Religious Sphere Research Articles

ФЕНОМЕН РЕЛИГИОЗНЫХ ПАРТИЙ НА ПОСТСОВЕТСКОМ ПРОСТРАНСТВЕ

The article analyzes the phenomenon of religious parties in the post-Soviet space. It is shown that they were formed either in the formats of Islamic parties or Christian-democratic. There are States that impose a ban on the creation of parties on religious grounds, and those that allow their existence. The prerequisites for the appearance of such restrictions are shown. The article especially analyzes the case of Tadjikistan, where approaches to the possibilities of the legal existence of religious parties have fundamentally changed. Other criteria related to the religious sphere and limiting the activities of parties (propaganda of religious discord and enmity, financing of parties by religious structures, etc.) are also analyzed. The results of the analysis are presented in the summary table 1. The article shows that Islamic and Christian Democratic parties manifest themselves in the post-Soviet space as oppositional. There is an analysis of the prerequisites and factors, the value bases of such a situation. It is shown that Islamic proto-parties and movements offering an alternative project of statehood can exist only in an illegal format, and Christian Democratic parties acquiring national-state specifics can be both oppositional and supporting the current government, depending on its political course. The author also analyzes the reasons for the institutional weakness of religious parties. The conclusion is made about the negative result of projects to create religious parties in the post-Soviet space

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION SYSTEM AND RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS OF KYRGYZSTAN

Kyrgyzstan gained its independence in 1991. The Constitution adopted in 1992 became a basis for the restructuring process in the religious sphere. According to the relevant articles of the Constitution, the issues relating to the place and purpose of formal and non-formal religious education in general education, the formation of religious groups, their relations with the state, etc., have been discussed. The subject of this article is the changes and transformations in religious education in schools after independence. In this context, first of all, information about the general education system and religious education of Kyrgyzstan will be given. Then, the legal and historical basis of religious education at schools since 1991, its status in the school system, its aims, teaching model, teachers, regional variations, etc., will be reviewed and evaluated. In the conclusion part, current developments and challenges will be discussed. The aim of the article is to evaluate whether religious education in the school system in Kyrgyzstan is structured on national and universal principles and to open the issue for discussion. The study is important in terms of drawing a future perspective on how religious education should be at the universal level in the school system and contributing to comparative religious education.

Principle of Laicity and Religious Concepts. An Italian And Japanese Perspective

The present research analyses the principle of laicity, aiming to understand whether religious concepts can be introduced and positivised in a lay State, taking the Japanese and Italian Constitutions as case studies. The purpose is to understand how religious concepts, if positivised, can contribute to higher protection of fundamental rights. The first phase focuses on the definition of the concept of laicity by separating it from secularism. The second phase deals with the principle of neutrality and non-identification of the lay state towards the religious sphere, deepening the positivisation of religious concepts and their introduction into legal analysis, with particular attention to Habermas' studies on the translation of religious concepts into a universally accessible and independent language. The third phase carries out a comparative constitutional analysis focusing on the principle of laicity in the Italian and Japanese Constitutions to understand the different declinations the principle of laicity may take and the potential terrain for religious concepts to be introduced after an imperative translation into universal language independent of any religious interpretation.

Dreams in the Bible and in Modern English Discourse: A Shift in Perspective

This paper investigates the linguistic aspect of the phenomenon of secularisation, using as example the English word “dream.” Comparative analysis of the linguistic structure of the dream narratives in the Bible and in modern English texts allowed us to discern two major secularisation trends—humanizing the divine and mystifying the human. In the Bible, entering into contact with the divine while asleep is always evaluated ambivalently: one is fascinated by the great favour and fears for one’s life. In modern religious discourse, the growing number of dream narratives manifest the positive evaluation of the contact with the divine as comforting. The second tendency consists in the transfer of transcendental experiences from the religious sphere into the sphere of narratives describing human mind and emotions. Here, the ambivalent experience springs up from the mysterious depths of the subconscious. At the lexical level, both tendencies result in new senses of the word “dream” as well as in important changes in the narrative structure of texts relating dream experiences. In the end, we provide a dictionary entry for the English noun “dream”.

