Religious Framework Research Articles

Independent Celebrant-Led Wedding Ceremonies: Translating, Tweaking, and Innovating Traditions

This article explores ceremonial design of independent celebrant-led wedding ceremonies in England and Wales. It draws on a qualitative study which involved focus groups with celebrants and interviews with individuals who have had an independent celebrant-led wedding ceremony. Six factors are described which influenced how couples translated and tweaked traditions or innovated ceremonial elements: faith, heritage, values, kin, informality, and temporality. In line with a bricolage process, it is suggested that the keeping of and minor adaption of traditions through the personalisation offered by independent celebrant-led wedding ceremonies may support inclusion of relationship practices such as interfaith couplings and blended families. Examples of kinship display-work and self-display-work were found throughout participant accounts of their wedding ceremonies. It is proposed that both may act as an important means by which the needs of individuals for whom a religious or belief framework is not prioritised over other contexts of identification can be met in a wedding ceremony. Further research is needed to explore the transferability of these findings to larger samples, as well as specific sub-populations.

Religious Tolerance Conceptual Framework: Malaysian Religious Leaders and Scholars’ Perspective

Religious Tolerance Conceptual Framework: Malaysian Religious Leaders and Scholars’ Perspective

«Unearthing the divine horrors»

This study looks into H. P. Lovecraft’s masterful craft of cosmic horror, examining his adept fusion of Christian cosmological elements with subversion and mockery, while concurrently forging a unique cosmic framework. Lovecraft subtly weaves Christian themes into his mythos, introducing his eldritch terrors, deities reminiscent of Christian demonology. These entities, residing in abyssal depths, bear distinctly demonic attributes, highlighting the profound influence of Christian cosmology. The enigmatic entity Dagon, rooted in biblical mythology, is a focal point. Its appearances correlate with catastrophic consequences and the underworld, subverting Christian narratives and invoking a sense of dread through an alternative lens. Lovecraft strategically manipulates Christian celebrations, such as May-Eve and All-Hallows, challenging their significance and intensifying readers’ religious discomfort. Lovecraft’s cosmic framework is non-anthropocentric, portraying an indifferent universe inhabited by ancient cosmic entities beyond human comprehension. However, he alludes to an impending chaos, drawing subtle parallels with the biblical Apocalypse. Lovecraft’s narratives interweave Christian cosmology, subversion, and mockery, challenging religious frameworks while invoking terror and fascination, providing a rich tapestry for scholarly analysis in cosmic horror literature.

Clarifying covenants and delineating devotion: Explicating religious public relations relationship frameworks

Research on how religious and faith-based organizations practice public relations is steadily increasing and of particular interest. Public relations scholars have examined the applicability of public relations theories with religious organizations, and sought to develop new public relations theories, concepts, and models that are appropriate for the context of faith and religion. However, one set of public relations concepts has been limitedly studied, irregularly applied, and inconsistently explained regarding their definitions, how they work together, how they are distinct, and how they can be studied within and outside the narrow context of religious public relations. This conceptual framework essay explicates four constructs found in religious public relations scholarship to provide clarification regarding the application of these murky concepts and a roadmap for how public relations scholars can apply, study, and advance these concepts and models within and outside the context of religious public relations to advance public relations theorizing.

Revising the VIA-Youth: II. The Spirituality scale

ABSTRACT This study extends a previous one revising the VIA-Youth. Goals of the revision included reducing length and extending age range down to 8. After an initial revision, further discussion suggested the need for a more secular version of the spirituality scale. Based on evidence of changes in the understanding of spirituality during adolescence, separate sets of candidate items were generated for ages 8–12 and 13–17 with two overlapping items. The revised materials were administered to 94,487 youth online and through two school districts. Retaining the two overlapping items in both sets did not reduce fit. The result is two versions of the inventory for ages 8–12 (VIA-Y-1) and 13–17 (VIA-Y-2) that differ only on two items included in the spirituality scale. These offer a measure of spirituality in youth that is developmentally sensitive without relying on items referencing a religious framework.

