Religious Regulation Research Articles

God and Governance: Development, State Capacity, and the Regulation of Religion

In this article, we propose a new approach to an old question: How does development affect religion‐state relations? We argue that because development increases states’ ability to effectively formulate and implement policy, it will be associated with greater state regulation of religion. This stands in contrast to predominant theories that examine development's negative impact on individual religiosity while largely overlooking the impact that development may have on state institutions. We test our theory using data drawn from over 160 countries, and demonstrate that the effect of economic development on state regulation of religion is consistently positive, substantively significant, and robust to alternative measurements and the inclusion of a broad range of controls. Statistical analysis also demonstrates that the correlation between development and state regulation of religion is primarily a result of economic development's impact on state capacity, rather than social dislocation or improved coordination by religious communities. Incorporating state capacity recasts the study of religious regulation—and suggests that economic growth is unlikely to take religion off the political agenda.

The Problem of Secularism and Religious Regulation: Anthropological Perspectives

The Problem of Secularism and Religious Regulation: Anthropological Perspectives

Religious Regulation and the Muslim Democracy Gap

AbstractThis article argues that high levels of government regulation of religion help to explain the “democracy gap” in majority Muslim countries. Controlling for previously hypothesized determinants of democracy, it finds that as levels of regulation increase, levels of democracy decline. Examination of specific types of religious regulation in Muslim-majority countries uncovers a pattern of repression of religious expression that may be used to mobilize citizens politically. These regulations are targeted more often at Muslims who seek independence from state-controlled religion or who wish to challenge authoritarian governments, rather than at non-Muslim minorities or at religious worship more generally. Thus, authoritarian and semi-authoritarian regimes in Muslim-majority states successfully use policies toward religion to restrict political competition and inhibit democratic transition.

빌립보서의 하팍스 레고메논(hapax legomenon)인 폴리튜마(politeuma)의 번역 문제

In Philippians 3:20, Paul mentions πολ?τευμα as hapax legomenon which is normally translated as citizenship. However, since hapax legomenon is used once in the New Testament, the use and function of this term do not receive full attention. In fact, there are multiple types of πολ?τευμα, and is used to refer to various groups meeting together in association. The one-time use of the noun πολ?τευμα in Philippians 3:20 together with the earlier use of the verb πολιτε?μα ι(‘to live as a citizen’) in 1:27 arouses curiosity about its use and meaning. In order to achieve an accurate interpretation of the Biblical text, semantic analysis of history, literature and theology becomes crucial. Though the prime objective of Bible reading is to identify theological constituents of the text, the perception of historical dynamics such as politics, society, economy, and culture should be considered as well. This work therefore aims to focus on the authentic meaning of πολ?τευμα in Philippians.<BR> Not only does the term πολ?τευμα connote political action, civil rights, country and government, its technical term is defined as groups of people in multiple forms and types. One must carefully observe the intended use of the word because it is not easy to determine the role and function of πολ?τευμα in the context of an ancient society. The term may imply a gathering of a certain group like the gentiles residing in foreign cities, or even an internal political organization in certain Greek cities.<BR> This study focuses on finding the definition of πολ?τευμα by looking into the various usage of the term throughout legal orders of emperors, religious regulations or clubs of soldiers and women within ancient inscriptions. In Philippians, the function of πολ?τευμα is not restricted to the rights of citizenship but represents a space or sphere-oriented governmental body.<BR> Today, scholars like D. Georgi, H. Koester, R. A. Horsley, and N. T. Wright have been reading Pauline letters from the political perspective. As a whole, they understood Paul’s political stance as anti-Roman. Even though we cannot neglect political aspects when considering the Philippians, it reflects Paul’s theological orientation to the main target, which is the Christian community in Philippi. It means that Paul’s concern is to lead them to imitate a Christ-like life. The goal of Philippians is to uphold the Christian community in the last days and to give them a solid foundation of faith in times of tribulation. Paul emphasizes that Christians should live in hope of being affiliated with Christ in heaven.<BR> In conclusion, attempt to interpret Philippians as a political document is inappropriate. Paul’s aim was not to resist against the unjust authorities of the Roman empire. The term should therefore not be associated with politics, but be considered from a spatial perspective. In fact, Paul makes no remark about being anti-Roman at all in Philippians 3:20, but emphasizes that Christians in Philippi belong to another ruler and community: Christ and heaven. Eventually, Christians are forced to construct their own viewpoint and standards within the walls of the Church; but, ultimately having a home to return to.

