International Church Research Articles

Religious Education and Ecumenical Formation in Post-confessional Settings – Essentials for the Theological Education of Pastors and Teachers of Religion

Abstract The article discusses the significance of international discourse on ecumenical formation for debates about the future of religious education in diverse environments, both from a German and global perspective. It emphasizes the historical importance of education in the ecumenical movement, tracing back to the early pioneers with a background in the World Student Christian Fellowship. The author draws from his longstanding involvement in international ecumenical work on education to advocate for ecumenical formation for students of theology, including those training to be religious education teachers. The article surveys key policy documents from German and international church bodies and concludes with six essential learnings for theological education in post-confessional environments.

UKRAINIAN AUTOCEPHALY IN NATIONAL AND GLOCAL CONTEXTS

The article focuses on the development of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) after receiving a Tomоs of Autocephaly. In particular, it briefly describes the structure of the Orthodox environment in Ukraine and distinguishes its key representatives as well as takes account of change in the configuration of the Orthodox map of the country after the formation of the ОCU. Special attention is paid to the institutional development and social activities of the ОCU, which include the formation of its religious network, the transition of parishes from the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP) to the jurisdiction of the ОCU, and the establishment of the ОCU administrative and organizational structures. Interfaith dialogue between the ОCU and the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) indicates that both churches are ready to jointly revive the Kyiv church tradition. The article also addresses the dynamics of confessional preferences of Ukrainians in the changing religious landscape of the country.
 The author argues that Ukrainian autocephaly is important for strengthening the humanitarian security of the state, leveling pro-Russian imperial messages in the national information space, as well as for comprehending the structural subordination of the UOC (MP) to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).
 The establishment of the OCU is analyzed in the article not only as a significant achievement in the post-Soviet and post-socialist space in the context of leaving the orbit of the Moscow Patriarchate, but also as an impetus for renegotiating relations in Ecumenical Orthodoxy.
 Autocephaly enabled the ОCU to become a subject of international church policy, to conduct a direct dialogue with other Orthodox churches, and to apply for participation in representative religious organizations. Recognition of the Autocephalous Church of Ukraine by the Church of Greece, the Patriarchate of Alexandria and all Africa and the Church of Cyprus significantly contributed to the ОCU's progress.
 The leitmotif of this article is ​​the destructive role of the ROC in Ecumenical Orthodoxy at large and their interference with the recognition of the ОCU by the other orthodox churches in particular. The author concludes that the future prospects of the ОCU will depend on the elaboration and implementation of its own development strategy.

Walking My Path Together with W. W. Phelps

Walking My Path Together with W. W. Phelps

Busting the Silos of “Global” Scholarship

Busting the Silos of “Global” Scholarship

Religious Freedom With Chinese Characteristics: Successful Strategic Communication for International Churches

Religious Freedom With Chinese Characteristics: Successful Strategic Communication for International Churches

Church History from the International Periphery: The South American Perspective

Church History from the International Periphery: The South American Perspective

Néstor Curbelo: The Latin American Andrew Jenson

Néstor Curbelo: The Latin American Andrew Jenson

The RLDS Church, Global Denominations, and Globalization: Why the Study of Denominations Still Matters

The RLDS Church, Global Denominations, and Globalization: Why the Study of Denominations Still Matters

The military coup in Chile in 1973, the immediate reaction of international organisations, and the founding of the first rehabilitation program for torture victims in 1977.

This paper documents the historical steps of the immediate reactions of the United Nations, Amnesty International, the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Inter-American Com-mission on Human Rights, and lawyers' or-ganisations in support of the victims of torture and others suffering gross violations of their human rights, as perpetrated by the Chilean military from 1973 to 1990. This article is also the history of the founding of the first rehabili-tation programs for torture victims in Chile in 1977 and the other care programs for victims under local and international churches' pro-tection during the worst period of the military dictatorship. The actions of denunciation and defense of the victims were possible through national and international networks sustained in collaborative work from inside and outside Chile, which lasted for 17 years. The results and lessons learned projected the creation of new commissions, funds, and international networks that continue today in the inter-national arena. The rehabilitation programs under the dictatorship began as a solidarity response to the needs of victims The reha-bilitation programs, born during the dictator-ship, projected their practice and experience to create a comprehensive health program as part of the State's reparation measures. The testimonies of the victims made it possible to understand the consequences of human rights violations on individuals and society. State policies and civil society actions have sought to contribute to the reparation of victims through rehabilitation actions directly. This paper is part of the memory of that past by reconstructing the solidarity actions of denunciation and rehabilitation, and the details of which are often unknown.