THE USE OF RUSSIAN SIGN RUSSIAN IN THE SPHERE OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OF THE DEAF AND HEARING IMPAIRED

In the article the current situation in the field of religious education of people with disabilities, namely the actual non-involvement of deaf and hard of hearing in the life of Muslim and Orthodox communities are analyzed, and also recommendations for its resolution are given. Since clergymen are engaged not only in the education of faith, but in many cases are the main communicant for parishioners with disabilities, the authors of the article consider it necessary to organize their training, believe that it is necessary to start teaching sign language in seminaries and madrassas. Today, a large number of publications related to the religious sphere are published, but their adapted translation into Russian Sign Language causes difficulties, which is due to the lack of special means of expressing certain religious concepts in sign language, therefore, professional assistance of translators and clergymen, is required.

Religious Activity of Muslim Women in the North Caucasus: Trends and Perspectives

The increasing role of religion in the life of Muslim society requires a new analysis devoted to the involvement of different demographic and social groups in religious practices. The article analyses the results of a sociological study among Muslims living in the republics of the North Caucasus (Dagestan, the Chechen Republic, the Republic of Ingushetia), dedicated to the religious activity of women. The author analyses to new empirical data obtained as a result of qualitative and quantitative sociological research in the region and allows to identify the directions and prospects for the development of religious activity of Muslim women. The results of the study showed that women’s activity can have both positive and destructive effects on society. In recent years, the second direction has become more well-known, which has been reflected in numerous Russian and foreign publications about female suicide bombers. The article attempts to objectively and comprehensively consider women’s activity in the field of religion. The forms and directions of modern women’s religious activity are shown. The prospects of its development and the attitude of the population of the republics of the North Caucasus to it are analysed. The study showed that women’s activity in the religious sphere is quite high, it is focused primarily on everyday non-public practices, despite the fact that destructive activity remains the most well-known and the threat of deviant activity persists, more and more new women’s social initiatives and activity appear, forms of women’s activity are becoming more diverse. It is these initiatives that could become the basis for overcoming the problems of women and female radicalisation and the threat of terrorist activity. Keywords: women, gender, religion, North Caucasus, Islam, gender studies, women’s activity.

Religious or Spiritual? Empirical Manifestations of Contemporary Changes in Poles’ Self-Declarations and Media Representations

This paper comprises part of the current research on the phenomenon of new spirituality, conducted within the sociology of religion and social communication and media sciences. It aims to analyze selected manifestations of the new spirituality entering into the religious sphere of a religiously homogeneous society based on the example of Poland. A complementary application of quantitative and qualitative methods was proposed. The subject of the analysis is the results of a representative survey in which Poles define themselves in terms of religiosity and spirituality, with examples of their search for content on a new spirituality through online resources using the assumptions of the theory of social representations. The above concept resulted in the bipartite structure of the main part of the article. It was preceded by a theoretical introduction synthetically presenting phenomena identified as key features of new spirituality and ended with a discussion of the results and conclusions. The analyses indicate that, in Polish society, the category of phenomena and processes classified as new spirituality is distinguishable but complex and diverse. In the subsequent stages of the analysis, their socio-demographic determinants were shown, and then the media representations of the new spirituality were identified, categorized, and put into typologies.

French sinology development (13‒21 centuries): historical aspect

French sinology takes a special place in the history of the sinological studies development. It was France that became the first country where the transformation of missionary sinology, which was common among a limited circle of researchers (mainly in a religious sphere), into the academic scientific discipline, which had already been taught and studied at a professional level in academic institutions, occurred. The Parisian type of sinology used to dominate the entire world for a long time, including such powerful centers of Chinese studies as Germany, Great Britain, the USA, and China itself. The conducted historiographical analysis of the topic allows pointing out the insufficient coverage by the local researchers of the evolution of French sinology historical development as a whole process that had lasted for almost 800 years. This fact prompted the authors to reveal the mentioned topic. The purpose of the article is to investigate the historical development of French sinology during the 13th–21st centuries. In the course of the work, both general scientific methods and special ones were used, among which the priority was given to historical, chronological and problem-thematic methods. The analytical method and methods of grouping and typology were also applied, that made it possible to present the material in a logically complete manner. In order to form a complete picture of sinology development in France, the authors singled out and analyzed three historical periods covering the entire history of Chinese studies development, starting from its birth and flourishment to the process of stagnation. Thus, within the time limits of the first period, the process a peculiar scientific base of knowledge about China accumulating, as well as the development of missionary sinology, was investigated, and it was proved that it became a kind of bridge between the protosinological stage and academic sinology, which secularized the achievements of its predecessors in the 19th century and turned into a scientific academic discipline. Within the time limits of the second period, the scientific achievements of a whole galaxy of French scholars were analyzed, namely, Edouard Chavannes, Marcel Granet, Henri Paul Gaston Maspero, and others, and it was concluded that the Sinological school in France was at the peak of its development, and the views of its representatives gained priority among sinologists all over the world. Regarding the third period, the authors express the opinion that modern French sinology has lost its leading position in the scientific world, and the search for the latest methodological approaches and methods (primarily multidisciplinary with the use of digital technologies) is primarily an attempt to achieve parity with the leading centers of Chinese studies. Factual research material can be used for further study of the history of sinology development, as well as for writing generalising papers on Chinese studies, reading lecture courses, special courses and special seminars.