Sri Lanka's Informal Religious Economy: Evangelical Competitiveness and Buddhist Hegemony in Perspective

Existing religious economy models maintain that as religious regulation increases, levels of interreligious competition decrease. But new understandings of the market dynamics of religious oligopolies necessitate new understandings of religious competitiveness. A relational model of competitiveness using the case of evangelical Christianity in Buddhist‐majority Sri Lanka is proposed. In Sri Lanka the informal religious economy is defined by competitiveness among evangelical Christian groups and, although not recognized by the state, is closely regulated. The focus in this article is on the scalar determinations of evangelical competitiveness, patterns of secrecy and subterfuge, the formation of strategic extra‐group networks that enable competitiveness, and outcomes of a relational model. Three insights are offered that can be used as a starting point for further work on religious oligopolies, informal economies, and relational understandings of religious competition.

Religion, Law, and Pentecostalism in Indonesia

Abstract Since Indonesian independence the state has attempted to protect freedom of religious practice by managing religions, and has enacted many religious regulations. Three of those regulations which especially impact the work of Pentecostals are the limits on financial aid from abroad, the ban on proselyzation, and the requirement for FKUB permits for building houses of worship. Because of these regulations, Pentecostal spread in Indonesia is both generally suspect, and a further problem for the state Ministry of Religion, charged with maintaining religious stability.

Consumer Preferences and Perceptions on Dealcoholised Wine

The article analyses Malaysian consumer attitudes toward dealcoholised wine and whether its religious regulation status affects a consumer's perception of the product. A closed-end questionnaire was used to ascertain the consumer's knowledge and awareness, attitudes, potential behaviours and general opinions about dealcoholised wine. Two hundred respondents were interviewed and results showed that 20% of the respondents knew about dealcoholised wine but only 9% consumed it. Most respondents (81%) perceived dealcoholised wine as not halal, hence the low consumption level. Despite a strong belief that dealcoholised wine has health benefits, consumers' culture of mild to no alcohol drinking contributed to its low preference.

Limitations for measuring religion in a different cultural context—The case of Japan

The article points out the limitations in surveys measuring religiosity and spirituality using the measures developed in Christian or Western contexts. Japanese people think of religion ( shūkyō) as revealed religion such as Christianity that has specific doctrinal belief and faith. Through their history of religious regulation, Japanese people came to consider themselves “non-religious” as a way of survival, not to be punished by political authorities and not to be stigmatized in their community. Thus they tend to answer that they consider themselves “non-religious” in surveys, while performing ritual performances for their ancestors in Buddhist temples and Buddhist altars not only to thank ancestors but also to ease the psychological fear people have toward muenbotoke, restless ancestors who have no legitimate offspring to take care of them. To extend the study of spirituality or religiousness in the Japanese context, qualitative studies are necessary not to misinterpret religiousness and spirituality in Japanese context.

Réflexions sur l’institutionnalisation du bouddhisme Hòa Háo. Remise en perspective historique de la reconnaissance de 1999

Le bouddhisme Hòa Háo a commémoré l’anniversaire des 60 ans de sa fondation en 1999. À cette occasion, plus d’un million d’adeptes ont foulé la terre sainte (thánh đ a) du village natal de son fondateur Hu nh Phú S . Cet événement, l’un des plus importants pèlerinages que le Vietnam ait connu ces dernières décennies, a démontré la vitalité de cette pratique religieuse, qui a été contrainte de s’exprimer dans un cadre strictement privé pendant près d’un quart de siècle. Il scelle aussi la reconnaissance sous conditions de ce nouveau mouvement religieux territorialisé (Ouest du delta du Mékong) et désormais transnational (communautés vietnamiennes de l’outre-mer) comme l’une des six religions instituées du pays. Le retour historique et historiographique vise à rappeler les enjeux de mémoire et à éclairer les termes d’une régulation religieuse qui redéfinit depuis 1999 l’institutionnalisation du bouddhisme Hòa Háo et l’engagement dans le monde de ses adeptes.