The International Responsibility of the Holy See for Human Rights Violations

In recent years, the Holy See has been accused of violating its human rights obligations because of acts of sex abuse by the Catholic clergy. Such accusations are based, in various ways, on the authority of the Holy See over the clergy. The Holy See is often referred to as a state and its obligations as state obligations. UN treaty bodies understand that the human rights obligations of the Holy See, as a treaty party, are of a legal––not moral––nature and apply extraterritorially, i.e., beyond the territory of the Vatican City State. The notion of state jurisdiction is, therefore, applied to the Holy See in the same way as to any other state. UN treaty bodies implicitly conclude that, for the purpose of human rights responsibility, the crimes of the clergy must be attributed to the Holy See and that anyone under the religious authority of the Holy See is under its state jurisdiction. However, a closer examination of the nature of the Holy See and its authority under international law, church doctrine, and church law paints a more complex and nuanced picture, where it is hard to describe the clergy as state organs or religious authority as state jurisdiction. Still, there are reasons to understand that certain acts and omissions of the Holy See in the context of the sex abuse crisis can be characterized as violations of its positive obligations of conduct.

The Gathering of Scattered Israel: The Missional Enterprise of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

This article focuses on LDS missionary theology; changing missionary practices, training, and demographics of the missionary force in historical perspective; the relationship between the size of the missionary force and church growth; and the LDS Church’s geographic expansion as an international church.

Migrant churches in The Hague – new religious and linguistic opportunities for churchgoers

ABSTRACT The Hague, the third largest city of The Netherlands, is a multicultural and multi-ethnic urban centre with many migrant churches scattered across the city. This article examines the linguistic presence and identity of a select number of English-speaking churches and their identification through Linguistic Landscaping. Our findings show that, while it is claimed that Dutch society is becoming increasingly secularised, the many migrant and other international churches currently present in The Hague suggest the opposite. In addition, it appeared that English-language churches in The Hague attract large numbers of Dutch congregants for whom English is their second language. Reasons for this are that English is perceived as a lighter language than Dutch for practising their religion, and that it brings fresh perspectives to their faith. The use of English is thus expanding to the religious domain in The Netherlands in a new way (cf. Edwards, A. 2016. English in the Netherlands: Functions, Forms and Attitudes. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins). Applying Linguistic Landscaping as a research tool was found to work only for older heritage-language churches, which have a more established and sometimes even officially recognised position in the city, than newer migrant churches, whose presence is often transient in line with the changing nature of superdiverse cities.

In Case You Haven't Heard…

North Carolina received more than $16 million in funding to deal with the opioid crisis, and $10 million of it went to one organization — Hope Alive — for a new treatment center. The organization, according to a report in WRAL, has no record of ever providing drug treatment, is run by a pastor and is connected to the lawmaker in charge of doling out the money. “We really didn't have a whole lot of other options out there locally for folks that were willing to do this,” said Sen. Danny Britt (R‐Robeson). “Hope Alive ministries was — but we needed them to work with people who have had clinically proven methods.” Hope Alive was founded in July 2020 and has the same address as “a church in a strip mall off of Interstate 95 in Lumberton, called Greater Hope International Church — a nondenominational institution run by senior pastor Ronald Barnes,” according to the WRAL report. Also according to the report, Barnes pleaded guilty to at least seven counts of embezzlement, serving time for them. Britt told WRAL he wasn't aware of that criminal history but supported giving the money to him anyway. For the report, go to https://www.wral.com/church‐nonprofit‐with‐zero‐track‐record‐of‐providing‐drug‐treatment‐awarded‐10‐mil‐from‐state‐to‐combat‐opioid‐crisis/20072234/.

ПРАВОСЛАВНА ЦЕРКВА В УКРАЇНІ В УМОВАХ РОСІЙСЬКО-УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ ВІЙНИ: ПОЛЮСИ ЦИВІЛІЗАЦІЙНОГО ВИБОРУ

