they rejected the authority of bishops and presbyters and put the emphasis on the small philosophical circle of students that would gather around influential teachers. Eventually, such a spiritual and religious perspective made it impossible to create a network of connected communities whose sense of universal identity would transgress local and regional borders. In the end, Valentinian Gnosticism was a conglomerate of independent communities scattered across the Mediterranean. In other words, Valentinian’s theological beliefs that modelled their attitude toward authority and social structure were a crucial factor in their marginalization within the early Christian world.

Notas sobre o surgimento do fundamentalismo religioso na América Central e sua relação com os direitos humanos

This paper presents the historical context of the 1980s in Central America to understand the social, economic, political, and human rights conditions that this region was experiencing, in which neo-Pentecontalism emerged as an expression of religious fundamentalism. This was not a native manifestation of these societies but rather a phenomenon that originated in the United States as part of a political project aimed at addressing the situation in the Central American region during that time. It was a period marked by political and military conflicts, primarily in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, whose attention and consequences led to the involvement of the other countries in the area. In the course of these struggles, Christian groups also engaged. They sympathized with the Latin American Theology of Liberation, whose central message was the option for the poor. This led them to support political movements of liberation striving to transform the capitalist socio-economic structure. This demonstrates that the religious element, which had historically aligned with dominant political and economic entities, broke with that tradition but, this time, through a small sector. In light of this, the United States made the decision to promote and introduce religious fundamentalism to Central America in order to halt revolutionary political projects. Understanding the context in which neo-Pentecostalism arises allows for a comprehension of its relationship with or opposition to human rights-related issues.

United by history, divided by God? Religion among Dutch and Belgian members of the European Parliament

ABSTRACT Even though the European project has often been claimed to be a secular one, studies point out that the European Parliament is an arena in which a more Christian-inspired version of Europe is sometimes advocated. The question we therefore address in this contribution is what role does religion play in the parliamentary work of Dutch and Belgian MEPs? Within the larger RelEP2 project, this contribution specifically focuses on MEPs from Belgium and the Netherlands, countries in which religion has historically been one of the most prominent political cleavages. Based on surveys and an analysis of MEPs parliamentary questions, we find that the old religious conflict between Christian and secular groups is no longer dominant in Belgium and the Netherlands, although Dutch MEPs from ChristenUnie and Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij do still frequently rely on Christian values in their parliamentary work. Instead, religion has taken up a more prominent role among radical right MEPs from Belgium and the Netherlands, who primarily advocate an anti-Islam stance. Taken together, these findings suggest that there are few remnants of the old religious consociation, but rather we are seeing a politicisation of Islam is a driver of Dutch and Belgian MEPs.

Whose Church? Which Unity?That We May Be One: Practicing Unity in a Divided Church, Gary B.Agee, Eerdmans, 2022 (ISBN 978‐0‐8028‐8186‐1), xviii + 150 pp., pb $19.99Winsome Conviction: Disagreeing Without Dividing the Church, TimMuehlhoff and RichardLanger, InterVarsity Press, 2020 (ISBN 978‐0‐8380‐4799‐0), x + 214 pp., pb $17

AbstractThese two recent books each offer guidance to Christians in the United States on pursuing unity in the midst of social, moral, political, and theological divisions. They offer two distinct approaches: one relying mainly on relevant academic research and the other drawing mostly on a pastoral appeal. They also target different audiences: one an explicitly theologically conservative evangelical ‘church’, the other a ‘church’ including all professed Christians. This review argues that both have different strengths. While Agee's approach is ultimately more promising for addressing the underlying causes of disunity among Christians, Muehlhoff and Langer offer well‐founded tactics for mutual understanding within a more limited group of Christians.

Distinguishing biblical Christian doctrines from fabricated interpretations: a comparative analysis of biblical understanding

The aim of this study was to distinguish biblical Christian doctrines from fabricated interpretations. A doctrine may be considered cultic if an institution, group or individual develops a theological or doctrinal interpretation that touches minimally on the proper biblical emphasis and lives for the most part outside of that circle. This study is offered, not as an analysis of Christian cultic doctrines but as a pointer to how some Christian movements, groups or individuals develop cultic doctrines or heresies. The spiritual danger arising from the teachings of false prophets calls for believers to strive for the right doctrines so that one can differentiate between truth and falsehood. The study concludes that Some Christians unknowingly embrace Christian cult doctrines because the spiritual leaders who have been entrusted with the responsibility of teaching and preaching sound doctrines have failed to carefully and seriously provide supportive fellowship, true exposition of the word, and raise awareness on cults and cultic teachings.

