Religious Symbols Research Articles

«Сказание о Мамаевом побоище»: религиозные символы в структуре исторического описания

Sources on the history of the Battle of Kulikovo have been studied in detail in Russian historiography. Much attention in the literature was paid to “The Tale of the Massacre of Mamaev.” Soviet-era scientists made significant contributions to his research. However, in the works of the 50-80s. XX century, dedicated to this work, the worldview of the medieval author was sometimes interpreted in a modern political science key. Turning to the analysis of the content of the historical source, the authors identified “religious and moralizing maxims” in its structure, which were qualified as a “form of political thought”, a manifestation of a political tendency. It was argued that the text expressed the “interests of the working masses” and served the cause of progress. D.S. Likhachev wrote about the need to study the worldview embodied in the source. A.M. Panchenko emphasized the influence of the “everyday” (worldview) layer, as the foundation that determined behavioral structures, moral prohibitions, on the event layer. The influence of the “everyday” layer on the “event” layer was also reflected in “The Tale of the Massacre of Mamayev,” but this relationship was not studied. Let us consider, based on the Cyprian edition of the work, comparing it with other editions, religious epistemes that reveal the medieval understanding of the meaning of the battle, as the ideal motive of the participants in the Battle of Kulikovo, which influenced its outcome. The author of the Cyprian edition of the “Tale” narrated the battle in the context of the worldview and literary etiquette of his time: faith, sacred actions, moral assessments, ideas about what should be. According to his views, the preparation and course of the Battle of Kulikovo took place within the framework of the providential area and internally motivated human actions. The creator of the “Tale” emphasized the religious “mechanism” of preparation for battle and combined the spiritual mood of the warriors with real military operations. He connected the events of the current day with the facts of sacred history, interpreted them in the spirit of sacred reality, perceived and described the victory in the battle as a “miracle” that happened in an atmosphere of religious faith. The idea of the importance of faith as a value for which the battle was fought was carried out in all editions of the monument. This was evidenced by Dmitry Ivanovich’s calls to the soldiers. This idea was professed by Metropolitan Cyprian. Religious symbols in the text of the “Tale” revealed the subjective logic of man, the meaning of personal moral responsibility on the path to victory. In life and in work, they performed the role of psychological and methodological attitudes appropriate to the time.

The Visibility of Religion and Religious Symbols in the Public Sphere in Central Asian Countries

The Central Asian countries endured nearly seven decades of Soviet rule under the USSR, during which all manifestations of religious expression were suppressed, and religion was systematically marginalized from the public domain. However, following their independence in 1991, there has been a discernible surge in the prominence of religion within the Central Asian states. Despite the contentious nature of its resurgence, there has been a rapid revitalization of religious practices, evidenced by the establishment of mosques and madrasas, and a noticeable integration of religion into public life. Concurrently, these nations have remained steadfast in their commitment to maintaining secular institutions, including politics and education. Through a sociological lens, this article endeavors to investigate the role of religion and the utilization of religious symbols within the public sphere of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan—representative of the Central Asian states in the post-independence era.

Man as a Symbol in the Memories of Mircea Eliade

In this study I would like to make an exposition of religious symbolism, as it is seen by the Romanian scholar, underlining the anthropological aspects of the problem, to the extent that his autobiographical writings allow us. Hermeneutics, as the science of norms that allow us to discover and interpret the authentic meaning, and the symbol, with its double “existential and cognitive” function which is present in every area of life or thought, justifies in a certain way the Eliadian homo symbolicus. Man as a symbol is the title of a book designed by Mircea Eliade, but he never managed to write and publish it; even the book entitled Anthropocosmos, in which he wanted to present “the profound meaning and structural solidarity of all those symbols, rites, beliefs, in relation to the labyrinth, the mandala, the foundation of the city, etc.,” was not published.

The Religio-Philosophical Analysis of Political Parties' Campaign Slogans in Osun State, Nigeria (2018 And 2022)

This study delves into the religio-philosophical dimensions of political slogans, specifically “IleriOluwa” (“God’s Promise”) and “Imole De” (“Lightness has Come”), within the context of Osun State’s diverse religious landscape. The research explores how these slogans resonate with different religious communities, revealing varying religious symbolism and connotations. It investigates how the slogans are perceived within the Christian, Muslim, and indigenous religious frameworks, shedding light on their spiritual and philosophical implications. By delving into these complex dynamics, this study contributes to a nuanced understanding of the interplay between religion, politics, and culture in a multicultural Nigerian state.