PREFACE

PREFACE

How Salome Seduced Constantius II on Stage

Abstract Athanasius, the bishop of Alexandria, was a master of invective. In this paper, I want to take a closer look at the negative representation of Arian bishops and emperor Constantius II in the Historia Arianorum through a close reading of a key passage that is often quoted, but rarely discussed in detail (chapter 52). I want to highlight how Athanasius supercharges his representation with references to the past, to drama and to the bible. This topic is indebted to recent scholarship on Athanasius and his polemics, which it hopes to enrich by highlighting Athanasius’ allusiveness and influence. Occasionally I will draw on Athanasius’ earlier works to show how his line of argument developed and refer to other authors who either took over his image or held different views. This paper contributes to the ongoing study of invective, which was so prominent in the religious sphere.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE PRESIDENCY INSTITUTE ON THE UKRAINIAN INDEPENDENT ORTHODOX CHURCH FORMATION

The current political situation in Ukraine shows a deep crisis in relations in many spheres of social life, including interfaith relations. The purpose of the article is to highlight the problems of the political influence of the presidency institution during the Ukrainian statehood birth and to apply this knowledge to the realities of modern society. The Orthodox Church is the dominant confession in Ukraine, but today it is in the stage of division into different jurisdictions. It has been proven that the unification of the divided branches of Ukrainian Orthodoxy will contribute to the consolidation of Ukrainian society, especially in the presence of open external aggression. It was established that the presidency institution itself plays an extremely important role in state policy in the religious sphere. The article analyzes that Ukrainian Presidents actively participated in the religious policy of the state and contributed to the formation of the United Local Church. Therefore, the church is an important factor in the consolidation of the divided Ukrainian society, therefore the state policy in this area should be directed to support the project of the Local Church.

HARMONY BETWEEN JAVANESE, SUNDANESE, AND BATAK ETHNICS IN BABUSSALAM VILLAGE, MARBAU SUB-DISTRICT, NORTH LABUHAN BATU RRGENCY

This study aims to determine what causes the peace in Babussalam Village, how the three ethnic groups Javanese, Sundanese, and Batak maintain peace in society, and how social interaction between the Javanese, Sundanese, and Batak ethnic groups occurs in Babussalam Village. This study employs a qualitative, descriptive research design. This study used observation, interviews, and documentation as its methods. The findings of this research are: the background of harmony in Babussalam Village is influenced by a number of elements, including those in the social and economic, educational, and religious spheres. Respect, freedom of expression, cooperation, positive prejudices, and fostering a welcoming environment are all important for preserving harmony in a community where these three ethnic groups coexist. Due to the fact that people are social beings who cannot survive alone and require the assistance of others, the social interaction in Babussalam Village is highly positive.

