Manifestations Of Religiosity Research Articles

The Issue of Women in Adjara in the Prism of Soviet Antireligious Policy (1920s)

The purpose of the article to present the problem of women in the prism of the Soviet atheistic policy in Ajara in 1920s. Soviet religious policy from the very beginning was characterized by heterogeneity, bias, and one-sidedness, with communism and atheism considered as the mainstays of ideology. The Bolsheviks seemed to preach the inviolability of the religious feelings of the believers, but in fact fought with fire and sword against any manifestation of religiosity. The Soviet government encouraged controversy among believers. A clear confirmation of this was the so-called ‘The chador taking’ campaign, which has been met with serious controversy in the region. Examining the problems related to the wearing of the chador, presenting the issue of women in the context of anti-religious policies is the main task of our research.
 The scientific novelty of the research is the discussion of the factors that collectively led to the 1929 mass protests in mountainous Adjara (Georgia). At the same time, a number of unpublished archival documents, which are kept in the Adjara State Archive, enter the scientific circulation. The factual materials presented in the article and the analysis of the documents kept in the Adjara Archives Division clearly show the Soviet policy of neglecting and insulting the religious feelings of believers, which led to the 1929 large-scale anti-Soviet protests in mountainous Adjara.
 The methodological basis of the research is the universal scientific principles of objectivity, comprehensiveness and systematics, historical-comparative and historical-typological methods.
 Conclusions. As a result of the research, the determining factors of the mass demonstrations of 1929 were identified, in particular: the anti-religious policy of the Soviet government, which included the implementation of various measures by the government, in particular: The formation of the League of Militant Atheists and other anti-religious bodies, the mass destruction of religious institutions, theatrics against religion, the introduction of various awards to reward activists who fight against religion, the creation of women’s committees and ‘Muslim women’s sections’ to separate women from the religion. Added to this was the rudeness and arbitrariness of the party officials in all spheres of public and social life, the imposition of various restrictions on religious services and other factors, the combination of which led to the mass uprising of 1929. The results of the research proved once again that despite the various methods used to intimidate the believers, the government was powerless to suppress the religious feelings of the people.

Online Social Behaviors in the Context of Religiosity: A Neural-Networks-Supported Approach to Theists and Atheists

Social media behaviors include those of a religious nature. This paper investigates psychological traits, perceptions, and attitudinal variables concerning manifestations of religiosity on social media of both theists and atheists, as the latter are more overlooked in previous studies. A total of 1358 participants completed a questionnaire. The results suggest associations between the studied variables and religiosity, and differences between theists and atheists. Additionally, this study incorporated artificial neural networks to verify whether religiosity may be grounds for a classification model in the case of online social behaviors. The model correctly predicted 79% of cases. This study examined religiosity from the perspectives of anxiety, coping, social support, discrimination, and social media expectations and behaviors, and showed that religiosity is an important factor to include in online social behavior studies.

Worship of Shrines in Armenia

Abstract In this article, the author tries to trace the trajectories of Soviet and post-Soviet transformations of vernacular religiosity in Armenia, in particular, the cult of shrines. She argues that the cult of shrines and related manifestations of vernacular religion were consistently reconceptualized, first, in the period of Soviet secularization and modernization, and, secondly, in the period of post-Soviet and post-secular transformations of the Armenian society. The Soviet modernity led to ‘neo-archaization’ of vernacular religious practice by instrumentalizing some pre-institutional forms and manifestations of religiosity. The post-secular reconceptualization of vernacular religion draws upon new realities, such as mobile/virtual religiosity, new religious materiality, commodification and consumerism, and a new, modernized interplay between institutional and non-institutional dimensions of religion(s).

Work with Youth in the Russian Orthodox Church in the Contemporary Period

Modern Russia is undergoing changes, including religion. In the Soviet Union, in contrast to the Western world, there was not only an active and rapid social secularization, but also a violent atheization of the population. As for the youth, due to the notorious atheism, there was a lack of youth’s religiosity. After the collapse of the USSR, it became necessary to implement effective measures so that Orthodoxy could adequately respond to the “challenge of the time”. Under these conditions, the organization of work with youth in the ROC began to revive. The major research objective was to study the Russian Orthodox Church’s main forms of work with youth in the post-Soviet period. Our research was conducted in the Ural region, one of the largest regions of the Russian Federation. The research methodology used a qualitative approach (in-depth interviews). Our research, based on informants’ opinions, has identified three forms of groups who work with the Russian youth through the Russian Orthodox Church. They are: traditional church forms (organizing groups for the study of the Holy Scriptures, doctrinal (catechism) classes, missionary activities, etc.), traditional secular forms (children’s and youth’s camps, young family clubs, sports and military-patriotic clubs, addiction prevention and social projects, etc.) and innovative forms (Internet projects, Internet communities, Orthodox forums, Orthodox cafes, bars, etc.). Our study has revealed that religious phenomena and manifestations of religiosity are observed in totally different areas, such as cultural, economic, educational, leisure, etc. The study has elucidated that the work of the Russian Orthodox Church fits into the framework of this paradigm, thus confirming T. Luckmann’s theory.