Introduction: On Her Own Terms

Abstract Caroline Walker Bynum's work illustrates how a historian engages in conversation about matters of interest to historical subjects, matters of interest within the academy, and matters of concern to the general public. The key methodological paradox is how she respects the past for its otherness and strangeness, yet her books are always relevant to the present. Holy Feast and Holy Fast deals with the function of eating and fasting in ways that have had resonance for discussion of anorexia, but her interest in the meaning of food and fasting leads her in the epilogue to reflection on medieval and modern approaches to religious symbols more generally. The Resurrection of the Body contributes to recent discussion of personal identity. Wonderful Blood explores the character of late medieval religion but also anti-Semitism. Christian Materiality builds on the “material turn” in history and the humanities. In each case, however, Bynum addresses contemporary issues (whether academic or public) always on her own terms and with clear emphasis on matters of interest to her historical subjects.

Symbol and Faith in Mircea Eliade

This article analyzes Mircea Eliade’s conception of the role of the symbol in the expression of faith. It points out that Eliade considers belief a constitutive structure of the human being, and that homo religious is par excellence a homo symbolicus. Approaching the nature of the symbol as a form of autonomous knowledge, and its structure, it highlights the specificity of symbolic thinking, which generates it. Focusing on the man of archaic societies, exemplary for the religious mentality, it develops the problem of the functions of symbols within traditional communities. It shows that on the basis of archetypal symbolic images, primitive man creates symbolic complexes through which he explains the world and pursues his integration into it—presenting some of the great religious symbolisms. Finally, it highlights Eliade’s position that symbols will never disappear because they are constitutive of the human being, like religious belief, to which they are inextricably linked.

На переломе: Ф. А. Степун о революции 1917 г. и советском строительстве в России

The aim of the article is to highlight the historical, philosophical and religious views of Fyodor Augustovich Stepun (1884–1965), a scientist, philosopher, Christian thinker, about the 1917 Revolution and post-revolutionary Soviet construction in Russia. The relevance of the topic is justified, and the necessity of its further study is emphasized. The author characterizes the corpus of sources, including Stepun’s works of different years that comprehend this topic. The author emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of Stepun’s research strategy that combines scientific methods of knowledge, such as the critical method, the method of ideal-typical construction, the biographical method, the method of philosophical criticism of literary texts, and the main provisions of religious symbolism, which implies the study of history in the context of higher religious ideas. Based on such an interdisciplinary approach, Stepun considered the revolution as a religious and historical tragedy of the Russian people and the Christian world as a whole, while paying attention to a careful study of the factual material. Stepun’s ideas about the causes of the Revolution of 1917 are highlighted, in the structure of which he attributed a key place to the counterproductive policy of the Russian autocracy and World War I, which was unsuccessful for Russia. The complexity of Stepun’s ideas about the February and October revolutions is emphasized. Attention is focused on his positive attitude to the February Revolution, the main goal of which was the democratization of the Russian political system. Stepun also accepted the October Revolution, which raised the world-wide theme of socialism, connected, in his opinion, with the Christian project of the transformation of the world. The thinker’s ideas about the religious consciousness of the people as a factor of their political activity in the revolutionary epoch are analyzed. A positive attitude is observed. Stepun’s ideas about the revolutionary game, in his interpretation reflecting the population’s search for forms of social adaptation in the first post-revolutionary years, are considered. His deep rejection of Bolshevism as a political system with its God-fighting and class ideology, which contributed to the widespread state violence and immoralism in the country, is emphasized. It is concluded that Stepun’s conception of the 1917 Revolution and Soviet construction in Russia is meaningful, and that it is relevant to contemporary Russian society.