Poļu izcelsmes vārdi Latvijas baltkrievu presē 20. gs. sākumā

This article is a continuation of the research that the author has carried out analysing the contacts between Belarusian and Latvian languages in Belarusian periodicals published in the 20th century. This study analyses the influence of Polish in the Belarusian language of Latvia, as reflected in the periodicals of the 20th century. The aim of this article is to present some aspects of the influence of Polish in the local Belarusian language. The importance of Polish and Belarusian as contact languages in Latvia is mainly determined by the historical and areal aspects of language contact. Poles and Belarusians are territorial neighbours with close genetic ties and long-standing economic, cultural, and political relations. Poles and Belarusians are Latvian minorities whose history is linked to Latgale. Polish was, for a long time, the dominant language in the religious sphere (Catholicism) and culture, so in the local Belarusian periodicals, it is possible to observe the influence of Polish in the Latvian Belarusian language, which was reflected in the use of some Polish words and word components. As languages come into contact, it can lead to borrowing from one language into another. Interference occurs when linguistic norms are mixed and other linguistic norms are picked up so that deviations from the norms of the mother tongue can occur under the influence of the contact language.

Lebanon and Syria – the “Siamese twins” of the Levant: a Current Situation

The Syrian Arab and Lebanese Republics are two neighboring states located in the Middle Eastern subregions, traditionally called the Levant. The close neighborhood of both countries led to the preservation of old and the emergence of new common denominators in the socio-economic, socio-political and religious spheres. In modern historiography, there are disagreements regarding the degree of preservation and definition of the nature of today’s relations between the two states. It is about the recognition or non-recognition of the existence of the exceptional character of the modern Syrian-Lebanese relations. At the same time, among researchers who recognize the fact of preserving many common denominators for both countries, the main issue remains the positive or negative interpretation of the mentioned phenomenon.
 It should be realized that most of the close ties between Syria and Lebanon, which are not determined by the immediate geographical proximity of both countries, are as the result of external interference in the affairs of the subregion. It is about the arbitrary territorial-administrative division carried out by the Ottoman Empire, the artificial idea of “Greater Syria”, which was popularized by a native of Mecca - Faisal bin Hussein al-Hashimi, and French experiments during the mandated period of the history of both countries. As a result of the above-mentioned interventions, reinforced by the geographical factor, there was an established desire of Syria to incorporate the Lebanese Republic into its structure, supported by a part of the population of Lebanon itself. Even after the end of the period of Syrian occupation of Lebanon (1990-2005) as a result of the Cedar Revolution, the danger of the absorbing the country of cedarsby neighbor state has not disappeared. This is indicated by the presence of a wide range of pro-Syrian politicians in the Lebanese ruling circles and the role played by the Lebanese Shiite militia organization Hezbollah in saving the B. al-Assad regime during the ongoing civil war in Syria.

According to the spending of funds collected from taxes in the Khanate of Khiva

This article analyzes tax notebooks that occupy a significant place among the documents of the “archive of Khiva Khans” stored in the National Archive of Uzbekistan, which constitute the main source group in the study of the tax system of the Khiva Khanate of the late XIX – early XX centuries. The khanate studied the funds that came to the treasury at the expense of solgut, zakat, tithes, and tavhij's notebooks on food consumption. The money collected from taxes was transferred to other areas in addition to palace expenses. In particular, for the defense of the state, the salaries of military personnel, communication with neighboring countries, for the development of the cultural and religious sphere, in particular, it was spent on such areas as the construction of mosques and madrassas, as well as on salaries for religious scholars, tolibi sciences. It was also found that the khan's treasury, which was filled with taxes, was also spent in order to develop and improve new lands.

Shifts in therapeutic practices and decline of medicinal cannabis in Indian North-Eastern Frontier (1826–1925)

BackgroundThe emergence of colonial medicine in the North-Eastern Frontier witnessed different phases of consistent competition and resistance. Herbs such as cannabis provided native physicians with a coherent power to resist colonial medical intervention. Before British rule, cannabis assumed great significance in the socio-economic, cultural, and religious spheres. The colonizers’ bioprospection of cannabis shifted the production and use of cannabis from a medical and recreational plant to an industrial and commercial commodity. British policies on cannabis caused its ban leading to natives’ reliance on colonial cannabis products. As a result, the native medical practitioners resisted for reviving cannabis in the indigenous therapeutics. This paper mainly aims to investigate the decline of medicinal cannabis in indigenous therapeutics, causing subtle resistance of the native physicians of the North-Eastern Frontier.MethodsThis paper follows a nomadology method based on primary and secondary sources to understand the impact on native physicians after the ban on private use, cultivation, and sale of cannabis. The primary sources/data have been collected from the Directorate of Archives: Government of Assam and Directorate of State Archives and Research Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal. Secondary sources have been collected from books, articles, and theses accessed from various libraries and websites.ResultsBan on cannabis led to dual responses from the indigenous population of the frontier. First is the interest of the native physicians resisting the revival of cannabis in indigenous therapeutics. The second is the interest of the frontier’s elites, who viewed cannabis as a “dangerous drug.” The British policies of control and restrictions on cannabis, the rift of response from the natives, and the over-powering of the indigenous therapeutics by the colonial medical system led to the decline of medicinal uses of cannabis in the North-Eastern Frontier.DiscussionsVarious pre-colonial and colonial factors helped colonial medical practices to get the upper hand over indigenous therapeutics. Such a shift led to the decline of indigenous medicinal cannabis causing native resistance, which was patient and silent.ConclusionsBritish ban on cannabis resulted in a rift of native responses, resistance, and decline of cannabis in the indigenous therapeutics of the North-Eastern Frontier.