Global Christian higher education from 1950 to 2020: An updated analysis

A recent global reconnaissance of Christian higher education found a number of key themes that shaped current developments, such as the pressing challenges of secularization and nationalization but also the advantages of privatization and massification. This article provides an update to this older analysis by taking a birds-eye view of trends within the past 70 years of global Christian higher education. It reveals that privatization and massification trends do not predict new developments in countries and outliers always exist. Furthermore, it highlights some findings missed in previous analyses related to the importance of indigenous Christian groups and Christian general education.

Differential Forgiveness Perspectives and Their Implications on Bangsamoro-Christian Conflict Resolution

Abstract The article explored intergroup perspectives among Bangsamoro and Christian group members to determine their impact on forgiveness-based peace initiatives and conflict resolution. It adopts a qualitative approach by analyzing thematically four (4) focus group discussions. Bangsamoro participants’ themes on Intergroup Forgiveness as a Process of Negotiation and Pride as Key Factor in the Process of Intergroup Forgiveness stress socio-religious and political leaders’ roles including that of cultural values such as maratabat (honor) and sabar (silent forbearance). Christian participants’ Intergroup Forgiveness as an Outcome through Discussion/Communication theme emphasizes understanding and pride’s impact on the forgiveness process. These findings bring to awareness the complexity of integrating intergroup forgiveness in current peacebuilding interventions.

From secularisations to political religions*

ABSTRACT In European culture the sacred and the secular have existed in a dialectical relationship. Prodi sees the fifteenth-century crisis of Christianity as opening up three paths that eroded this dualism and tended towards modernity: civic-republican religion, sacred monarchy, and the territorial churches. Important counter-forces, which sought to maintain dualism, included the Roman-Tridentine Compromise, and those forms of Radical Christianity which rejected confessionalisation outright. During the Eighteenth Century, all these phenomena tended to contribute to one of two tendencies: towards civic religion, or towards political religion. The former preserved a distinction between conscience and law; the latter comprised a state religion which sought to perfect all of human nature. It was civic religion which become embodied in the early USA, alienating God from worldly power, but leaving him as the guarantor of agreements between humans. Back in Europe, Prodi tracks the relationship between the Catholic Church and the new national states. He then turns to the political religions of the Twentieth Century. Prodi concludes by emphasising that this dualism of sacred and secular power lay at the centre of Western modernity, and expresses his fears about the collapse of civic religion into political religion, especially in the USA.

A New Great Awakening: Be Tradition of Radical Christian Discipleship and the Current Transformational Moment in the United States

A New Great Awakening: Be Tradition of Radical Christian Discipleship and the Current Transformational Moment in the United States

In-between Calvinism and Islam: Ali Bey's Transcultural Translation of the Bible into Turkish in the Time of Confessionalization

Albertus Bobovius/Ali Ufkî Bey was a typical go-between of his time, a learned translator and convert who benefited from his double religious sensitivity. As a consequence, he was able to create a transcultural translation of the Bible in the 17th century. This paper brings context to these aspects of his life. Ali Ufkî Bey created his works on religion during a time of intensive confessionalization, when Istanbul was a hub for many political interests with various religious and cultural options intersecting in the Ottoman capital. The project of translating the Bible to the national languages of Islam was carried out according to the vision of an alliance between Islam and reformed Christian groups, supporting the thesis of Calvino-Turkism, promoted by John Amos Comenius. As oriental scholars were lacking sufficient command of Turkish, they had to commission highly qualified go-betweens. There were two competing plans: Dutch Calvinist and Anglican. Bobovius was a part of the Dutch plan, along with Yahya Bin Ishak, a Jewish dragoman. The strategies of translation chosen by Bobovius were very modern according to the present knowledge of the art of translation, but in his era, there were difficulties in choosing the right language register and the right religious imagery to find proper equivalents. Underestimated by his contemporaries, Bobovius was rehabilitated by today’s linguists, and his “Turkish Bible” is still in use today. The text does not contest the religious identity of the author of this translation of the Bible but presents the hybridity of this figure against the background of the wider historical and confessional context of 17th-century Istanbul. It also provides examples of Bobovius’s translation choices and an initial interpretation of his methodology of timeless transcultural translation, from the perspective of contemporary translation theories. In the light of contemporary transcultural studies, present-day scholarship may treat Ali Ufkî as a transcultural agent and a gifted go-between.

The Impact of Meso-Level Factors on SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Early Hesitancy in the United States.

The extant literature on the U.S. SARS-CoV-2 virus indicates that the vaccination campaign was lagging, insufficient, and uncoordinated. This study uses the spatial model to identify the drivers of vaccine hesitancy (in the middle of the pandemic), one of the critical steps in creating impactful and effective interventions to influence behavioral changes now and in the future. The applied technique accounted for observed and unobserved homogeneity and heterogeneity among counties. The results indicated that political and religious beliefs, quantified by Cook's political bipartisan index and the percentage of the population affiliated with the main Christian groups, were the main drivers of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy. The past vaccination experience and other variables determining the demand and supply of vaccines were also crucial in influencing hesitancy. The results imply that vaccination campaigns require engaging community leaders at all levels rather than depending on politicians alone and eliminating barriers to the supply and demand of vaccines at all levels. Coordination among religious and community leaders would build a practical institutional arrangement to facilitate (rather than frustrate) the vaccination drives.