Menyoal Framework Agama: Upaya Rekonsiliasi HAM Berat 1965

The author's focus in this article is to question the religious framework in viewing the 1965 gross human rights case as one of the reconciliation efforts. Reconciliation of 1965 Gross Human Rights is an important effort to build peace and unity in Indonesia, especially in facing the political year. It is also important for the creation of peaceful politics. However, this effort faces challenges, one of which is the religious framework in viewing the 1965 Gross Human Rights case. The method used in this analysis is a historical study of the 1965 gross human rights violations case, especially regarding the role and involvement of religions in responding to this case. This article offers a religious framework that is more inclusive and emphasizes the characteristics of a religion of peace and love. This framework is based on the principles of humanity, justice and equality. The findings of this research are a new framework of religion that is broader and more open in viewing the 1965 Gross Human Rights Case that emphasizes love. This new framework is the basis for reconciliation for the Indonesian people. It is hoped that from this new framework, all elements of the nation can accept it so that the 1965 Gross Human Rights case has the same perspective in terms of religion. This is expected to bring political stability in Indonesia and free the Indonesian people from the 1965 Serious Human Rights issue.

At the Sources of the Sacred: Evoking Nature and its Cults by Listening to the Rivers

Zones of fluvial influence, which were the cradles of many human societies both past and present, are key in today’s discourse on how to manage water, culture and heritage in ways that are compatible with sustainable development. Water/river customs have served environmental/cultural practices. This article discusses the interdependence or dissociation between “nature/water” and “culture,” which has forged a more or less strict dualism depending on specific religious frameworks. This dualism can be critically analyzed by sociology, phenomenology and political ecology. The relationship between the reverence accorded to the “sacred” and “nature” and how humans have maintained this respect is however not enough when addressing environmental crises. Could a new approach involve exploiting religious history to restore practical and moral meaning to contemporary challenges, including water-related environmental issues? Very few research programs or development projects really consider transdisciplinary and transcultural perspectives. A suggestion would be to combine the history of science, the comparative history of religious beliefs, the political sciences and cultural studies to define a “global history of religious ecology.” This would aid understanding of the multiplicity of religious conceptions of nature.

Childhood vaccine refusal and what to do about it: a systematic review of the ethical literature

BackgroundParental refusal of routine childhood vaccination remains an ethically contested area. This systematic review sought to explore and characterise the normative arguments made about parental refusal of routine vaccination, with the aim of providing researchers, practitioners, and policymakers with a synthesis of current normative literature.MethodsNine databases covering health and ethics research were searched, and 121 publications identified for the period Jan 1998 to Mar 2022. For articles, source journals were categorised according to Australian Standard Field of Research codes, and normative content was analysed using a framework analytical approach.ResultsMost of the articles were published in biomedical journals (34%), bioethics journals (21%), and journals that carry both classifications (20%). Two central questions dominated the literature: (1) Whether vaccine refusal is justifiable (which we labelled ‘refusal arguments’); and (2) Whether strategies for dealing with those who reject vaccines are justifiable (‘response arguments’). Refusal arguments relied on principlism, religious frameworks, the rights and obligations of parents, the rights of children, the medico-legal best interests of the child standard, and the potential to cause harm to others. Response arguments were broadly divided into arguments about policy, arguments about how individual physicians should practice regarding vaccine rejectors, and both legal precedents and ethical arguments for vaccinating children against a parent’s will. Policy arguments considered the normative significance of coercion, non-medical or conscientious objections, and possible reciprocal social efforts to offset vaccine refusal. Individual physician practice arguments covered nudging and coercive practices, patient dismissal, and the ethical and professional obligations of physicians. Most of the legal precedents discussed were from the American setting, with some from the United Kingdom.ConclusionsThis review provides a comprehensive picture of the scope and substance of normative arguments about vaccine refusal and responses to vaccine refusal. It can serve as a platform for future research to extend the current normative literature, better understand the role of cultural context in normative judgements about vaccination, and more comprehensively translate the nuance of ethical arguments into practice and policy.

