Love Of God Research Articles

Internalizing the Love of God: A Theological Psychology of Receiving and Resisting Love

Internalizing the Love of God: A Theological Psychology of Receiving and Resisting Love

KEPEDULIAN SOSIAL JOHN WESLEY DAN APLIKASINYA BAGI GEREJA-GEREJA DI INDONESIA KHUSUSNYA GEREJA METHODIST INDONESIA

John Wesley’s doctrine about sanctification is biblical. This claim has been done research through analysis of dogmatic-theology. First it must be clear, and than continued to the basic impact of this doctrine toward social transformation. Understanding the impact of sanctification to social transformation would not be separated from its implications and the social context of John Wesley in that time. John Wesley’s sanctification doctrine is a very clear implications for the social transformation movement. There are implications of “inner holiness” (Love God) toward the “outer holiness” (love for follow human beings). The basic of John Wesley’s sanctification doctrine is through two-way relationship “love”. John Wesley’s sanctification doctrine which implicated to the social transformation movement is very relevant to the John Wesley’s context in that time, which in British, there was bad social background, bad economic and political and very weak spiritual. John Wesley’s doctrine is also very relevant to the social transformation movement in Indonesia, which at this time in such the contexts of property, suffering, injustice and others. Methodist church of Indonesia, in the matter of this does not need to seek a theory or another tradition of the church in order to dynamicize the church’s community to achieve common prosperity. If John Wesley said: “The World is my Parish” then it also meant Indonesia.

Psychedelic Mysticism and Christian Spirituality: From Science to Love

The scientific claim that psychedelic drugs like psilocybin reliably occasion mystical experiences was justified using the Mystical Experiences Questionnaire (the MEQ), a survey first developed in the 1960s by Walter Pahnke using W.T. Stace’s Mysticism and Philosophy. Scholars in Christian mysticism reject the adequacy of Stace’s work for Western theistic mysticism, especially Christianity. One objection is that Stace follows William James in focusing on intense and unusual moments of mystical experience rather than the somewhat more ordinary mystical life. A greater concern is that Stace more adequately reflects non-Western traditions than Western theistic traditions like Christianity. For Stace, mysticism centers on the concept of union with external reality or with the absolute, a union in which the human creature is absorbed or fused. Christian mysticism, by contrast, involves a sense of presence rather than union, experienced in a most intimate relationship as a felt loving closeness with the divine, but not as fusion or absorption into the divine. While love of God is central to the Christian view, it is ignored in Stace and the MEQ30. Finally for Christianity, mysticism is not found in the momentary experience, but in the lifelong interpretation that leads to transformation.

Universal Church from the Perspective of Cyprian: A Pietistic Approach to Unity in the House of God

Despite Cyprian’s influence upon the early church, no scholarship has paid attention to the pietistic approach that undergirds his view of ecclesiastical unity. In probing his diverse works, one faces a set of questions that must be answered: What does Cyprian mean by unity? From where does the universal character of the church arise? Without answering these questions, it proves hard to understand other aspects of Cyprian’s works. Cyprian’s view of piety provides us a wider lens to understand his writings about conversion, church unity, and Christian ethics. For him, piety refers to believers unveiling divine grace with all the strength received from and conceived by God while they continue to overcome worldly pollutants such as lust, injustice, and wickedness. What is more, Cyprian’s perspective on church unity is not limited to the authority of the episcopate but includes the pietistic life of Christians. For Cyprian, good works neither signify a way to salvation nor operate as a cause or merit. Rather they are evident in the life of those who are cleansed by faith in Christ. His pietistic approach continues to play a role in binding others to Christ, helping them understand the love of God toward the world.

The Poet’s Knowledge of God: The Work of Parvin Etesami in the Context of the Iranian Spiritual Tradition

