Secular Context Research Articles

Responding to Life Itself: A Proposed Understanding of Domain, Goal and Interventions for Chaplaincy in a Secular Age.

Processes of secularization have impacted the chaplaincy profession regarding at least three features: its domain, goals and interventions. Traditional religious understandings of those features no longer reflect the diverse worldviews of chaplains and their clients. In this article, we present a comprehensive and coherent generic model of chaplaincy that encompasses different religion- and worldview-based types of chaplaincy. We propose to understand the domain of chaplaincy as the process of 'responding to life itself'. The corresponding goal of chaplaincy care is well-being with regard to that process, which may be called 'existential well-being'. Existential well-being can be achieved along the lines of 'The Ritual Bath Model'. By formulating this overarching model, we hope to contribute to discussions among chaplains on their collective professional self-understanding, and to support them in confidently accounting for their professional activities within secular contexts.

Dying for What? Secular Transformations of Martyrdom

This article studies different forms of martyrdom in secular contexts, tracing their roots back to Western European Christian traditions. The article argues that distinct trajectories of martyrdom have emerged: (a) the more passive martyr, who refuses to acknowledge sovereign power and dies for a transcendent truth, and (b) the more assertive martyr, who sacrifices their life fighting for God and the sovereign. In secular contexts, this assertive martyr fights for secular ideals such as ‘freedom’ or ‘nation’ and represents the symbolic body of the sovereign. The historical distinction between divine truth and state falsehood has been turned into differentiations between democratic rule and threats like terrorism. To further study this transition, this article studies discourses following the deaths of Pim Fortuyn and Jaques Hamel, as both were strongly labeled as martyrs. This results in the final part of the article that examines the cult of commemoration surrounding soldiers in the US and the Netherlands. It argues that the assertive martyr has reached its fully secularized form in these contexts. The transcendent imagery of state sovereignty is evident in the sacrificial discourses around fallen soldiers. At this point of death, the state’s power is reinforced as a transcendent norm and reveals itself in those who ‘sacrifice’ their lives for the freedom of many.

Negotiating Islam and feminism: the political and social participation of Muslim women in Barcelona

ABSTRACT In secular contexts, the growing presence of Muslim women activists in the public sphere has challenged the stereotype that Islam plays an oppressive role in women’s emancipation and liberation. The relationship between secular feminism and religion is far more complex. This article explores how socially or politically engaged Muslim women understand, negotiate, and challenge secular feminist discourses and practices in Barcelona, Spain. Based upon 28 semi-structured interviews, informal conversations, and participant observation of political events, this article identifies three different positionings towards feminism: (1) women who identify as ‘feminist’, (2) women who identify as ‘Islamic feminist’, (3) women who express ambivalence regarding both feminism and Islamic feminism. Far from being a static classification, these three positionings show the different dilemmas that women face over the course of their lives. I discuss the way they are the result of negotiations and ‘recognition gaps’ in feminist movements.

Bodies as Temples

Abstract The portrayal of disability within sacred and dramatic narratives offers an avenue for the examination of societal and theological paradigms. Such an examination is attempted in this study by investigating the representation of disability in the Bible and Ola Rotimi’s play Hopes of the Living Dead through the theoretical frameworks of Ableism and Reynolds’ hermeneutical approach. Biblical stories depicting disability as a curse, a tool, and a subject of divine healing are used in the research to explore the complex interplay between societal perceptions and theological implications. Rotimi’s dramatization of people with leprosy further elucidates themes of marginalisation and resilience within a predominantly secular context. Integrating Ableism theory, this paper critiques normative conceptions of ability and disability, while Reynolds’ hermeneutical methodology facilitates a nuanced interpretation of the often-conflicting representations found in both sacred texts and dramatic literature. This interdisciplinary approach yields comprehensive insights into the cultural, religious, and social constructs surrounding disability, advocating for more inclusive and empathetic interpretative practices.

Academic Degrees for Monks: Sera Je and the Challenges of Integrating Tibetan Buddhist Monastic Education into the Indian University System

Although there have been concerted efforts to integrate Tibetan Buddhist monastic education into the Indian university system since the 1960s, the attainment of academic accreditation has tended to require significant curricular trade-offs. The majority of Tibetan Buddhist monastic colleges have therefore eschewed the potential advantages of academic accreditation—including greater opportunities for monastic graduates in universities and other secular contexts—in order to preserve the rigour of traditional scholastic programmes. However, through its affiliation to the University of Mysore in 2022, the Geluk monastery of Sera Je is now able to award accredited Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees even without making significant changes in practice to its traditional curriculum and pedagogy. This article examines the structure and content of Sera Je’s new programmes and contextualises what may prove to be a landmark development against the backdrop of previous attempts to negotiate the boundary between Tibetan Buddhist monastic education and university education in India. It suggests that the accreditation of research programmes raises further challenges in addition to those associated with the accreditation of taught programmes. Nonetheless, the urgency of solving these longstanding issues appears to have been heightened by a developing crisis in Tibetan Buddhist monastic recruitment. In investigating the topic of academic accreditation, this article throws light on an issue that has driven notable evolutions in Tibetan Buddhist monastic education in India but has previously received little scholarly attention.