‘From there everything changed’: conversion narrative in the biomimicry movement

ABSTRACT An increasingly influential approach to solving human ecological problems is an innovative design practice known as biomimicry. The Biomimicry Institute, a major stakeholder in the Biomimicry Movement, promotes biomimicry as a practice that mimics nature’s genius to solve human challenges and provides hope of sustainable futures. Despite increasing global interest in the practice, so far little is known about the value placed on biomimicry within practitioner communities. Employing a corpus-assisted discourse-analytic approach, this paper explores the ways video narratives shared by practitioners affiliated with and curated by the Biomimicry Institute position biomimicry as a sacred practice. Drawing on Stibbe’s ecolinguistic approach and Hobbs’ functional religious language framework, we observe an overarching discursive pattern of conversion narrative (incorporating both personal and collective storylines) which highlights the sacred significance of the movement. We explore how the linguistic strategies underlying these conversion narratives centre human experience, mark group identity and attract new converts, while constructing an ecologically ambivalent discourse. In particular, we find that use of vague language obscures the precise nature of involvement in the movement and blurs the lines between member and non-member, contributing to the conversion narratives’ potential as powerful proselytising tools.

Parenting beliefs in ultra‐orthodox families in Israel: The integration of structure and support

AbstractObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to explore the parenting beliefs of large ultra‐orthodox families living in Israel within the context of religion, culture, and large family size.BackgroundThe ultra‐orthodox community in Israel represents a growing and insular population. Little research has been done exploring the nature of parenting beliefs in this community. In particular, the opinions of children on this topic have been neglected in the literature.MethodA qualitative design using semistructured interviews was used as the primary research instrument. The study sample consisted of 25 individuals from five ultra‐orthodox families. All members of the family above age 10 were interviewed.ResultsParents focused on the individuality of their children and made efforts to provide individualized attention to them. These intentions existed alongside a strong emphasis from both parents and children on hierarchy and respect for elders. These beliefs were identified as “Torah values” and were understood to originate within a religious framework with divine origin.ConclusionClinical and research implications of the findings are discussed. Participants supported a framework that emphasized the Euro‐American parenting values of individuality and support but did not include democratic elements of child–parent interaction. Instead, hierarchical beliefs that reinforced family hierarchy and obedience from children predominated.ImplicationsIn ultra‐orthodox households in Israel, firm boundaries and strict hierarchy should not be associated with low levels of warmth and attunement. A lack of tolerance for difference is not necessarily an indication of an absence of appreciation of individuality.

Conscientious Objection in Healthcare: The Requirement of Justification, the Moral Threshold, and Military Refusals

ABSTRACTA dogma accepted in many ethical, religious, and legal frameworks is that the reasons behind conscientious objection (CO) in healthcare cannot be evaluated or judged by any institution because conscience is individual and autonomous. This paper shows that this background view is mistaken: the requirement to reveal and explain the reasons for conscientious objection in healthcare is ethically justified and legally desirable. Referring to real healthcare cases and legal regulations, this paper argues that these reasons should be evaluated either ex ante or ex post and defends novel conceptual claims that have not been analyzed in the debates on CO. First, a moral threshold requirement: CO is only justified if the reasons behind a refusal are of a moral nature and meet a certain threshold of moral importance. Second, this paper considers the rarely discussed conceptual similarities between CO in healthcare and the legal regulations concerning military refusals that place the burden of proof on conscientious objectors. This paper concludes that conscientious objection in healthcare can be accommodated only in some cases of destroying or killing human organisms.

Maulana Azad and his memory of the Islamic past: a study of his early writings

AbstractThe article is concerned primarily with Maulana Azad's early political and theological writings with a view to understanding his positions on Islam and the non-Islamic religions. It opens with a brief description of his discussion of Mughal history and religious culture, and then notes his portrayal of Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi (d. 1624) as an exemplary political figure, who raised his voice against Akbar's heresy. This portrayal has had a significant historiographical afterlife. Several modern scholars followed Azad's reading. The article asks whether Azad was truly the first to have such a view of the saint, and thereby influenced the modern writings on Mughal India. We will notice that Sirhindi was already portrayed as a political figure in the Mughal-era historical accounts devoted to him. Azad only chose to work within a certain memory of Sirhindi—but why did he choose to use an earlier tradition and not a purely religious interpretive framework of his own for analysing and presenting the saint's position? The article examines Azad's rationale for such a portrayal in light of his political concerns. It then discusses in some depth the theological discourses in his Tazkira and the early issues of Al-Hilāl.