The subject of this article is the mystical poetry of Parvin Etesami (1907–1941). In it, we analyse the religious foundations of the poet’s work of the first half of the twentieth century (a turning point in Persian culture), which continue the Persian tradition of searching for God on the paths laid by her predecessors and express her knowledge of God in old poetic forms (monazere, qasida) with a new poetic language. The study of the poetic ontology of Parvin Etesami, that is, of her reflections on God, is based not only on a collection of 60 poems published in Russian (Journey of a Tear, 1984), but primarily on precise translations of Etesami’s poems, published for the first time in the article, which could not be included in the Soviet edition and which were carried out by two of the authors of this article. The article analyses the poet’s ideas about God as the creator of man, about God’s predestination(the establishment of man’s mission on earth as a reflection of divine beauty), and about the Grace of God as the essence of human destiny. In the monologues of the dervishes, ideal personalities in the verses of Parvin, the value of the fruits carried by the mystical consciousness of one who has achieved contemplation of true reality is affirmed. It opposes the ideas of ordinary consciousness, for which the style of behaviour of the mystic is like madness. The love for God and God’s love are shown in Etesami’s poetry as the centre of the heart, so that externally manifested religiosity (the Kaaba as a shrine is the architecturally revealed centre of the world) and the inner comprehension of God (the Kaaba of the heart) are affirmed by Parvin in their complementary wholeness. In this way, it is shown that in the verses of Parvin, fidelity to the thousand-year-old spiritual tradition and individual creativity appear as an organic unityTransl.: Koshemchuk T. A., Reisner M. L., Yahyapour M. 2022. The Poet’s Knowledge of God: The Work of Parvin Etesami in the Context of the Iranian Spiritual Tradition. Concept: Philosophy, Religion, Culture. 6(2). P. 41–58. DOI: https://doi. org/10.24833/2541-8831-2022-2-22-41-58. (In Russian)

The God who is Love and the Life of Humans

The Gospel of John claims that in this work, in its presentation of the story of Jesus’ ministry and death, there is the ultimate revelation of God’s nature. Jesus’ death “for the life of the world” is seen as an expression of God’s ultimate love. Less clear, however, is how this interpretation affects the human relationships, community ethos, and social action of Jesus’ followers in the world. Does the Johannine worldview lead to sectarian separation from the world, or does it encourage active involvement in social action? What are the images and patterns that shape the practical lives of the children of the loving God? And how can the idea of God’s love inspire human love for others and reconciling activity in the church and in the wider context of the world? The article addresses these questions from an exegetical perspective and finally places them within the horizon of global theology.

Law on Marriage of Catholics and non-Catholics in Vietnam

The Vietnamese State has recognized a lot of organizations of many different religions such as Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism, Cao Dai, Hoa Hao Buddhism, Islam..., of which Buddhism accounts for the largest number, next is Catholicism. The conceptions of marriage between the various religions are different. Unlike Buddhism, where the monks worship the celibacy, the love between husband and wife in Catholicism has profound meaning because it originates from the love of God and follows the model of love between Christ and Jesus. Within the scope of this article, the author will clarify the differences and the similarities between the marriages of Catholics and non-Catholics in Vietnam and then analyze the current Vietnamese legal regulations about the marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics. Thus, it can be seen that Vietnamese law does not distinguish between marriages of Catholics and non-Catholics.

Inserted Religious Life as a Path to Authentic Consecrated Chastity—The Witness of Non-Violent Solidarity of Alice Domon and José Aldunate Lyon in Latin America 1967–1983

The reception of the Decree Perfectae caritatis in Latin America can be understood in connection with the emergence of the preferential option for the poor and the call for consecrated religious life to the insertion since the 1960s. As part of the existing link between conciliar texts and renewal movements, it is worth highlighting the testimony of religious life lived in solidarity with the poor as a way of practicing chastity and incorporating sexuality. This topic is explored through the life stories of two individuals, Alice Domon in Argentina (1937–1977) and José Aldunate Lyon in Chile (1917–2019), within the framework of related studies on ethnographic ecclesiology and the theology of renewed religious life. Amidst military governments, institutional violence, abuses of power, and human rights violations, the lives of these two consecrated individuals showcase an alternative path marked by self-emptying, unwavering fidelity, non-violent action, and prophetic denunciation. The pursuit of integration between contemplative and apostolic aspects in the love for God and the poor, along with the defense of human rights in solidarity with the victims and their families, are some of the keys that define an adapted understanding of religious life in the Latin American context.