Interpreting Visuality in the Middle Ages: The Iconographic Paradigm of the Refectory of the Monastery of San Salvador de Oña

The research area of the interaction between religion, politics, and medieval Hispanic art has been pioneering and at the cutting edge of contemporary historiography in recent years. The deployment of iconographic and calligraphic motifs in medieval religious spaces has been identified as a key means of propagating legitimating messages of power and disseminating Christian doctrines. This interdisciplinary study proposes an analysis of the artistic vestiges present in the refectory of the Monastery of San Salvador de Oña (Burgos), with a view to establishing their decorative evolution during the 14th century and their symbolic significance. In order to establish a chronological proposal for the remains, the historical, artistic, and architectural contexts of the monastery are analyzed. This is complemented by a study of materials and techniques and a symbolic and iconographic analysis of the signs of power and evangelical concepts from the time of Peter I until the transition to the Trastámara dynasty. In this way, a cross-disciplinary investigation is proposed, with the aim of elucidating how a sacred artistic work situated within a secular context can serve multiple purposes of political and religious legitimation through the adaptation of its iconography over time.

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES OF SECULAR PROGRAMS OF COMPASSION TRAINING

The article discusses key meditation-based programs aimed at nurturing and training the ability to empathize. Historically, these programs have been drawn to Buddhist teachings and traditional meditation practices, but in the process of adapting to global world and a secular context, they separate themselves from religion. In the process of research, I try to demonstrate the importance of these methods for philosophy, ethics and education, since the cultivation of compassion helps to better and more deeply understand the nature of a person, motivation and improve social interaction. Important for the modern world can be not only the therapeutic effect of the mentioned methods, but also their application in the field of philosophy. Although the vectors of Buddhism as religion and humanistic ethics may differ, they seek to improve the quality of human life, develop compassion, respect, trust to the world, and complement each other in conditions of environmental, social, and psychological crisis. For Ukraine, methods of compassion training are very important in the context of war and post-war healing of society. Education in general, and philosophical education in particular, will need a wide range of tools for healing collective trauma, returning to oneself, finding the home of being.

Biblical Anthroponyms in Secular Contexts

The dossier on biblical anthroponyms in secular contexts offers an in-depth exploration of how biblical names transcend their religious origins to become integral elements of various cultural and linguistic landscapes. Through an interdisciplinary approach encompassing onomastics, socio-pragmatics, and cultural studies, the reviewed articles collectively underscore the enduring relevance and adaptability of biblical names. The studies reveal that these names have been integrated into everyday language and cultural practices, reflecting broader sociopolitical and cultural shifts. In Cuba, the persistence and adaptation of names like José, Juan, Pedro, and Rafael highlight their significance in shaping cultural identities amidst historical changes. Similarly, in Algeria and Israel, the phonetic adaptations and symbolic meanings of biblical names illustrate the complex interplay between historical, cultural, and religious influences. The studies on Mexico and Ukraine further emphasize the role of these names as markers of cultural continuity and identity, transcending their original religious connotations. Despite the comprehensive insights provided, several limitations were identified across the reviewed articles. Geographically, many studies focus on specific regions, limiting the generalizability of their findings. Temporally, the narrow scope of some studies based on specific periods may not capture long-term trends. There is a notable gender imbalance with a greater focus on male names, potentially overlooking gender-specific trends. An over-reliance on specific theoretical frameworks and secondary data sources may introduce biases, limiting the consideration of other perspectives. To address these gaps, future research should expand geographic and temporal scopes, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of naming practices. Diversifying theoretical frameworks and incorporating comparative studies with other cultural contexts will offer broader insights. Detailed phonetic and pragmatic analyses, along with the use of visual aids, will enhance accessibility and richness of findings. Lastly, discussing the broader implications of these findings for other languages and cultural contexts will enhance the relevance and impact of the research. This comprehensive approach will enrich the field of onomastics and contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamic interplay between religious heritage and secular adaptation of biblical names.