The article clarifies the role of the leading Orthodox institutions of Ukraine – the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate – in the conditions of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. It was noted that the war became a powerful catalyst for the national identification and civilizational choice of the institutions of Ukrainian Orthodoxy, the positions of which were finally polarized by the full-scale invasion of Russian troops.It was concluded that the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in the conditions of war sees its role primarily in the continuous supply of chaplains for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. They perform the functions of meeting the spiritual and religious needs of Ukrainian soldiers, providing them with the necessary supplies, and social and psychological assistance. The church provides charitable assistance to Ukrainian families whose homes were destroyed by the occupiers. The social initiative of the Foundation of Metropolitan Epiphany regarding the construction of temporary housing for residents of the Kyiv region is aimed at this.The presentation of Ukrainian autocephaly in the world was the representation of the OCU in the assembly of the World Council of Churches in October 2022, which was strengthened by the resolution condemning Russian aggression.The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate takes an ambiguous position regarding the war. The environment of this institution became significantly polarized with the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Russian troops. On the one hand, its hierarchs in the East and South of Ukraine support the invasion of Russian troops and mobilization, fake referendums, and actively collaborate with the occupiers. At the same time, another part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate is trying to clearly and unambiguously distance itself from the Russian Orthodox Church. The group of archpriest Andrii Pinchuk, who became one of the initiators of collecting signatures for an international church tribunal against Patriarch Kirill. In order to stop the split in the Church, the Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate adopted a decision on "independence and independence" from the Russian Church. Analyzing the decisions of the Council, the leaders of the Orthodox Church ofUkraine commented on them as a "smoke screen", in fact a mimicry of independence from the Russian Orthodox Church.

The spread of Pentecostalism in Latin America

This article presents an essay on the emergence and spread of Pentecostalism in Latin America and forecasts the further spread of Pentecostalism on the continent. The scientific novelty is due to the lack of research literature on the issue when the Pentecostal movement grew significantly in a region traditionally dominated by Catholicism. The 19th century saw the separation of church and state in most countries and the opening of borders to immigrants from Protestant countries, and at the end of the 20th century the largest Protestant Pentecostal churches became widespread. The role of international churches in Latin American Pentecostalism is analyzed, as well as regional characteristics of Protestantism development; the place of Pentecostalism in the Protestant movement is outlined. In the last decade the growth of Pentecostalism has slowed due to the secularization of society. It concludes that most of Latin America will remain Catholic, with many in the region viewing Catholicism solely as part of a cultural tradition.

Mischief and Ethnography

BUC: A Boy among the Saints spans a “year in the life of an unregenerate 10 year old”—the endearing young rascal Wilford Bushman. Wilf, like most in his rural Utah community of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, is “BUC”—“born under the covenant.” Being “BUC” assures him of eternal life with his Latter-day Saint family. It also comes with an earthly inheritance of every (in)conceivable tenet and folk doctrine members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ever spawned.Wilf himself (cough—Keith Norman—cough) in the clever introduction to this narrative insists this is not a “coming of age” story with an accompanying “loss of innocence” or any other literary structure as bold as a theme or deep meaning. He is apparently as puzzled as an adult (writing the preface) as he was as a ten-year-old about how righteousness works since he constantly feels either guilty or cunningly thrilled with his next devious exploit. He seems exhausted by trying to sort out all the “oughts” in his upbringing. The reader quickly discerns Wilf as a bright, inquisitive boy with a touch of testosterone poisoning but a good heart. Wilf ponders the inconsistencies, blessings, hypocrisies, and spiritual nurture he encounters as he navigates his life.Keith Norman writes humorously and with a completely authentic juvenile voice, narrating the thoughts of the innocent, mischievous, and curious boy as he learns and wrestles with the consequences of his choices. While one can't exactly say that Wilf grows “in favor with God and man” during his eleventh year, Keith Norman has created a very appealing—if not entirely compliant—character.Because the book is a sketch of a community as well as one boy's story, we find well-drawn personalities with vicious streaks and jealousies as well as adorable citizens who—under a lesser author's hand—might be perceived as simply tropes. Norman's handling of scenes with Wilf's new “non-member” fifth-grade teacher, Mr. Sutton, is often hilarious, but also shines a light on the savagery of judgment, hypocrisy, and condemnation of others among the townspeople. This willingness to lay bare the destructive nature and impact that harmful ideas reap keep the book from being just a jaunty little wander down into a cute'n'quirky love nest of Zion. Like Brigadoon, Anti-Nephi-Lehi is out of touch with contemporary life and current social issues. The town is woefully “un-woke.” And Wilf is waking up.I had a slight worry about the pacing in the book. For a while it seemed to go from one episode of mischief to another, embroidered with vocabulary someone unfamiliar with the patois of the Saints might find hard to suss. The suspense picks up when baby Winona wanders off, when Wilf falls off a cliff, and when Mr. Sutton appears on the scene. And—oh my!—the outhouse scene! The pages were flying then.I appreciate BUC not just for its assured tone and style. This book is also an ethnographic treasure. I am eager to know how well this book will fare among readers who are not familiar with the Intermountain West pioneer LDS culture that Anti-Lehi-Nephi still inhabits. With the Church expanding worldwide, how much of this culture Norman has captured will survive in an international Church? Perhaps copies could be sold with interpreters?I am left with an awe of Keith Norman's skill at walking the tightrope that kept this book from being a catalog of LDS cliches or a presentation of endearing tropes. He sees. He hears. He wrestles with the logical fallacies of certain pseudo-doctrines and sees their dangerous fall out. He lays bare the bitter and the sweet, holds them up to the light as Wilf Bushman examines them with his (mostly) innocent eyes, and forces us to ponder the consequences. A bookshelf with books by Levi Peterson, Maureen Whipple, and Mark Twain can make a little room for BUC: A Boy among the Saints.