Celestial Flames: Rabi'ah Al-Adawiyah's Spiritual Journey Through Love

By referring to God as the Beloved, Rabi'ah al-Adawiah, the first Sufi woman, articulated the relationship with the Divine in a way that has come to be recognized as uniquely Sufi. The love described in the Pattern of Rabi'ah is thought to be pure love for God; the lover must walk along the route of love in order to remember God alone, not Hell or Paradise. When Rabi'ah speaks of "love," he means something more fundamental than something constrained by reward or hope. Her affection is truly lovely. The first woman to discuss the practicalities of Sufism in an approachable and comprehensible manner was Rabi'ah. The genuine embodiment of the relationship between a human being and God is found in Rabi'ah's love. She has contributed significantly to the growth of Sufism. I will explore Rabi'ah al-Adawiah's practice of love in this article. She was a follower of the Sufi Way, a mystical path within Islam. She will share stories of her efforts to witness truth in many realms, as well as her dreams and visions, as well as her sacred songs and poetry

Love and ‘Spiritual Ecumenism’: A foundational Backdrop for Underhill’s The Spiritual Life

One foundational backdrop for Evelyn Underhill’s BBC radio talks, 'The Spiritual Life' (1937), is her posture of ‘spiritual ecumenism’ (prayer for Church unity). In 1936, Underhill had published 'Worship' and participated in various worship practices, plus prayer groups for Church unity. During these years, loving rather than critiquing Christians different to herself had become an area of growth for Underhill (outlined in her spiritual journals). Bérulle’s three types of generous love - adoration, communion and co-operation - provided Underhill’s macro structure for 'The Spiritual Life.' Through the lens of ‘spiritual ecumenism’, Underhill emphasised the centrality of love in ‘the spiritual life’ – love of God and neighbour – particularly fellow Christians. Underhill encourages us to pray for Church unity and engage in spiritual understanding rather than judgment, competition and ‘mud-slinging’. In the context of growing secularism, individualism, and Church disunity, ‘spiritual ecumenism’ has the potential to enhance the Church’s missional impact.

Reconstructing Love for God vis-à-vis Religious Intolerance in Nigeria through the Philosophy of Samae Spirit

Reconstructing Love for God vis-à-vis Religious Intolerance in Nigeria through the Philosophy of Samae Spirit

Memahami Ajaran Paus Pius XII Tentang Devosi Kepada Hati Kudus Yesus Dan Implementasinya Bagi Hidup Kaum Beriman

In general, the Catholic Church is based on two spiritual activities, namely the official liturgy and devotions. The difference between the two is more about legality and the place where the activity is carried out in a place that has been officially and sacredly determined, namely the church. Whereas devotion is more flexible and can be carried out anywhere, such as; shrines, churches, or in homes. Devotion is very close to the expression of love for God’s love and including his Son Jesus Christ, the world’s savior who atones for human sins. In imitating the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, there are various opportunities that the Church has provided, so that people can live and reflect and ask themselves, why do we have to be devoted? How to obtain the fruits of devotion? People can learn devotion from the life of a Only Begotten Son of God, who was willing to suffer and be crucified. One of them is Jesus Christ who has a Most Sacred Heart. The church is aware of the importance of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, although many believers still do not understand the value of this devotion, so that from this understanding and motivations emerge in understanding devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, such as devotional practices centered on objects of statues. The people themselves still do not fully understand the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. So form here the author finds the most basic things that can help people in increasing their piety to Jesus Christ in understanding the teachings of devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus according to Pope Pius XII. So by understanding the teachings of Pope Pius XII about devotion. People can implement and understand more about devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is not a burden but a godliness of life and can know His heart which is full of mercy.

Upaya Yang Dilakukan Orang Kristen Dalam Meningkatkan Kerohanian

The reasons why Christians find it difficult to mature spiritually include: 1) slowness to listen, 2) feeling that they already know, 3) hardening their hearts against God's words, 4) believing because they only want to get blessings, and 5) their first love for God has faded. The purpose of this research is to study and understand the efforts made by Christians in improving their spiritual life and the benefits are to provide better insight and understanding of effective practices in improving the spiritual life of Christians. Furthermore, the research method used by this author is a descriptive qualitative research method through library research related to "How Believers Improve Spirituality". In addition, the focus of discussion in this study is to provide understanding to believers in improving spirituality through prayer, reading the Bible, worship, and participating in church services. This research can also provide valuable input for churches and spiritual leaders in providing more effective mentoring and teaching for the spiritual growth of the congregation.