Muqarnas in Islamic Architecture: Development, Materials, and Techniques

Muqarnas was first created during the first millinium AD and became a defining feature of Islamic architecture during the second mellinium, specifically between the 11th and 16th centuries, both in religious and secular contexts. Although largely abandoned by the 17th century, the use of muqarnas decoration reached its peak during the above period. This study examines muqarnas, its three-dimensional architectural embellishment, as well as its development and influence on modern architecture. For this purpose, the descriptive analytical approach was employed. Architectural surveys were carried out at the local level, while textual analysis was done to analyze the historical development. The history of muqarnas was traced from Islamic religious buildings to modern architecture. It was found that digital technologies including Computer Aided Design (CAD) and computer numerical control (CNC) have influenced muqarnas pattern design and rebirth in the 20th and 21st centuries. Both ancient and modern muqarnas use isometries and symmetry, although their design procedures are different. Parametric design and CAD tools allow the current muqarnas to be dynamic and flexible, unlike the traditional ones. The current research underlines that regionally available materials and pattern availability affect the design of muqarnas. Early manifestations of muqarnas were used to fragment squinches, which ultimately led to the creation of an aesthetically pleasing formal mechanism and a system of three-dimensional decoration. In the middle period, muqarnas was also used as decorative carvings on structural member. At present, lightweight materials such as fiberglass and pre-fabricated muqarnas are preferred in contemporary architecture, although the details of muqarnas are still maintained for their aesthetic value. The geometry used to calculate muqarnas has remained the same since its development, regardless of the materials used. This research stimulates the design of new muqarnas patterns for aesthetic purposes and building performance optimization. Modern architecture uses muqarnas compositions and digital technologies to reflect the traditional cultural and historical patterns, creating a developing trend.

Financial innovation intra Muslim capital markets and inter global counterparts: implications of differences

Purpose This study aims to investigate the implications for financial innovation and product development of differences between schools of jurisprudence (fiqh) pertaining across regional Muslim markets, and the consequences for global financial institutions. Design/methodology/approach The methodology is qualitative, drawing upon several sources. Firstly, differences in interpretation regarding the economic and moral responsibilities of financial institutions in Islamic and secular contexts. Secondly, contrasting tenets of schools of Islamic jurisprudence regarding the permissibility of products traded intra Muslim markets. Thirdly, characteristics of complex financial instruments traded in global secular markets prior to the credit crisis of 2007–2008. Findings Differences between Islamic and global secular interpretations regarding responsibilities of financial institutions militate against integrated markets across which products can be seamlessly traded. Global financial institutions should recognise that different Islamic schools of jurisprudence prioritise either legal form or substance of financial products, but not both simultaneously. This should be considered when designing new products for regional Muslim markets. Practical implications Global financial institutions which focus upon the legal (micro) form of new Islamic products should relate in investor prospectuses and marketing materials the extent to which these accommodate Islamic jurisprudence’s equal (macro) concern for public interest or maslahah. This may comprise the reallocation of risk from those unable to bear it to those willing to assume it for a price, reinforcing rather than compromising economic stability. Originality/value This study evaluates implications for product development and marketing for global financial institutions active in regional Muslim markets across which different Islamic schools of jurisprudence apply.

‘To make more room for 21st century themes’: the secular dynamics and demise of Quebec’s ‘Ethics and Religious Culture’ curriculum

ABSTRACT In this article, I examine the secular dynamics of Quebec’s controversial and ultimately short-lived Ethics and Religious Culture curriculum (ERC). I argue that the conflicting criticisms the ERC attracted over the course of its brief existence emerged from the tensions inherent in its conceptualisations of religion, learning, and knowledge. These tensions were themselves rooted in the constitutive concepts and epistemic assumptions of Quebec’s broader socio-spiritual context of political secularism. In this way, my analysis makes a broader argument about the dynamics and viability of religious education programming in secular societies, especially those programmes aimed at fostering ‘religious literacy’.

Carl Schmitt’s Political Theology: Legitimizing Authority after Secularization

In the last years, a theological turn had a pervasive influence in the reception of Carl Schmitt’s writings. According to this view, his thought has a strong, substantial religious foundation. With regards to understanding not only Schmitt’s position but also his current influence in authoritarian countries, this essay argues that this interpretation is misleading and proposes a different and comprehensive analysis of Schmitt’s concept of political theology that replaces it in a political-legal framework. Against the theological reading, it argues that Schmitt’s concept of “political theology” refers to his own conception of legal theory as an attempt to relegitimize authority in a secular context. As “political theology,” this legal theory is designed to overcome normativism and parliamentarism by “substantializing” the legal form. Using Schmitt’s post-1933 works as an example, the essay shows that, as theology translates faith into a written doctrine, legal theory must, according to Schmitt, substantialize the legal form by translating the political idea into jurisprudence. Hence, this article concludes that Schmitt’s theory might be described as “political theology” but only in a formal, ideological sense. It is part of an authoritarian theory that is not religious but uses theology to revive an appearance of absolute legitimacy.