Religion Simulacrum in Open World Video Game

<em>Apart from being a medium for entertainment simulation, video games also provide a representation of the social world. Game industry developers always carry out research to provide socio-cultural, historical and philosophical system content to enrich the content in the game. The story background in video games aims to provide experiences and impressions for the players. This research aims to qualitatively explore forms of religious representation that are simulated in open world video games. So players can play role characters in the game to experience spirituality and religiosity. Either through latent and manifest narratives or through moral choices in the context of developing the storyline and Player character in the Game. This research uses Emile Durkehim's sociological perspective of religion regarding Karl Marx's totemism and commodity fetishism to observe the incarnation of the gaming industry as an altar of worship for its players, as well as Jean Baudrillard's postmodernist perspective with his simulacrum concept to analyze the form of simulation and representation of religious symbols that appear in the game. these open world games... This research finds that the use of simulations and the distribution of representations of religious signs or symbols in games forms a religion simulacrum or a blurring of spiritual boundaries between the pseudo and the real. Video games build the Player's construction of religiosity and spirituality virtually in a simulated world that contains ritual practices, ethics, morality, cosmology, metaphysics, and theology.</em>

The Crescent as a Religious Symbol

Bu makalede hilal sembolünün mitolojide, Yahudi-Hıristiyan geleneğinde ve İslam geleneğindeki anlam ve önemi ele alınacaktır. Hilal sembolü birçok kültürde yer almasının yanı sıra İslam dinini hatırlatan bir sembol haline gelmiştir. Buna göre hilal sembolünün niçin kutsallık kazandığı ve İslam dünyasında sembolleştiği incelenecektir. Bu bağlamda sembolün genel çerçevesi oluşturularak hilal sembolü ile mitoloji, Yahudi-Hıristiyan geleneği ve İslam geleneği arasındaki ilişkiye değinilecektir. Böylece dini bir sembol olarak hilalin arka planının izi sürülerek temsil ettiği değerlerin ortaya konulması hedeflenmektedir.

Religious Construction in Decision ­Making of Indonesian Customers for Financial Transactions on Syariah Banks

This study aims to explain how Islamic concepts, symbols and values have implications for people. Especially when they must make decisions to make financial transactions in Islamic banking. Likewise, the religious trend accompanied by the spirit of city has resulted in the enthusiasm of the community to transact with institutions labelled religion in practice. Data collection used in this study was carried out by observation and distributing questionnaires to respondents (customers). Documentation studies are also conducted to find literature related to this study. There are three findings described in this study. First, the conception and symbol of religion is an essential element in the existence of Islamic banking in Indonesia. Second, the understanding of the religious community has been constructed in the decision to make economic transactions in Islamic banks. Third, the religious trend accompanied by religious zeal makes sharia banks in Indonesia have bright prospects to attract the interest of the public to transact. The enermous potential of Islamic banks in Indonesia will experience an increase if the religious values and symbols are implemented correctly and adequately. Religious construction of economic behaviour has resulted in a shift in the pattern of community transactions in the name of religion. This shift certainly provides not only positive expectations in the religious society, but also provides broad opportunities for the banking business world.

La iglesia arcoíris: la apropiación LGBTI del espacio religioso en Lima

The present ethnographic study aims to describe the symbolic strategies in the ritual processes of a religious congregation founded by gay men in Lima. The name of the congregation is Comunidad Cristiana Ecuménica Inclusive El Camino, founded in 2009 by gay men, first evangelicals and, later, gay Catholics. El Camino displays a system of Christian rituals symbolically overlaid with images and symbols of the LGBTI community. By means of deheterosexualized religious symbols in three key spaces, the Sunday worship, the cells and the LGBTI pride parade, they have managed to appropriate and conquer a historically hostile field for the LGBTI community. The symbolic appropriation of the religious space leads to the softening of the Christian moral framework and, specially, the reconciliation between religious beliefs and sexual orientation.

Places of the Dead and the Living: A Study of Cemetery Religious Symbolism as Funerary Expressions of Religiosity

Places of the Dead and the Living: A Study of Cemetery Religious Symbolism as Funerary Expressions of Religiosity

AESTHETICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF DECORATED WOODEN COVERS OF THE MANUSCRIPTS UNDER JAIN SCHOOL OF PAINTING IN THE MEDIVAL PERIOD