La dimensione contemplativa della nostra spiritualità

This study argues that a missionary dedicated to evangelization and serving the poor is a man of contemplation. Some often believed that a certain industriousness could not be married to a contemplative vision of things and life. However, the active and contemplative life are not mutually exclusive. It is impossible today to think of structuring a missionary activity without including the contemplative dimension. And how do we articulate action and contemplation? In the short space of this reflection, I will try to bring out the fruitfulness of the indication of the GA 2022, which assigns primacy in the area of ​​spirituality to the rediscovery of the contemplative dimension in our lives. In the 1950s, Vincentian spirituality was defined as the "spirituality of action." This expression was intended to qualify the commitment of the Christian in the world. The formula, which went out of fashion until the 1970s, however, lent itself to be interpreted ambiguously, so much so that Dodin preferred to speak of "mysticism of religious action," Ibáñez: "mysticism in action," Toscani: "mysticism of the poor,” Maloney: “mysticism of charity.” Today more than ever we need an "incarnate faith" and an "inspired charity." We need a faith that necessarily translates into "actions to be done." Just as we need a charity that is born of God and returns to God and becomes the expression of a greater love, Christ. In missionary zeal, caring for the poor, and dedication to service, a greater good arrives: the saving love of God.

A Trinitarian Reading of Gerard Manley Hopkins’s ‘The Windhover’

Abstract The rhetorical and emotional verve of ‘The Windhover’ reflect not the moment of stasis of Christ’s cross but the energy of Trinitarian interrelation in creation. Readings of the sonnet usually foreground the second divine person. Countering such a perspective, this essay rehearses the Scholastic theology and the Scholastically based faith that the poet took for granted in the original moment of experience and in the moment of composition, and so reads the sonnet in a more fully Trinitarian way. For Hopkins the energetic dynamic of love and relation within the Trinity is that into which he is drawn via the creation made through Christ, the Word (John 1:3, Col. 1:16), and as used here the energy of the sonnet form is his response to this. The Athanasian Creed and the ‘Veni Creator Spiritus’ are identified as neglected Trinitarian intertexts. Hopkins believed, in Ignatian terms, that Christ ‘labours for me in all things created on the face of the earth’; and so, in the poem, Christ works dynamically through the Holy Spirit, ‘the fire’ (l. 10) who is Love itself, the vector of bird–poet interrelation, engaging him with the windhover and awakening his delight. The sonnet is the poet’s open acknowledgement of the love of the Triune tri-personal God which greets him every moment in the humblest glories of creation.

Making Sense of the Uyghur Genocide Through Religious Theodicy

This study aims to explore how some Uyghurs in Canada and Türkiye[1] interpret the ongoing Uyghur Genocide through a religious lens, as a form of theodicy, an explanation for evil and suffering.[2] The article is based on data collected from three different sources. The first source is a diary which recorded discussions of individual Uyghurs participating in an online class on the Qur’an taking place in 2021. The second source comes from interviews with two prominent Uyghur Imams who reside in Canada and Türkiye, and the third is an interview with a young Uyghur political activist residing in Canada. From their narratives, we have identified four distinct yet interrelated perspectives, which we have categorized into four categories: gnostic, mythic, apocalyptic, and mystery. Most of the Uyghur voices in our study understand and present the ongoing genocide in East Turkestan[3] as a divine test. Despite understanding the ongoing genocide as a test by Allah, the aspect of divine punishment appears to be downplayed, and instead what is emphasized is the goodness of Allah who seeks to teach His servants lessons so that they may achieve greater virtues in both this life and the afterlife. Our analysis has led us to the conclusion that Uyghur Islam seems to offer its adherents a sense of optimism and, for Uyghurs living in the diaspora, a means to move forward. This is in stark contrast to other forms of Islamic theodicy which focus more on the aspect of suffering.
 
 [1]. This spelling follows the Turkish government’s 2022 request for Turkey to be referred to as Türkiye – its spelling and pronunciation in Turkish. See “UN Agrees to Change Turkey’s Official Name to ‘Türkiye,’” Al Jazeera, June 2, 2022, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/2/un-registers-turkiye-as-new-country-name-for-turkey.
 [2]. John Hick, Evil and the God of Love (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007) and Mark S. Scott, “Theodicy at the Margins: New Trajectories for the Problem of Evil.” Theology Today 68, no.2 (2011): 113–204, https://doi.org/10.1177/0040573611405878.
 [3]. In this article we will use “East Turkestan” or “the Uyghur Homeland” to refer to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. The Chinese term “Xinjiang” means “New Frontier,” “New Borderland,” or “New Territory,” a designation which was given to the region by the Qing dynasty in 1884, so it is politically fraught for Uyghurs because it justifies the displacement of its occupants by Chinese settlers. As the present study focuses on the Uyghur perspective, the preferred Uyghur terms for the region, given above, will be used.