Oligopoly Dynamics: Consequences of Religious Regulation

In the first part of this article, the author tries to clarify a set of interconnected concepts—religious plurality (diversity), pluralization, and pluralism. As a descriptive concept for sociological theorizing, social pluralism is further differentiated into legal, civic and cultural arrangements. Modern pluralization may have started accidentally in the United States of America, but it has become a general trend in the world. In the second part, the author argues that the predominant type of Church—State relationship in the world today is neither monopoly nor pluralism, but oligopoly. More importantly, the theoretical propositions based on the studies of monopoly-pluralism are not applicable without substantial modification to explain oligopoly dynamics. The China case shows that in oligopoly, increased religious regulation leads not necessarily to religious decline, but to triple religious markets: the red market (legal), black market (illegal) and grey market (both legal and illegal or neither legal nor illegal).

THE TRANSCENDENTAL CRITIQUE REVISITED AND REVISED

Dooyeweerd’s account of abstraction is examined and found to be faulty. He holds that abstract thinking isolates aspects which must then be synthesized, whereas I argue that we cannot isolate any aspect from the others however so hard we try. But our very inability to isolate aspects is then turned into an alternative version of a transcendental critique of theory making. Instead of asking for a basis for synthesizing aspects we have isolated, the new version asks: what is the nature of the aspectual connectedness which is so strong that it cannot be interrupted even by abstraction? I argue that it is impossible for anyone to understand the meaning of a concept fully without taking a position on this issue, whether that is done implicitly or explicitly. Moreover, every answer to this question presupposes a divinity belief. Hence, this recasting of the critique yields a demonstration of the religious regulation of all concepts and every theory. In this way the goal of Dooyeweerd’s critique is achieved, even if not in the way he envisioned.

Religious Attendance in Cross‐National Perspective: A Multilevel Analysis of 60 Countries

Why are some nations more religious than others? This article proposes a multilevel framework in which country differences in religious attendance are explained by contextual, individual, and cross‐level interaction effects. Hypotheses from different theories are simultaneously tested with data from 60 nations obtained from the European/World Values Surveys. Multilevel logistic regression analyses show that religious regulation in a country diminishes religious attendance and that there are only small negative effects of people's own education and average educational level of the country. Religious attendance is strongly affected by personal and societal insecurities and by parental and national religious socialization and level of urbanization. These theories explain 75% of the cross‐national variation in religious attendance.

Pentecostalism’s Growth in Religiously Restricted Environments

The Independent or Neocharismatic Third Wave of the Christian Pentecostal movement is a uniquely growing edge of Christianity compared with traditional Pentecostal denominations and Charismatic Renewalist movements within mainline Christian faiths. While all three branches of the Pentecostal movement tend to have grown more in countries with higher levels of religious freedom, the unique aspect of the Neocharismatic movement is that it shows some possibility to grow in countries where religious freedom is restricted, based on a review and structural equation analysis of data for 143 countries with populations of two million or more. However, the data also suggest that Neocharismatics have more difficulty becoming established in religiously homogeneous societies. In other words, Neocharismatics can grow in religiously restrictive environments as long as a single religion does not already monopolize the religious marketplace. This explains why, for example, Neocharismatics are growing in China among the majority Han population, within which there is tremendous religious diversity, but similar growth is not seen in Muslim-majority countries. To begin, however, I provide a descriptive global overview of the three components (Pentecostal, Charismatic and Neocharismatic) of the Renewalist movement and some of their important characteristics before empirically exploring predictors of the presence of each. In addition to religious regulation and homogeneity, I also explore whether the Renewalist movement’s general emphasis on signs and wonders might allow it to adapt to and be adopted in places where other local religions emphasize the miraculous. Also, since the Renewalist movement often aims to speak to the needy—offering them hope for tomorrow and power for today—I examine how its presence in the 143 countries studied is associated with such things as low human development and high income inequality. Readers should note that the analysis primarily draws on national-level data, and therefore speaks to the general context in countries rather than to the motivations of particular individuals associated with the Renewalist movement.

