Spiritual Progress Research Articles

Zen Wisdom for Christians by Christopher Collingwood

Reviewed by: Zen Wisdom for Christians by Christopher Collingwood Daniel Millet Gil, Editor ZEN WISDOM FOR CHRISTIANS. By Christopher Collingwood. Foreword by Father Patrick Kundo Eastman Roshi. London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2019. 264 pp. In Zen Wisdom for Christians, a non-academic book, Collingwood suggests that with Zen, Christian faith "comes alive in hitherto unexpected ways" (p. 32). His premise is that Zen can lead Christians toward the rediscovery of their deep spirituality. This notion is complemented by the ideas that both traditions present real convergences, can learn from one another, and meet in the ineffable ground of existence. Organizationally, the book is divided into three parts, each containing two chapters, juxtaposing comparable patterns of spiritual progress along the Christian and Zen paths. Collingwood starts with a historical introductory chapter where we are reminded of the early relationship between Christianity and Zen in Japan, which began with mutual incomprehension—even antagonism—between Buddhists and the earliest Christian missionaries. This is illustrated by the persecution of Spanish and Portuguese priests at the end of the 16th century, as depicted in the film Silence, directed by Martin Scorsese. The story ends with several Jesuits committing [End Page 475] apostasy to save converts. From here, the author jumps ahead 400 years to the arrival of Fr. Hugo M. Enomiya-Lassalle (1898–1990) in Japan. This German Jesuit was a missionary, fully committed to his Christian faith, who became a Zen master. According to Enomiya-Lassalle, Zen let him understand Christianity more deeply and become a better Christian. In Part 1, "Raising the Bodhi Mind," Collingwood is concerned with what he believes to be a shared beginning in the spiritual quest: a universal search for the realization of our true nature (p. 39). In Chapter 1, "A Sense of Exile," he describes the practice of seated meditation (zazen, in Japanese) and explains what, in his view, Zen is all about: "to enable us to see into our true nature and to awaken to who we truly are" (p. 39). At the onset of the quest of Zen lies the intuitive realization that "we are not truly at home with ourselves," that we feel estranged from our real nature, along with a desire to find out who we truly are. In "Zen terms," Collingwood writes, this is known as "Raising the Bodhi Mind," which is about "responding to the intuitive aspiration to wake up to who we truly are" (p. 40), and leads to our desire to emerge from exile and return home. In this, Collingwood finds a common starting point with Christianity, which also starts with a sense of exile and the desire to return home. Collingwood exemplifies this feeling of estrangement and homelessness with Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son, the biblical story of the Fall, and the story of Siddhārtha Gautama's search for awakening. In the Christian tradition, the sense of exile and the desire for homecoming are shaped by a sense of duality, fashioned by the desire to be a separate self, which produces estrangement and disharmony. As a result, the person longs for a way back home, which is found by reuniting with the Father. In the story of Siddhārtha's search for awakening, the expression "living in exile" may seem inappropriate. He had everything at his father's palace, but a feeling of discontent prompted him to seek liberation. In both cases, there is dissatisfaction, a yearning to return home, and a sense of exile that arises from the "I" which perceives everything as separate, and references all within its narrow self-interest. It is this wrong perception that Christianity and Zen, in their distinctive ways, deal with (p. 67). Chapter 2, "Finding the Way Home," explores how the practice of Zen wakes us up to the need to return home and offers what the author describes as "a pathless path to that home" (p. 69). To do this, Collingwood uses the story of the Bodhidharma (c.440–c.530 C.E.), the First Patriarch of Chinese Chan. Through the practice of zazen, we discover that we identify ourselves with our thoughts and that the self, which is created by thinking, "is something of...

Kerjasama Institusi Pendidikan Tinggi Dan Pemerintah Daerah Dalam Mengatasi Kenakalan Remaja Di Sekolah

This research was done based on 1) increasing a number of juvenile in detention class II a Curup. 2) there was a wish of regional government to realize religius and good character education. 3) most of IAIN Curup students background are from public school including senior high school in Rejang Lebong regency. Based on those considerations, therefore the researcher tried to reveal how werethe form and model implementation of the shared concept like in the field. The subject of this research are some senior high schools in Rejang Lebong regency using purposive sampling model of Sugiono. From the answer of respondents knowing that religius and character education in senior high school in Rejang Lebong regency had been realized however had not been maximal. It happened because some barrier factors, both from the school (internal) and outside school (external) as described on the first session. Then, the cooperation of higher education (IAIN) and regional government to resolve juvenile delinquency in school had not been maximal actually, because it had not touched the school specifically, it was done only daily routine, such as PPL, KPM, or Friday safari. But, the school desire for IAIN Curup as coach in religious spiritual progress had not been achieved

The Qurʾan and Domestic Violence: An Islamic Feminist, Spiritually Integrative Reading of Verse 4:34

Abstract This paper examines Qurʾan 4:34, also known as the “beating verse,” through an Islamic feminist lens, focusing attention on the importance of spirituality in the contemporary context. It contends that reading the Qurʾan as a spiritual method sheds new light on this verse, changing its interpretation from one that makes allowances for wife-beating to one that provides tangible techniques to combat this phenomenon. The paper examines how the verse introduces both positive and negative intervention strategies to restrain and overcome wife-beating, in conversation with Sufi conceptualizations of the spiritual path and progression from the “animal self” to the self-critical self.