A Discursive Engagement of Ideological Issues in Ilaje Zionist Gospel Songs: Lekan Remilekun-Amos and Debo Ojubuyi as Exemplars

The ideological practices of Christian groups in Nigeria and beyond, as evident in their songs, have received considerable attention from scholars across disciplines, including linguists. However, the songs and music of the Ilaje Zionist Christian movement, which constitutes a major bloc in the Nigerian “white garment” Christian circle, have not received serious scholarly attention. To address this gap in the literature, this article explores ideological issues in Ilaje Zionist gospel songs. Two prominent male artistes within the Ilaje Zionist Christian movement are sampled as case studies. The theoretical framework for this study is critical discourse analysis with emphasis on Fairclough’s analysis on ideology and insights from Odebunmi’s notion of shared cultural knowledge. The study identifies the following ideological themes that reverberate in this Christian movement: life is a battle, human wickedness, life is a matter of time and season, you reap what you sow, and life is vanity. The findings reveal that there are areas of complementarity between the Yorùbá ideological standpoint and the Christian biblical principles about life, as evident in the analysed songs. While the songs of the Ilaje Zionist Christian movement are gospel in nature, they reveal the people’s ideological attachment to their indigenous roots as a sub-group of the Yorùbá.

Контекст развития и трансформации традиционных религий Пакистана в 21 веке

Although Pakistan was created for Hindustani Muslims, in its first stage of formation it was not a country for Muslims, but developed as a secular country with civil rights for all. Islamization began from the moment of the adoption of the 1956 Constitution and the adaptation of the northwestern territories in the 70s, but aggres- sive Islamization was imposed on Pakistan during the reign of Ziya Ul Hak and the actual US monitoring of religion-politician. Currently, Pakistan is striving to move away from this model, but this is not always possible due to the functioning of aggres- sive Islamic parties and movements in the country, which, like supporters of western- ization, receive support under the neocolonial policy of the collective West. The Paki- stani society itself is currently characterized by processes of religion transformation in three directions: westernization, arabization by moderate type (average path of edu- cated moderation) and Islamization. The greatest active work in social networks is carried out by supporters of the latter in the development of Western intelligence ser- vices, which were previously used to create Al Caida, Taliban, ISIS prohibited in Rus- sia. Given the heterogeneity of the Islamic Pakistani society, the transformation and development of religion goes in them in different directions and at different speeds, while in view of a number of factors, high social groups of Shiites are subject to the greatest transformation. The remaining religions of the country are also in search of their path within the framework of Pakistani society, transforming their religion in different directions. So Christians from the educated higher social strata are most char- acterized by westernization, but with at the same time as the centralization and con- vergence around religious centers with the creation of strong communities. Pakistani Sikhs did not create a separate community and their religion is developing in the main- stream of Indian Sikhism. Hindu communities of the urban type develop in themselves (having little contacts with India Hinduism) or adjoin international organizations such as ISKCON with a general direction of creating clear Hindu canons, returning to fun- damental Hinduism, but with the involvement of Western trends. Rural, poorly edu- cated groups of Hindus and Christians often follow the path of syncretism, combining in their religious practices both the traditions of their religion and neighboring religious groups. Thus, the development and transformation of the main religions of Pakistan is currently quite active, although multidirectional.

Education and Womens Identity: Missionary Initiatives and State Intervention in Early Twentieth Century Kerala

The intervention of missionaries in twentieth-century Kerala offers fascinating insights into the intricate relationship between education and the reordering of social norms in late colonial India. Comprising of the former Princely states of Travancore, Cochin, and British Malabar, the region witnessed significant strides in administrative modernization and educational advancements by the early decades of the twentieth century. Several factors including the progressive nature of the princely state and the influence of Marxist ideologies, the role of the christain missionaries and the prevalence of matrilineal practice among caste groups were attributed for the advancements made in education and health. Yet what distinguishes Travancore, was the presence of a strong indigenous Syrian Christian group, whose presence attracted Western Protestant missionaries into Travancore. Missionary intervention extended byond the realm of religion and shaped had an important bearing on education, including women's education in shaping individual perceptions of sanity, morality, and hygiene, leading to the reconfiguration of social and community relationships.