Manejo da religiosidade em contextos de saúde: implicações decorrentes do conceito “cidades MIL” da UNESCO

Based on the experience of research carried out in hospitals of several Brazilian capitals, this article approach to the management of religiosi­ ty in health contexts, pointing out some relevant implications resulting from the concrete application of the concept of “MIL Cities”, recently adopted by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Orga­ nization (UNESCO) as a model for the cities of the future. It is assumed that the materialization of this new paradigm in the way of perceiving, addressing and treating the manifestations of religiosity and its rela­ tions with physical and mental health, will bring more satisfaction and quality of life for hospital service’ users, as well as their families, profes­ sionals who work in these services and entire local community.

THE MIRACLES OF SAINT AGATHA IN FOLK RELIGION

Saint Agatha is an Italian martyr of the 3rd century, who is honored by the Catholic Church as the protector against fire accidents (she is also the patron saint of bell-makers, weavers, shepherdesses, wet nurses, sufferers of breast diseases, etc.). The article deals with the manifestations of religiosity of Latvia’s Roman Catholics–the tradition of Saint Agatha miracles. According to the examined folklore materials–folk beliefs, customs, Christian legends and notes on memorates –, the traditions related to Saint Agatha’s Day play a considerable role in the life of a practicing Catholics. Their importance emerges in honoring Saint Agatha, the practices of storing and using objects and substances blessed in the church on her commemoration day on February 5 (bread, water, salt), as well as in the stories about miraculous help in fire accidents (Agatha’s bread or water puts fire under control or distinguishes it). The miracle stories of Saint Agatha share a common textual structure: 1) The story is based on a real event; 2) The situation accelerates drastically; 3) Then comes a sudden turning point; 4) A happy ending. These memorates are stories whose key function is to assert folk religiosity regarding the intervention and help of the supernatural, divine force in the event of misfortune or accident.

Transformation of the Orthodox Religiosity in the 1920s–1990s in the Komi Republic

Abstract This article analyses the influence of Soviet religious politics on society’s attitude to religion, as well as on the transformation of religious practices taking as an example the Komi Republic. I focus on the Orthodox tradition,1 as the vast majority of residents of the Komi Republic were Orthodox (Russian Orthodox Church, Old Believers). The article starts with a brief review of theoretical approaches to the study of the religious transformations during the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. The churches’ closing in the 1920s – 1930s and their partial reopening in the 1940s – 1950s are used to discuss changes in the manifestation of religiosity in public space. A correlation between gender, age and religious activity is demonstrated. The total control by the state over the church rituals led to a privatization of religious life, which significantly limited both the state and the church control over them. The article also describes how folk religious practices, unrelated to the church, influenced the believers’ resistance and adaptation to the political and ideological changes.

КОНСТРУЮВАННЯ РЕЛІГІЙНОГО ДИСКУРСУ ЗА ДОПОМОГОЮ МАС-МЕДІА

Abstract. Introduction. Religious communication has a complex structure ; it is associated with religious traditions and canons, but must meet the requirements of time. It is transformed under the influence of technical means of transmitting information: the press, radio, television, the Internet, new media. The manifestations of religiosity become more varied, secular and religious communication are moving closer together. Purpose. The purpose of the article is to analyze the main characteristics of religious mass media and to identify their interrelation in the process of constructing religious discourse. Methods . The paper uses the approach of the Canadian philosopher Herbert Marshall McLuhan . The article is developing the thesis that communication methods and mechanisms for the transfer of information under certain conditions may be more important than the content of a communicative act. Results . Religious mass media meet modern requirements in the communicative sphere, but at the same time they have their own specificity depending on the religion that uses these mass media. Under the influence of the media, religious communication becomes networked and covers all aspects of public and private life. In official communication, religious mass media reveal themselves very organically, are fast and reliable means of mass dissemination of information, and in existential communication that is purely religious – prayer, confession, revelation – not all mass media can be adequately applied. Originality . The article shows that modern religious media actively interact with each other and create a kind of symbiosis that helps to increase the influence of mass communication on a particular person. The closest to the essence of religious communication is the new media, especially social networks, because they have a dialogically-massive nature of communication. Conclusion. The radio and the press are closed in interacting with other mass media. They maintain their communicative traditions and are a continuation of classical religious communication, since they are based on an oral or written word. Television religious discourse offers mass audience coverage and the need for unification of communication. The use of digital media draws religious issues into the field of mass communication and destroys the spatial, social and religious boundaries between people.