THE MASS MEDIA AND THE CHRISTIAN VALUES

The present society is characterized by greed for information. The mass media, considered the “fourth power in the state”, feeds the “thirst” of the mankind for sensational news, the “hunger” for novel, being enslaved to the pleasures of entertainment, getting manipulated and bringing a feeling of anxiety for the soul. With numerous means of communication available (such as: printing, audio and video recordings, internet, television, etc.), the mass media has captured the interest of the people, having all the means by which information, advertising and culture can be mass-propagated. Christian values are neglected, being replaced by the ideals of the postmodern world: fun, laziness, neglect of spiritual things, etc. Often having strategic and/or material interests, the mass media is used to reach its targets by the so-called fake news. The church has the capacity to christen the mass media efforts, so that the latter aims to build the man and his spiritual progress. The power that the mass media has today must be used for the purpose of getting closer to God and to people. Goodness, love, dignity, truth, integrity must be the fundamental values that spring from the media landscape.

Wspólnotowy i wspólnototwórczy charakter modlitwy

The prayer of a Christian is the subject of his daily care in the processof spiritual development. We can say that without it and its dynamic development it is not possible for the spiritual progress of the Christian and theChurch in which he or she lives. It is also a very extensive subject of researchand scientific work in the field of theology and especially the theology ofspirituality. Hence, it must be treated in a multi-faceted and multi-directionalway. Among all the different categories of prayer, community prayer and common prayer are very important. This distinction is necessary because it reveals to us the truth that every prayer has a communal character, but it is not always common. However, prayer celebrated together is the source of Christian life and the Church, and it is the clearest and most readable testimony of faith.

The nature, function, and destiny of the human body—Origen’s interpretation of 1 Cor 15

Abstract In this article, I will investigate Origen’s use of two metaphors: The seed metaphor and the clothing metaphor. Both metaphors are found in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, which Origen uses as his biblical foundation in the passage from On First Principles that will be analyzed in this article. My focus will be on how Origen understands the nature, the function, and the destiny of human beings and especially of human bodies. According to Origen, the nature of the human body is changeable and unstable. This is because the bodily matter has merely been added to the rational beings at a certain time and will disappear again when its function is fulfilled. The function of the human body is to clothe the rational being on its way through fall and spiritual progress towards perfection. Thus, the body allows the rational being to be punished and educated. The destiny of the human body is eventually to disappear, but this will only happen when the body has gone through many stages of fall and progress in its service of the rational being.

Islam’s Gift: An Economy of Spiritual Development

AbstractAccording to the standard narrative, economics is an objective and scientific study of universal laws applicable to economic affairs of modern societies. After a brief introduction, the second section of the article presents a counter‐narrative that disputes this claim, and provides an alternative point of view that situates modern economics within its European historical, political, and social context. We briefly discuss why the conventional methodology of modern economics makes false claims to objectivity and universality. The third section provides an alternative methodology that is based on the recognition that human behavior is inherently and unavoidably normative, and any study of human beings and societies must take this into account. The fourth section of the article brings out the norms concealed within the foundations of modern economics, since the avowed methodology does not permit explicit and open expression of these norms. The fifth section describes Islamic views that describe the normative ideals for our personal and social lives. In particular, Islam aims at the development of the potential for excellence that every human being is born with. It does not aim at accumulation of wealth and material possessions. Nor does it aim at achievement of happiness through the maximization of pleasure achieved by consumption. The sixth section describes the transformational strategies required for spiritual progress in different dimensions of our human existence. The seventh section describes some of the institutional structures required in the economic realm to assist in the achievement of the transformation towards the normative ideals. The final section explains how we should use our unique and precious lives to aim for higher goals than mere consumption of goods and acquisition of wealth.