Light of Life Christian Group as a New Branch on Zimbabwe's Ecumenical Tree: Toward a New Theology of the Inner Church in Southern Africa

Light of Life Christian Group as a New Branch on Zimbabwe's Ecumenical Tree: Toward a New Theology of the Inner Church in Southern Africa

The Effects of Female Participation in Ideological Rebel Groups on the Patterns of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence

This essay analyzes how female participation may affect the perpetration of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) by rebel groups. I look at leftist, Islamist, Christian, and Buddhist rebel groups, examining how these ideologies interact with the factor of female participation. I hypothesize that while female participation in leftist and Buddhist rebel groups may reduce CRSV, it may have relatively little impact in Islamist and Christian rebel groups. I test these theories individually through the case studies of the Farabundo Mart National Liberation Front (FMLN), the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), and the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF). Due to the lack of data on Christian and Buddhist rebel groups, I only statistically corroborate my hypotheses on leftist and Islamist rebel groups.

The Bronze Serpent: Abuse, Trauma and the Lifted Healer in the Wilderness

AbstractMany Christian groups and churches have been forced to recognize that they have been complicit in behaviour which has betrayed the gospel. How then is the church to address the historical reality of being an abusive healer? The image of the bronze serpent (Num. 21.4-9; 2 Kgs 18.4; Jn 3.14) offers an ambiguous image which may reveal the reality of the church as both a source of abuse and trauma as well as an instrument of healing within a pattern of restorative justice.

Fighting Fire with Fire? An Assesment of the Potential Threats of Westerners Fighting against ISIS in Syria and Iraq

Since the Syrian Civil War began in 2011, tens of thousands of foreign fighters from different parts of the world have joined various armed groups in Syria and Iraq. There are three main groups of foreign fighters: Firstly, pro-ISIS foreign fighters who are associated with jihadist groups like Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS); secondly, pro-regime Shiite foreign fighters who are affiliated with the Assad government; and finally, anti-ISIS Western foreign fighters, fighting with Kurdish and Christian groups against ISIS and other jihadist groups. This study aims at assessing the potential threats that anti-ISIS Western foreign fighters may pose to international security and to their home countries. In line with this purpose, this study contributes to our recognition of anti-ISIS Western foreign fighters, conducts a threat assessment based on capabilities and intents of anti-ISIS Western foreign fighters and presents recommendations on how international organizations and Western governments should manage the issue of anti-ISIS Western foreign fighters.

Монах-художник иеродиакон Афоний (Вишняков): материалы к жизнеописанию

85 years ago, on March 17, 1938, on the territory of the Butovo special zone of the NKVD, a large group of christians was shot - 11 people from a secret monastic community that existed in the city of Sergiev Posad (since 1930 - Zagorsk) in the 20-30s. XX century. One of them was Hierodeacon Afoniy (in the world - Vishnyakov Alexander Egorovich, 1870-1938), an artist, a master of lacquer painting, who played an important role in the preservation and development of the traditions of folk lacquer painting in Soviet times. He came from a family of peasant painters, the creators of the Zhostovo tray craft. From 1892 he was a monk, later a hierodeacon of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, and for some time a subdeacon of St. Patriarch Tikhon. An active participant in the secret monastic life in the city of Sergiev Posad (since 1930, Zagorsk) in the 20s - mid-30s. XX century. The article makes an attempt on the basis of newly studied documents, primarily the archival and investigative case of a group of believers, in which Fr. Afoniy, and documents of personal origin show the circumstances of the life path, arrest and execution of an outstanding monk-artist. A significant part of the documents is introduced into scientific circulation for the first time.

The role of demographic factors on religious beliefs: Evidence from five countries

Background: Individuals' values, attitudes, and behaviours are significantly influenced by their religious beliefs. The present study examines the demographic factors (gender, age groups, religion, employment status, household income, marital status, self-perceived adulthood, and country of origin) that may influence religious beliefs. Methods: The data was collected from September to December 2022 using an online survey. A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from 885 respondents from five countries: Malaysia, the Philippines, China, Kenya, and Indonesia. The survey included questions on five variables related to religious belief: religious certainty, religious culture, religious importance, religious practice, and belief in God. Respondents were asked to rate their level of agreement or disagreement with statements related to each variable on a Likert scale. T-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the data and determine any significant differences in religious beliefs between the five countries. Results: The results revealed that female respondents held stronger religious beliefs than male respondents. Furthermore, respondents aged 30-45 rated themselves as having a higher religious culture and practice than respondents aged 18-29. Islam groups ranked highest in religious beliefs, followed by Christian, Roman Catholic, and Hindu groups. Full-time students rated themselves as less religious than full-time employed and other groups, while lower-income groups rated themselves as more religious than middle- and upper-income groups. Single groups rated themselves higher on belief in God than cohabiting and in-relationship groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, this study provides evidence that demographic factors influence religious beliefs among respondents from five different countries. These findings can contribute to a better understanding of how religiosity is shaped by various socio-demographic factors and can inform policies and interventions designed to promote religious tolerance and diversity. More research is required to investigate the complex relationships between demographic factors and religiosity, particularly in different cultural and religious contexts.