‘Following the Straight Path’: Egypt Political Regime’s Quest for Political Legitimacy

The study aims to investigate the sources of the Egyptian regime’s legitimacy after the removal of Mohammed Morsi from office in 2013. The ruling elite, in particular President alSisi, has recently shown a growing inclination towards adopting Islam in the political discourse. As a result, there is a need to examine the factors that have contributed to this trend. The central hypothesis of the research is that the government, lacking institutional legitimacy, is compelled to reinforce the Islamic values in political communication to overcome internal political divisions and establish a sense of social connection between the authorities and citizens. To test this hypothesis, the study employs a qualitative content analysis of speeches made by President alSisi to the nation between 2014 and 2023. The analysis identifies four techniques for legitimation (mobilization, national identity consolidation, construction of a common past, and construction of a common future) and examines the functional role of Islam in each of them. The findings of the study suggest that Islamic norms and values are most actively appealed to in segments of texts devoted to national identity consolidation and constructing a common future. Both approaches involve a similar strategy of invoking Islam by associating and transferring attributes within pairs of words (religious context - secular context): nation - the Ummah; state - Islamic world; citizen - a Muslim. By using this rhetorical strategy, the government is shaping a narrative that places the contemporary Egyptian state within a religious and historical framework, as depicted in the Qur’an. This approach is aimed at establishing a set of values that can unite the nation and foster loyalty among citizens towards the government’s vision for Egypt’s future. However, there are almost no semantic sections dedicated to mobilizing citizens in the texts. This can be attributed to a pragmatic effort to steer clear of politicizing the electorate.

Μια νέα ερμηνεία ενός γκράφιτι από υστερορωμαϊκή οικία της αρχαίας Ελεύθερνας

P. Themelis (Κριτική Εστία 5, [1994-1996], 269; SEG 45, 1266) published a shortgraffito that was engraved on the door lintel connecting the rooms 23 and 26of the so-called House 2 of Sector I of ancient Eleftherna. It reads Νείκην τῷΚυρείῳ. It has been dated to the third or the early fourth century CE and ithas been interpreted as a wish to the God by Christians, possibly related to thereligious persecutions of the Roman State against them ca. 250 CE. The use ofthe terms κύριος and ν(ε)ίκη in Roman and Late Roman acclamations foundin textual sources, in both religious and secular contexts, is here analysed;the author rejects the previous interpretations and argues that this graffito isan acclamatory wish for a victory and/or the well-being of the owner of thehouse. Based on Amm. Marc. 16.8.9, he, moreover, connects it with a contem-porary ritual of the Roman house.

“We Pledge Ourselves to the Masses of Working Girls”: The Distinctive Mission of the Women's Young Christian Workers Movement in its Founding Decades in England (1940s–1960s)

“The first important point is to win the young women with whom we work,” explains an early campaign newsletter from the women's English Young Christian Workers (YCW) Movement. In a context where the Catholic community was still a defensive minority, the outward looking mission of the YCW was remarkable and unique. The Movement's praxis was particularly distinctive, focused on a demographic group, working‐class girls and young women, who held little significance in either Church or society. The YCW engaged them as apostles and activists, challenging ecclesial and social assumptions and expectations. This paper draws material from YCW archives and oral interviews to argue that what YCW offered young women in the 1940s–1960s expressed an ecclesiological vision that was ahead of its time. The YCW empowered them to be leaders in a Church where women still rarely spoke or held leadership roles. It also nudged them into a confident construction of their citizenship and agency within secular contexts. This is significant in relation to how the English Catholic Church negotiated its restored presence in a protestant state but is barely recognised in existing historical analysis. The YCW's “leaven in the dough” model of activism within workplaces and other political domains deserves greater notice.