Jain school of paintings has a special feature in the wider perspective of Indian painting. The rich form of Jain art started in the form of sculptures and cave wall paintings. Later on, a new original form of Jain art started in the form of manuscript painting, which is based on various motifs of miniature style, such as - illustrated palm leaves, illustrated cloth paintings and illustrated paper books etc. Illustrated examples of Jain painting have been found in the handwritten texts made in all these motifs, along with these, the wooden covers which were kept above and below the manuscripts for the protection of these texts, have also been collected from private Collection and museums. These wooden covers were made to keep the palm leaves safe. Along with manuscript paintings, painters used to decorate these panels with beautiful figures and stories. The free expression of the painter can be seen in the depiction of these wooden covers. Like manuscripts, these plates also hold a special place in art history.There is a wonderful depiction of Indian animals and birds, geometrical shapes, design of bellflowers, columbines and religious symbols on these illustrated wooden covers of manuscripts. In addition to decorations, these panels also depict various contemporary events and cultural themes. Due to the uniqueness of designs and the amazing depiction of these wooden book covers it can be inferred that the painters who created them must have been highly skilled. These wonderful examples of paintings from Jain school of paintings have special importance in art history and Jain culture. The objective of the research is to do artistic analysis of these wooden manuscripts covers. Although analyzing all the collected data from the museums and manuscript centers was a challenging task for the researcher but eventually efforts were made to publicize the facts in detail.

Implementasi Beragama Di Era Digital Pada Generasi Z Sebagai Upaya Preventif Intoleran di Indonesia

The problem of intolerance in Indonesia is starting to show a different pattern. Starting from the desecration of religious symbols, religious figures, places of worship and various other patterns, cases related to intolerance in Indonesia often occur, especially during political times like today, where making the slightest difference will cause problems. The purpose of this scientific work is to describe how to implement religious moderation in the digital era in Generation Z. This research uses a qualitative research approach, where research and understanding are based on methods that investigate social phenomena and human problems. In this research, researchers create a complex picture, examine words, detailed reports and conduct studies in natural situations. The data source used is secondary data obtained from document studies and journals related to this research. The conclusion in this case is that the implementation of religious moderation in this digital era is very supportive so that this form of religious moderation can be socialized properly and correctly, both through offline and online socialization. Generation Z is a generation that is aware of social media, where it is very easy for them to communicate and spread things, so it is necessary to have a role for Generation Z so that this attitude of intolerance can be suppressed through socialization on social media.

SYMBOLS ENGRAVED ON BUDDHIST PARASOL: SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MATHURA MUSEUM

After the creation of the universe, the practice of consecration of statues and symbolic representation of gods-goddesses and nature as divinity began in civilizations across the world; proving its continued existence and practice across human history. These symbols serve the multiple purposes; from being an emblem representing the concept of religious faith, notions and beliefs in the psyche of the devotees to representing the desire for glory, protection and good fortune. These symbols communicate complicated human emotions through symbolic language in the simplest ways. From the prehistoric times to the contemporary age these symbols can be traced across the human civilizations with some variations in its physical form. These variations sometimes translate differently across religions and sometimes their expressions carry certain similarities. We find such instances in the iterations of some Buddhist symbols, when worshipping the idol of Gautama Buddha was prohibited in Pre-Sectarian Buddhist age. As a result, initially Lord Buddha was represented through the consecration of religious symbols. Gradually with the passage of time, due to cultural assimilation and the domination of Hinduism, Buddhism (Mahayana sect) came closer to Hinduism. We find early Buddhist sculptures in open natural spaces as the consecration of the statue of Gautama Buddha preceded the construction of temples. To protect these statues from Sun and Rain, these statues were soon covered by various forms of parasol like canopies (Umbrella) to the upper part of the idol as a unique feature on the upper side of the idol marking the influence of Kushan period. These parasols are engraved with various symbols like: Mangal Kalash, Swastika, Conch, Shrivatsa, Lotus, etc. The specimens of these parasols can be found protected in Mathura Museum. This paper studies the meaning of artistic and symbolic foundation of these engraved symbols.

Spiritual-semantic approach as a methodological basis for the analysing religious music (on the example of V. Stepurko’s cycle “Monologues of the Ages”)

Spiritual-semantic approach as a methodological basis for the analysing religious music (on the example of V. Stepurko’s cycle “Monologues of the Ages”)

Religious symbols in the public sphere and development of the third sector: Some evidence from rural Poland

In this paper we examine to what extent civic engagement might emerge from a deep and organic link, which exists between religion and culture. We rely on a novel approach which approximates the deep embodiment of religious institutions in culture by the presence of religious symbols in the public sphere. Drawing on data for rural Poland, we show that municipalities in which we observe a growing number of street names associated with the Catholic Church display a higher level of civic engagement (measured by the number of NGOs) than municipalities in which, over the last years, such streets were not created.