‘Is Childhood Then so All-Divine?’: Representations of Childhood in the Poetry of Anne Brontë

Despite the increasing criticism of her traditional critical and cultural reputation as the “third Brontë” in recent years, the underestimation of Anne Brontë’s philosophical and political engagement remains tenacious. This is especially relevant when it comes to scholarly work on her poetry, where biographical and/or religious critical frameworks dominate. By contrast, this article is interested in Brontë’s poetic intervention in Victorian debates surrounding political and aesthetic conceptions of the child and childhood. Brontë simultaneously deploys and subverts traditionally Romantic imagery, interrogating this mode most explicitly in later poems such as ‘Memory’, ‘Dreams’ and ‘Z-’s Dream’. In these mature pieces, Brontë undercuts the more conventional presentation of such topics in her earlier poems with a self-reflexive meditation on the authenticity of nostalgic visions. Therefore, Brontë’s engagement with childhood becomes more vexed over time, mirroring the more realist representation of childhood in her novels. However, Brontë’s poetic work also reveals a deeper and more conflicted identification with the Romantic aesthetic of childhood than one might imagine the writer of Agnes Grey (1847) could possess, providing access to a more complete picture of Brontë’s position on these essential questions of innocence, nostalgia and childhood.

"God wastes nothing": A consensual qualitative study of coping among Catholic individuals with cancer diagnoses.

While religious meaning-making has been extensively studied, emic religious coping remains largely unexplored. This consensual qualitative research study explored Catholic cancer survivors' (N = 22) descriptions of drawing on their religious framework throughout their cancer journeys. Findings revealed distinctive Catholic resources such as the power of blessings, drawing comfort from the saints and sacraments, and "offering up" suffering as a form of spiritual surrender, suggesting the existence of underlying theodicies of divine purpose as well as potential clinical resources. While many participants described spiritual struggles and questions, most found meaning through deepening their faith, helping others, and re-examining their priorities. Exploratory mixed-method analyses suggest that questioning God may promote turning toward faith, while being angry at God is associated with difficulty in doing so. The findings have implications for research, pointing to emic practices that merit further study.

RETHINKING TRADITION AND INDIVIDUALISM AS KEY TRAITS OF JACOV ORFELIN’S STYLE - A CASE STUDY ON ICONOSTASIS PAINTING IN THE HISTORICAL BANAT

Tradition redefined by innovations is the topic our study proposes to investigate as fragments of visual transformations in the episode of Jacov Orfelin iconostasis painting. In this field, the particular example we have studied was not a singular manifestation, although it can be subsumed under the artistic evolution of the period, but a paradigmatic case of East meeting West, having as result a new perspective of visual dogma, getting endowed with new connotations. Viennese, Russian and Ukrainian baroque tendencies are the most obvious directions through which Serbian painters propose the new stylistic orientation. Those who proliferated the innovative models asserted themselves predominantly in Serbia, where they created a religious painting deeply contaminated by the inputs of the modern age, and acknowledged by the historiography of the subject as “the founders of the Serbian Baroque”. Although written sources corroborate information on biographies of the Serbian artists in connection with their artistic discourse and evolution, the study rethinks some of the concepts involved in the configuration of eighteenth-century artistic genre in the historical Banat. Moreover, the topic addressed will highlight the key aspects of Serbian late baroque, rococo and neoclassical art assimilation and advent throughout comparative - analytical methods, focusing on iconography and formal changes. In order to do so, the artwork under scrutiny is positioned within the original socio political, and religious frameworks focusing on examples that uphold or deconstruct the role this painter played in fostering a visual change. Issues regarding the ornaments will be also of reference as the iconostasis is a complex formal and iconographical medium.

Contriving emotional resilience through spirituality in the light of Vedanta

This study examines the Indian perspective on emotions, focusing on the concept of Gunas or Subjective Experiences. Indian Philosophies emphasize the transient nature of emotions and advocate for achieving emotional equilibrium through allegiance to a higher power and surrender. The study concludes that spirituality plays a crucial role in shaping individuals' emotional experiences, contributing to improved mental well-being and reduced narcissistic tendencies. Religious practices foster a sense of security and trust in a "superior being", while emotions involve the feelings experienced towards God or the Divine. Resilience, defined as the ability to adapt in the face of difficulties, is closely linked to these components. The hypothesis posits that an affinity towards the concept of God optimizes both emotions and resilience, fostering well-being across physical, psychological, emotional, and social domains. By investigating the interplay between emotions, religion, and resilience from an Indian perspective, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of their complex relationship and their impact on mental health. The utilization of library research allows for an in-depth exploration of relevant literature and philosophical texts. The insights derived from this research have the potential to inform mental health interventions and promote holistic well-being in diverse cultural contexts. By recognizing the significance of religious and spiritual factors in emotional experiences and resilience, practitioners can tailor interventions that address the specific needs of individuals within different cultural and religious frameworks, ultimately enhancing their overall mental well-being.