The Peculiar Life of Sundays (review)

Reviewed by: The Peculiar Life of Sundays Alexis McCrossen The Peculiar Life of Sundays. By Stephen Miller. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. 2008. Pp. x, 310. $27.95. ISBN 978-0-674-03168-5.) Stephen Miller’s The Peculiar Life of Sundays is a general-interest book that provides snapshots of the Sundays of a handful of Anglo-American figures based on their personal diaries and public utterances. The title refers to Wallace Stevens’s characterization of Sunday in a personal letter. The book opens with a description of Billie Holiday’s classic rendition of “Gloomy Sunday,” but then contrasts Sunday gloom (and even suicide) with a recent poll’s discovery that more than three-quarters of Americans find Sunday “the most enjoyable day of the week”(p. 2). The introductory chapter moves without resolution between tropes of Sunday Gladness and Sunday Gloom, a pattern that characterizes the book as a whole. Woven into the book is an overview of the civic and religious regulation of Sunday since Constantine. The book’s central chapters survey the Sundays of a dozen or so historical figures, wherein Miller demonstrates his strength as a gentle interlocutor and synthesizer. The final chapter, about contemporary Sundays, quietly laments the loss of the Sabbath. The Peculiar Life of Sundays is not a book that scholars should add to their shelves, as it makes no new contribution to our scholarly understanding of Sunday, religion, Sabbatarianism, or Anglo-American culture. What is more, it is peculiar in its preoccupation with all things “pagan.” The book is laced with the word: for example, “Emersonian paganism” (p. 247),“a pagan great awakening” (p. 197), and Stevens’s embrace of “paganism” (p. 214). The lengthy list of entries under paganism in the index, at three-and-a-half inches long, outstrips the other entries, including those for Lord’s Day, Sabbatarianism, and Puritanism. It seems that Miller is aware that “pagan” is inaccurate: he notes that it “was initially a pejorative term” that “some historians are wary of using” (p. 58). Would that he had been. Nevertheless, Miller is a sympathetic reader of diaries, letters, essays, memoirs, and poetry. His discussion about Samuel Johnson’s Sunday dilemmas, including a transcription of 1755 resolutions forming, in Johnson’s words, “a scheme of life for the day” (pp. 101–02), is fascinating. However, Miller’s interpretations founder because he employs a typology of Christian commitment that in the end does little to explain why Sunday poses so much hope and so much despair for so many people. In his view, those who despaired in Sunday had little faith and were even pagans. Had Miller looked [End Page 580] more carefully at the rhythm of work and rest that his historical subjects encountered, rather than at where they belonged on a calculus of Christian commitment, he might have been better able to explain their particular outlooks concerning Sunday. For example, doing so likely would have enhanced Miller’s interpretation of Thoreau’s sly affront to the Sunday-Sabbath, for in nearly every written word, Thoreau challenged the American devotion to a narrowly defined field of work. In all, The Peculiar Life of Sundays exemplifies one problem with nonfiction trade publications, particularly those undertaken by university presses: because the authors do not know enough about the subject that they have decided to write about, they lean too heavily on inappropriate sources (The Wall Street Journal for ideas about religion, for example), borrow too liberally from the work of others, and use anachronistic terms. None of these alone is a grievous misstep, but in the end together they point to the failure of an underprepared author and a profit-driven press to do justice to a subject and thus to the reading public as well as the scholarly community. Alexis McCrossen Southern Methodist University Copyright © 2009 The Catholic University of America Press

Rational Choice, Religion, and the Marketplace: Where Does Adam Smith Fit In?