Religious and Non-Religious Practices and the City

This article explores the complex intersections of religiosity, power and inequality in an inner-city district of Birmingham, England. This deprived area of mainly Muslim residence has been at the forefront of recent debates about social cohesion and is widely portrayed by disparaging outsiders as fostering ‘parallel lives’. Drawing on data from over 100 qualitative interviews with local residents and religious actors, we reveal the manifold, at times contradictory local manifestations of religiosity: as variously reproducing traditional expectations and behaviours and contesting prevailing patterns of stratification; as capable of both entrenching social boundaries and of fostering ‘convivial’, pluralistic co-existence. In wider conceptual terms, we argue for a ‘locality approach’, which acknowledges the importance of religiosity in the area, without reducing all significant social relationships and interactions to it. In particular, we draw on mediated discourse analysis and argue that its distinction between a ‘nexus-’ and a ‘community of practice’ (Scollon 2001) offers much to the sociology of religion in helping to illuminate intra-, inter-, and non-religious discourses and practices, as well as their inter-relationships, unfolding in a locality. Keywords : Birmingham, deprivation, religiosity, localities, mediated discourse analysis

Self presentation in online environments: a study of Indian Muslim matrimonial profiles

This study examines the self presentation practices of Indian Muslim men and women in online matrimonial advertisements. Findings indicate that while Indian Muslims are using the new medium to adhere to traditional cultural and religious values, they are also making critical adjustments to adapt to the medium itself. While Muslim men and women claimed to possess different attributes in their profiles drawing upon gender role expectations in Indian society, they were identical in their preference for light skin or what is termed as ‘fair complexion’ in Indian English. An overwhelming majority of advertisers claimed to possess desirable skin tones and body types. Few Indian Muslim profiles highlighted external manifestations of religiosity, such as praying five times a day, wearing a hijab or burqa, and observing Ramadan. Further, results of this study also illuminate the influence of South Asian culture on Islamic practice, which is evident in the mention of caste identifications in the online matrimonial profiles.

Arab American College Students' Physical Activity and Body Composition

In this study, I conducted focus group interviews with 21 Arab American college students (9 men, 12 women; 9 Muslims, 12 non-Muslims), who were selected for extreme manifestation of religiosity or acculturation, to explore their beliefs and attitudes toward socioecological (SE) factors that facilitated and hindered their individual physical activity (PA) and body composition (I also considered body image and food and eating behavior). To analyze responses, I used a combination of deductive coding, which used levels of the SE model and demographic variable groupings, and inductive coding, to search for common themes among participants within and between research questions. Results revealed that (a) the context of physical activity participation differed by gender; (b) ideal body image was conflicted and varied by gender; and (c) consumption of cultural foods diminished along with Arab social customs related to eating. Interpersonal and cultural/community levels of the SE model were identified as primary influences, with parents regulating and instilling values backed by cultural norms to preserve Arab identity, especially in women. Finally, I identified an indeterminate adjustment period, during which immigrants transitioned between physical activity purpose/form in the Middle East and the United States.

Religião e espiritualidade: experiência de famílias de crianças com Insuficiência Renal Crônica

OBJETIVO: Descrever as manifestações de religiosidade e espiritualidade de famílias de crianças com Insuficiência Renal Crônica em diálise peritoneal. MÉTODO: Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, com a característica de estudo de caso com múltiplos sujeitos. A análise de conteúdo adotada foi a de significados, optando-se pelo tipo temático, tendo como referência a promoção de saúde em enfermagem familiar. RESULTADOS: Participaram do estudo quatro famílias, totalizando quatorze participantes. A religião e a espiritualidade se apresentam como recursos importantes para os familiares no enfrentamento da doença crônica, principalmente diante de prognósticos ameaçadores. CONCLUSÃO: Destacamos a importância de compreender a religião e a espiritualidade da família no processo de adoecimento, para o enfermeiro atuar na promoção da saúde.

A Preliminary Ethnographic Study of Habitual Orthodoxy (Based on Data from Vladimir Oblast)

The specific forms and characteristics of manifestations of religiosity in the folkways of the Russian population, and the content and role of habitual Orthodoxy, have been the object of scholarly study in the past. Thus, in the 1920s and 1930s, the problem of habitual Orthodoxy was dealt with by the Soviet scholars N. Matorin and A. Nevskii (1), and was later touched upon and developed in the writings of the ethnographers and folklorists V. I. Chicherov, V. Ia. Propp, and others. (2)