Pastoralia of the Church: The Call of Duty for Pastoral Counseling for Congregations experiencing Economic Problems

The financial crisis is a problem faced by all human beings, including Christian children. As a result of Covid-19, the economic recession and the decline in the selling value of goods have caused financial problems to get worse. In responding to this problem, a church strategy is needed in the religious sphere to overcome the psychological impact on the congregation. This research aims to determine the service strategy for the Bethel Indonesia Kasih Church congregation to the congregation experiencing the financial crisis. The research method used is phenomenological qualitative with data collection techniques through interviews and observations. The results of the study indicate that the forms of pastoral vocation that can do by church counselors to overcome the congregation's financial crisis are (i) strengthening the congregation's faith in God's providence; (ii) teaching a positive attitude in viewing the financial crisis; (iii) preparing a forum for entrepreneurship; (iv) provide job opportunities for counselees; (v) teach about being a good producer.

A Revolution in Red Robes: Tibetan Nuns Obtaining the Doctoral Degree in Buddhist Studies (Geshema)

In the past, Tibetan nuns had no access to formal monastic education and thus could not obtain the two main diplomas and titles that are common in Tibetan Buddhism: the khenpo (mkhan po) degree in the more practice-oriented Nyingmapa school and the geshe (dge bshes) degree in the scholastic curriculum of the Gelukpa school; this essay traces the introduction of the Gelukpa study program in different nunneries based in India and Nepal in recent times; it addresses the question of gender asymmetry by showing the different hurdles that had to be overcome and the solutions, which have been found to allow nuns to become geshemas—the female form of geshe. Finally, I propose the first glimpse into the impact that the opening of higher Buddhist education to nuns has had and what this means for the future of the position of women in the religious sphere, as well as for Tibetan monasticism more generally.

Teaism in the Sinophone World and Beyond： Spiritual, Political and Material Explorations

Throughout the Chinese sphere, that is, in the People's Republic of China and Taiwan, tea houses, tea stores, and tea meditation groups often without a particular religious orientation have appeared in the past decades. Tea lovers groups with various philosophical discussions appear throughout cyberspace, where people show their appreciation for tea as a drinkable delicious product and a spiritual tool. The question to be asked here is whether it should be recognized as a religious or spiritual practice agent in and of itself? Should we then talk about the present-day movement of teaism? If we do recognize this as a spiritual phenomenon, should it then be labeled as a New Religious Movement? The trajectory of tea in China is intrinsically connected to religious traditions. This connection is historical, yet it plays a part in the contemporary religious and spiritual sphere. The article explores the continuation and developments of tea culture in the context of the religious sphere of China, looking at practices connected to tea of communities, religious organizations, and individuals. The author explores how tea drinking, commercializing and tea related practices intersect with politics, materiality, and spirituality in contemporary society. In this context it is then argued that tea is a cultural element, religious self-refinement tool, and an active material agent with social-political capacities. The study includes historical narratives, ethnographic data, and literary sources about tea, making up a genealogy of tea which encompasses ritualistic aspects, economic aspects, and power relations related to tea in Chinese society.

“If a Woman Knows Cult Secret, She Must Never Tell”: Ritual Consecration, Secrecy, and Female Power in Egungun Pageantry Among the Yoruba

“If a Woman Knows Cult Secret, She Must Never Tell”: Ritual Consecration, Secrecy, and Female Power in Egungun Pageantry Among the Yoruba