A Lesbian's Miscarriage: Disengaging Bias and Caring Through Presence and Prayer.

In my experience of caring for a lesbian couple suffering a miscarriage, I disengaged my bias about their sexual orientation and compassionately cared for their needs. After praying with the couple, I felt a deep connection with them and a palpable peace. Joy shone on their faces and they verbally expressed gratitude. God used me as a caring presence. Christian nurses are vessels for God's love to bring peace and healing.

Natural Aphrodisiacs: Traditional Use, Mechanism of Action, Clinical Efficacy, and Safety

Abstract: Since time immemorial, people have been trying to influence different aspects of their sexuality. They seek ways to increase sexual activity or sexual desire in themselves and their partners. In addition to resorting to all sorts of mystical rituals, people were looking for various effects from the use of natural raw materials. Some plant, animal, or fungal products have been shown to affect libido, sexual arousal, erectile function, orgasm or erogenous zone sensitivity. Such substances have been called "aphrodisiacs" in honor of the ancient Greek goddess of love - Aphrodite. Most often, aphrodisiacs were taken orally, but some were smoked while others applied to the genitals. In modern clinical practice, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are used. These are substances, which enhance erection and prevent detumescence in the presence of sexual arousal. Another group of drugs is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which reduce sexual arousal and sexual afferent from the genitals, thus preventing the premature onset of orgasm in men and prolonging sexual intercourse. However, drugs from other pharmacological groups have not found widespread clinical application. Another issue now is a trend among people taking drugs of natural origin, therefore, all kinds of traditional aphrodisiacs are actively used to the present day. Very little is known about almost all of them. Clinical trials are in most cases limited to a few, often not randomized, studies. In this regard, it is very difficult to evaluate the adequate therapeutic and toxic doses of remedies. The situation is complicated by the fact that those few clinical studies were based on questionnaires, that is, the indicators taken into statistical calculations were extremely subjective. Moreover, it was uncertain whether all patients could adequately assess their dynamics in terms of parameters such as sexual satisfaction, or clearly distinguish between libido and sexual arousal. Since the majority of the studies were not blinded, a psychogenic influence on the results of the investigations could not be eliminated, which in the sexual area may be huge. It is worth emphasizing the toxicity of many traditional aphrodisiacs. Of course, there is a serious deficit in the spectrum of pharmacotherapy for sexual disorders. Perhaps further large, randomized, placebo-controlled trials would add some of the traditional aphrodisiacs or their modifications to the arsenal of the clinical specialist.

Self-Image of Sufistic Da'i on Social Media: Analysis of Sufism Content for Students on Social Media

Social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms, have changed the way we communicate, interact, and share information. Additionally, social media also has a significant impact on the way we view ourselves and others. The problem with a consumptive society is that Sufism is less interesting. This is because social media users need entertainment that is not monotonous with one goal, requiring a diversity of ways to reach God's love. This research method uses content analysis with data collection and coding methods for important content on Habib Husain bin Ja'far Al Hadar S.Fil.I., M.Ag YouTube channel. His YouTube channel is called "Jeda Nulis." This research uses analytical methods to explore data, display and validate data. The result of this research is that a Da’i Sufistic can combine Sufism and culture in an interesting way so that the mad’u watching can understand it. Apart from that, it combines an understanding of Sufism and tolerance, which can increase social harmony between religions. As well as preaching the importance of family in life. Lastly, it provides a construction that is easy and can attract someone to the goodness that we understand.

김수환 추기경이 추구한 인간 존중 문화에 대한 신학적 고찰

This paper aims to reflect theologically on the religious foundation of the culture of human respect pursued by Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, in four categories based on his words. The first foundation is that all human beings, created in the image of God, reflect the image of God existing within them, and therefore should be respected as beings with dignity without discrimination. Second, Cardinal Kim argued that people who experience God's unconditional love and forgiveness repay God's love by practicing loving and forgiving others, and as a result, reach a community of unity in love. Third, he emphasized the preferential choice for the poor in the Church's practice of love. The final religious foundation is that from the eschatological perspective of eternal life human beings are given practical motivation to overcome current unjust situations and suffering, so can anticipate the joy of the eschaton in the present.