Religieus gemotiveerde voedselhulp in de context van de Covid-19 pandemie

Before the Covid-19 crisis, churches organized many activities in church building, De Nieuwe Stad in Amsterdam Zuidoost, including serving free meals for everyone who wanted them. When this was no longer possible because of the Covid-19 measures, the international churches Treasures International Ministries and Maranatha Community Transformation Centre and Diaconie Evangelisch-Lutherse Gemeente Amsterdam decided to work together and start delivering meals to people’s houses. As one, relatively small project, operating alongside other aid initiatives, the meals project soon received many more enlistments than anticipated, and the Covid-19 crisis lasted longer than expected, which raised questions regarding the underlying needs and how to proceed in the long term. Together with researchers, they started a practical theological research project. On the basis of this project, that included action research, this article describes the meals project, its context and the research method that was employed. It makes clear how these meals expressed and shaped 1) social connections between people, 2) a meaningful life, 3) empowerment of people, and reflects on these themes from a diaconal perspective. The article intends to contribute to the conversation on the role that churches (could) play in society during a pandemic.

Why Hong Kong millennial Christians switch from Chinese local churches to international churches: A qualitative study

In the past few years, there has been an observable phenomenon of Hong Kong millennial Christians moving from Chinese-speaking local churches to English-speaking international churches. To understand the reasons behind the movement, 30 Hong Kong millennial Christians who moved from local churches to international churches were interviewed in this study in four focus groups. Reasons for their movement include: local churches feel like formal education, churches emphasize works over grace, and churches are out of touch and irrelevant from the needs and struggles of millennials’ everyday lives. The international churches are more welcomed by Hong Kong millennial Christians as they have more to offer, including vulnerable leadership, approachable worship style, and a stronger sense of community. The results indicate the faith experience and challenges faced by Hong Kong millennial Christians in the postmodern culture, especially in the unique context of Hong Kong where Eastern culture meets Western. The research suggests a set of recommendations for churches wishing to attract and retain millennials, including the importance for churches to understand their congregants, be prepared for changes, be open to embrace and build an authentic genuine community of faith, and to own a clearly articulated vision. These will be truly helpful in cultivating the spiritual growth of our younger generations to find their place in these millennial-friendly churches.

Every tribe and nation: A demographic study of the Fellowship of European International Churches

International churches in Europe are growing. Yet there is concern that the European international churches only attract immigrants and refugees, not Europeans. In a first-of-its-kind study, the authors examined the demographics of the Fellowship of European International Churches. It is the largest network of international Pentecostal churches in Europe. The authors found it to be incredibly diverse, with 152 nationalities represented in the international churches. Europeans from various countries made up 27% of the population within the Fellowship of European International Churches, and 61% of the churches reported the presence of refugees. The authors conclude their study by offering suggestions on how European churches can better engage refugees and immigrants by examining the international churches’ praxis.

Representing England in Rome: Sermons from the Early Modern English College to Popes and Cardinals

ABSTRACT This article explores how preaching at the English College in Rome, c.1580–1603, can illuminate questions of national identity, Anglo-Italian exchanges, inter-confessional conflict and the symbiotic relationship of religious and national identities for English Catholics. It investigates in detail texts from a hitherto little-studied manuscript at the English College, Rome, whose large collection of homiletic and other rhetorical texts offers an unequalled insight into preaching at the College and adds valuably to our knowledge of preaching in Counter-Reformation Rome. The article looks at how English College preachers dealt with subjects such as persecution and martyrdom, England's ‘apostasy’, England's history and relations with Rome, and their place in the international Church. It reveals how the College and its members positioned themselves in both their English and their Roman contexts.