Rational choice theorists of religion have assumed that Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations advocates a free market in religion, which, they argue, leads to increased religious vitality. In fact, while Smith opposed direct government subsidies for religion and argued that a free market was the first‐best solution, as a second‐best policy he advocated religious regulation, including state‐appointed clergy and the reduction of clergy income. Smith's rational choice approach to religion, which springs from his understanding of public goods, externalities and the need for civil peace, and government stability, can still provide direction for social scientific research, but it does not always support a policy of religious free markets.

Changes of national religious service regulation,examined through the conflicts over assigning servicemanagers in the late Joseon

Changes of national religious service regulation,examined through the conflicts over assigning servicemanagers in the late Joseon

Smyth the anarchist: fin-de-siècle radicalism in The Wreckers

AbstractThis essay explores the roots of Ethel Smyth's opera The Wreckers (1903–04), composed to a libretto by H. B. Brewster, in fin-de-siècle debates on the legal and religious regulation of morality. Taking into account Smyth's jaundiced use of Cornish history, the contribution of Brewster's professed individual anarchism and sexual libertarianism, and Smyth's willingness to parody and manipulate musical conventions in order to reinforce radical ideals, it views the work both as a reflection of its authors' engagement with modernism and as a herald of Smyth's subsequent contribution to militant feminism.

Paul and the Nomos in Light of Ritual Theory

This article wishes to handle the subject of the Nomos in Paul from a new perspective, namely from Religious Studies, within a framework where rituals and Ritual Studies receive priority. Nomos is generally translated as ‘the Law’ (with a capital ‘L’), meaning the Torah of Moses, the Pentateuch; by implication, it also covers the rabbinic modes of Torah explication. Commonly, the term and the negation of its religious relevance mark the manner in which Christianity views itself as superseding Judaism. However, the article argues that this understanding of the term and its significance in the writings of Paul is wrongly oriented. Paul himself discusses the issue of religious rules and regulations as part of the life of the communities, which he addresses in his Letters. If Paul is taken at his own words, rituals are important components in Christianity. Thus, the ‘Protestant’ oriented criticism of the cult is tantamount to making Paul address issues that Paul has no intention to take at their face value. This article, therefore, intends to reach new conclusions with regard to the common understanding of Paul's handling of the subject of the Law.

Catholics Using Contraceptives: Religion, Family Planning, and Interpretive Agency in Rural Mexico

Research on how religion shapes contraceptive practices and fertility has paid insufficient attention to how people interpret religious teachings. This study draws on ethnographic fieldwork in Degollado, Mexico, to describe generational and social-contextual differences in how women interpret and use religious doctrine to achieve their fertility desires without jeopardizing their standing as devout Catholics. Contrasting the family planning beliefs and practices of young Mexican women with those of older women (many of whom are the younger women's parents and in-laws), in a rural town in which the religious regulation of everyday life is pervasive, reveals how a common set of religious teachings and principles can be used to guide two different generational strategies for fertility regulation. The ethnographic data presented here highlight the creativity with which people use religious frameworks to justify their behavior. Research exploring how religion--and culture more broadly--influences fertility and contraceptive use should give greater attention to the dynamic interplay between cultural beliefs and institutions, social context, and interpretive agency. (STUDIES

Religious Persecution in Cross-National Context: Clashing Civilizations or Regulated Religious Economies?

Despite the high visibility of religiously charged international social conflicts, the unique role of religion often is overlooked in social science research and theory. Some studies ignore religion, others conflate religion with other identities. Virtually all lack adequate data. We respond to these deficiencies by testing a theory-driven model of a particular form of social conflict, religious persecution. We investigate the proposition that religious regulation leads to religious persecution. Using measures coded from the 2003 International Religious Freedom Reports, we consider how both social regulation and government regulation of religion in 143 countries affect the level of religious persecution. We also consider and test competing hypotheses, particularly Huntington's clash-of-civilizations thesis. We find strong support for the religious economies arguments and only limited support for the clash-of-civilizations thesis and other competing arguments.