Identification with Buddhism among young Chinese Indonesians: multicultural dynamics and generational transitions

Amidst the diverse cultural and religious tapestry of Indonesia, Buddhism holds a prominent position as a major faith. Within the context of multiculturalism and generational shifts, this study explores the evolving identification of young Chinese Indonesians with Buddhism. This research addresses the existing knowledge gap by investigating the intricate interplay of historical, cultural, and religious elements that help shape young Chinese Indonesians’ identification with Buddhism. By conducting a thorough analysis of quantitative data gathered from young Chinese Indonesians through a survey, this study investigates six dimensions of identification with Buddhism. This examination considers variables such as age, family background, and regional disparities. Furthermore, to obtain deeper insights and support the quantitative findings, the researchers conducted semistructured interviews to gather qualitative data. The findings reveal the characteristics of young Chinese Indonesians’ identification with Buddhism. First, there are significant variations in identification levels across regions, with relatively lower levels in Java and higher levels in other archipelagos. Personal factors, such as parents’ occupations, also influence individuals’ degree of identification with Buddhism. Second, today’s Chinese Indonesian youth maintain their identification with Buddhism through family ties despite overall intergenerational decline. The participants also show a keen interest in modern religious symbols, dissemination methods, and content. Third, the Buddhist identity of Chinese Indonesian youth transcends traditional values and cultural content, reflecting characteristics of multiculturalism and cultural blending. They not only appreciate various aspects of local culture but also incorporate Buddhist values and symbols into the mainstream of globally shared culture, creating a more extensive and modern collective cultural identity. Unveiling the factors that shape Buddhist identification among Chinese Indonesian youths has implications for fostering intercultural and intergenerational cohesion. The insights derived from this research can contribute to the design of effective strategies aimed at advancing the broader goal of cultural harmony and social unity in Indonesia.

Spiritual Authority for a (Post)Secular Age: Olive Schreiner’s Dreams as Literary Theology

Although an outspoken freethinker, Olive Schreiner engaged frequently and creatively with religious texts and traditions throughout her writings. Her religious revisionism informs Dreams (1890), a collection of short narratives that influenced many subsequent women’s rights activists but has since fallen into relative critical neglect. Responding to developments in postsecular scholarship, this article re-reads Schreiner’s stories as advancing a literary theology of immanence. Her various and fragmentary revelations adapt inherited models of spiritual autobiography and refashion biblical imagery, experimenting with religious allegory to challenge religious exclusivism. These innovations reflect her participation in several intersecting developments within early feminist movements that sought not only to overturn patriarchal expressions of religion but also to reclaim women’s spiritual authority and imagine new pathways to divinity. Rather than advancing a linear model of spiritual development, Dreams reflects an eclectic, open-ended process of searching that refashions religious symbols even as it ventures beyond canonical and institutional boundaries. This work, in turn, invites a critical reassessment of Schreiner’s freethinking output not as a rejection of religion but as an effort to rewrite it.

DIMENSI KOMODIFIKASI MUSHAF ALQURAN

One of the ways to maintain the authenticity of the Quran now is by printing and publishing official mushaf, which is regulated through a decree of the Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. And the phenomenon of industrialization has spread to various aspects of life, even religion. The Quran is a religious symbol that has experienced the most industrialization process through the Quran printing process. Therefore, this article aims to analyze the extent of the commodification of the Quran in Indonesia so that the Mushaf becomes a commodity. Using a qualitative method and descriptive-analytical techniques with the lens of religious commodification, this paper finds that the market for Quran copies in the contemporary era is those who are technologically literate. Thus, Quran copies are printed on a large scale and marketed in offline and online stores with the aim of meeting people's needs for the Quran. Therefore, the commodification process is based on the people's need for the Quran which is increasing from time to time, and is supported by government policies related to the printing of the Quran copies. Even though the Quran copies are printed without using attachments and additional features but purely the text of the Quran, the copies will still become commodities. Due to the increasing demand of the community for the Mushaf and becoming a business field for Mushaf printing, it results in a process of production by producers and consumption by consumers, which then results in buying and selling transactions of Quran copies. And in the end there was a dimension of commodification in the manuscripts of the Koran.