Psychometric evaluation of the bottom-up developed Experiencing Grace Scale

The experience of grace is currently attracting increased empirical interest. Validated instruments to assess aspects of the experience of grace in a secularized context are scarce which limits current psychological research on grace in other than highly religious populations. We present a bottom-up construction of the Experiencing Grace Scale (EGS) and evidence supporting its reliability and validity. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit for the four subscales: Appraising Grace, Giving Grace, Receiving Grace, and Divine Grace. Reliability analysis showed overall good internal consistency and test–retest stability. Convergent validity was demonstrated by means of expected associations between subscales of the EGS and other relevant measures. Predictive validity was confirmed by associations between subscales of the EGS at measurement Wave 1 with mental well-being scales at Wave 2. The EGS contributes to further research on the experience of grace and its relationship to other psychosocial variables in the field of positive psychology.

Secularism under Dispute: Towards Agonistic, Pluralistic, and Democratic Politics. A Latin American Perspective

Abstract This article introduces some discussion on the limitations of the distinction between laicidad and secularization in Latin America (and to a lesser extent, the notion of religious freedom), mainly highlighting the problem of the colonial origin of these conceptions and their relationship with the liberal hegemonic political framework of the field. The paper’s thesis is that the boundaries for achieving a secular context in the region are not only connected to the lack of secular policies but to the application of limited concepts on the separation between church and state, and the impact of this emphasis on a reductionist vision of the religious diversity phenomenon and its link with the socio-political processes of the region. Our propose, finally, is to review these ideas in the light of the concept of radical democracy, and the contribution of this category in the broadening of the processes of institutionalization of religious identity configurations. We will take as an example of application the debates raised by the Pavez vs. Chile case in the Inter-American Court, resolved in the year 2021.

“Koinonia” in Reformed Theology

This presentation is an edited and revised version of the presentation given at the Ecumenical International Conference "Active Participation in Community", Pannonhalma Archabbey, 21 October 2022. The theme of the conference was synodality − accordingly, this paper aims to present the basic features of Reformed ecclesiology. It highlights the fact that adapting different forms of communion from a secular context is not a viable solution for the church, even though it remains a challenge for the church today in almost all countries. Instead, the ecclesiological and practical implications of koinonia must be considered. According to Reformed theology and Confessions of faith, the ministries, services and governance of the church derive from the koinonia with Christ and with one another. Participation in this communion requires a concrete form of ecclesial and social service; it is concretized by participation in the threefold office of Christ (royal, priestly and prophetic). Last but not least, sharing in the threefold office of Christ has an as yet unexploited ecumenical potential for the common witness of Christians.

Constructing Mary through Pilgrimages: Lived Catholic Mariology in Poland

This article presents selected aspects of Marian pilgrimages in the context of lived Catholicism in Poland. Lived Catholic Mariology is a concept introduced in this paper and discussed in terms of the intimate as well as communal relationships people establish with Mary through and in various rituals (e.g., pilgrimages), sites (e.g., shrines) and objects (e.g., images). Links between materializing Mary through images; affective, sensual and corporeal religious experiences; and community bonding are presented. They are discussed by drawing on approaches that refer to material religion, religion as mediation, concepts of sensational forms, and aesthetic formations. When examining the centrality of Marian images in Polish pilgrimage practices, this paper focuses on earlier developments, especially (1) those connected with the growth of Marian shrines during the Counter Reformation period and (2) the role played by traditional and innovative Marian pilgrimages during the Communist period in Poland (1945–1989). The final part of the paper refers to the recent changes connected with political polarization of Polish society, the process of radicalization through right-wing discourses that embrace Marian imagery and pilgrimages, the decline of Roman Catholicism and Catholic practices among Poles, and emerging alternative currents relating to Mary and pilgrimages in religious and secular contexts. Referring to various historical and current examples, this paper proposes seeing pilgrimages through the lived religion approach with a focus on materiality and mediatory dimension of religion.

Proselytising and pastoral care: chaplains in Australian government schools

ABSTRACT School chaplaincy in Australia is highly contentious. The federal government funds a chaplaincy programme in Australia’s secular public schools, which, combined with the declining influence of institutional Christianity, places Christian chaplains at the nexus of debates on the public role of religion. Yet little is known about how these chaplains integrate their religious convictions with their role. This article draws on 12 interviews with Christian chaplains, and asks: (1) how do these chaplains understand their faith within their role?; (2) how do they practice their faith through their role; and (3) how do they negotiate the ban on ‘proselytising’? This article finds that chaplains see their work as a call from God that enables a deep sense of purpose, and is also aimed at young people’s empowerment. They practically express their faith through care, bridging school and Christian communities, and prayer. Last, they practice conversations about faith, described as ‘dialogical evangelism’. Given the lack of studies of chaplaincy practice in secular contexts, this article is significant for its empirical depth, and discussion of controversial topics. It concludes by examining the significance of these findings for policy makers, and for wider debates about the interaction between religious people and secular institutions.