Inclusiveness of Women's Empowerment in Muslim Societies

This article engages contemporary scholarly literature on women’s empowerment in Muslim societies, examining various indicators and challenges to women’s empowerment and analyzing case studies to assess the effectiveness of different strategies and initiatives. Furthermore, the research explores the norms of women’s empowerment from the perspective of Abrahamic religions, arguing that, despite having historically patriarchal norms, these religions actively worked towards promoting gender equality. In Muslim societies, cultural practices and interpretations limited women’s autonomy. Ongoing efforts within Islamic scholarship and activism strive to reconcile these practices with Islamic values and advance gender equality. Despite notable progress in recent times, the findings highlight cultural, legal, and institutional barriers that hinder women from realizing their full potential. To overcome these obstacles, this article suggests operating within existing cultural and religious frameworks to challenge gender stereotypes and encourage fair gender relations. Ultimately, the article emphasizes the importance of increased collaboration and knowledge-sharing to prioritize women’s empowerment as a fundamental development goal. By creating an environment that fosters the full participation and inclusion of women in all aspects, Muslim societies can unlock the immense potential of their female population, leading to sustainable development and social progress for all.

Heidegger’s Figure of the Last God and Path to Being Itself

In the present article I explain the role of the figure of “the last god” in Heidegger’s thought after the so-called Heideggerian “turn.” Drawing on Heidegger’s Contributions to Philosophy (From Enowning), it is argued that the figure of “the last god” demonstrates Heidegger’s path to “being itself,” which I distinguish from the path to being presented by him in his earlier thought, mainly laid out in Being and Time. The figure of the last god is not to be understood as a god in a religious framework, but rather as an explication of metaphysical radical thinking, rendered as Heidegger’s view of “divinity of the other beginning.” The notion of the last god is presented against the background of several of Heidegger’s ideas (as specifications) discussed in Contributions namely: disclosure of being itself, the renewal of metaphysics, the understanding of nothing/nothingness in relation to being, the problem of the “sign” (Wink) or the ontic and ontological differences. In a metaphorical form, Heidegger leads us – by means of the specifications given – towards the experience of the “last god,” whose “passage” is for Dasein the experience of being itself, is the event of being. In the text presented here, I will “lead” the reader along such “path.” At the same time, I will engage Heidegger’s language without neglecting its semantic “depth,” showing how Heidegger extracts hidden meanings from words.

Identity Construction of Pakistani Female Entrepreneurs in Religious Framework: An Interplay of Sociocultural and Religious Factors

This article focuses on the identity construction of Pakistani female entrepreneurs as an interplay of religion, culture and entrepreneurial context. We contribute to theory development on how in a Pakistani context the Islamic values and Pakistani cultural values shape the entrepreneurial identity of the women entrepreneurs through an intersectional analysis. We draw on five in-depth interviews of women entrepreneurs to illustrate how the women entrepreneurs execute their ventures and carry their entrepreneurial identity while carrying a blend of Islamic values and Pakistani cultural values. Pakistani women entrepreneurs employ the Islamic norms and values that are particularly practised by the family as a boundary, however, the cultural norms sometimes overweight the Islamic values in construction of identity. There is an evidence for negotiating process that acts as an enabler to make space for individualism, honour and entrepreneurship. In order to resist the rigid cultural interpretation of behavioural norms, various cultural, religious and familial identities are crafted to expand the boundaries of what is allowed. This enables them to bank on the Islamic values that enable them to be economically active without violating religious boundaries. Our study contributes to studies on entrepreneurship by showing how these female entrepreneurs gain agency at the crossroads of gender country context and religion.

Heathen: Religion and Race in American History

Heathen: Religion and Race in American History