‘KA‘BAH’ OF ACT AND KNOWLEDGE: ANALYSIS OF THE ETHICAL VIEWS OF HASSAN AL-BASRY (642–768)

The article deals with investigation of a number of stories about Hasan al-Basri, a great preacher and a major representative of the zuhd movement (‘detachment’) in early Islam. These stories are gathered in anthology ‘Memorial of God’s Friends’ (Tadhkirat al-Awliya’) of the major Persian poet and Sufi thinker of XII–XIII centuries Farid ad-Din ‘Attar Nishaburi. The author provides a brief overview of the ethical ideas of Hasan al-Basri and explores the origins of his ethical doctrine. Hasan al-Basri followed the principle of strict responsibility. He was the forerunner of the Mu‘tazilite doctrine of the autonomy of human will. The focus of the article are the main themes of Hasan al-Basri’s ethical doctrine, such as: longing for higher virtues (sincerity, righteousness, piety, humility), the requirement to follow religious instructions, the overcoming attachments to the mortal world, the critique of wealth and the sermon of asceticism, etc. A detailed analysis of the stories about Hasan al-Basri and his statements allows to conclude, that there numerous ideas in his worldview later will take the form of developed Sufi ethical doctrine. The article shows, that all events from the life of Hasan al-Basri, from his birth to death, should be read and understood in the framework of his spiritual progress along a Sufi path.

Towards the Silk Road economic zone initiative: historical perspective

In contemporary conditions, the Great Silk Road remains the subject of modern historical research naturally intertwined with research in the area of sustainable development. Its significance caused not only by providing sales, but also cultural, scientific and diplomatic relations. Way, which arose, as a trade infrastructure, soon became an important factor of technical, scientific and spiritual progress of the population of different countries. The Silk Road segment on the territory of modern Kazakhstan as a historical gate of the Great Silk Road also has its specific international significance. Today the idea is re-emerging of renewing the way in a new historical incarnation and revival of the Great Silk Road in order to preserve and enhance its tremendous influence on the political, economic and cultural systems of the countries through which it passes.

Alexis Carrel i Aktion T4, czyli eugenizm w walce przeciwko misterium osoby ludzkiej

In 1935 a french doctor Alexis Carrel has published the “Man, The Unknown” book, in which he has clearly shown his pro-eugenic and pro-euthanasia attitude (especially towards serious criminals with no chance for resocialization). At the same time in Germany Adolf Hitler is realizing an eugenical project as “pathology cleaning therapy of nation”. Both facts are rising from belief that progress of humanity depends only of most talented; the weakest are condemned and should be eliminated. This social Darwinism is strongly related with world crisis due to a lack of correlation between spiritual progress and technical-scientific progress. Victims of the crisis were the weakest persons in a society. In a world which denies a mystery of the person, a weak human has been rejected as useless.

W. H. Auden\u2019s anti-Japanese war: \u201cSonnets from China\u201d and its historical context

Auden’s “Sonnets from China” are often understood as abstract thinking on war and peace or as account of the author’s personal spiritual progress, but as descriptions of his “journey to a war,” the “Sonnets from China” are better understood as sonnets about China. Auden’s other writings of this period, including the “Travel-diary” of Journey to a war and journal publications, help to show many of the historical references behind the sonnets. Chinese news reports at the time also reveal the sonnets’ specific contexts and the extent to which Auden’s sonnets can be understood as descriptions of the war in China. Although Auden at the time had tendencies to transcend politics, his attitude to the war in China and his view on art-politics relation in general was more complex than critics have so far allowed. This essay is not just an enquiry into the historical meaning of the sonnets, but also an investigation into the larger meaning of art’s role in the society.

State policy in the field of civil society cooperation, executive and local government: legal and managerial aspects

The article describes the main factors of the development of civil society in Ukraine. Civil society as an independent and self-governing institution can and must play a powerful transformative and protective role in periods threatening for the state. It is thanks to civil society institutions that the state has a chance to escape from the threat of authoritarianism and disintegration through the development of volunteer, charitable and voluntary movements and the example of the Ukrainian state in recent years is another confirmation of this. Interaction of civil society and state institutions should be based on partnership, mutual interest in achieving the goals related to the process of democratization of all spheres of public administration and public life, socio-economic and spiritual progress, and comprehensive protection of the rights and freedoms of man and citizen. It is the state of development of relations between local executive authorities, local self-government bodies and structural entities of political parties, civil society institutions that demonstrates the democratic and publicity of processes and the realism of the steps of the formation of civil society in the regions of the country. An important part of this process is the creation of effective mechanisms for coordinating the communicative efforts of public authorities, which will enable united efforts in solving common problems, avoid duplication of functions, and simplify organizational structure. However, the article analyzes the principles of interaction of civil society organizations with state authorities and their influence on the development of the rule of law, identifies a number of problematic issues regarding cooperation between the authorities and the public, as well as suggests ways of solving problems in the interaction of civil society institutions with state authorities.

A Framework for Buddhist Environmentalism

Resorting to Buddhism to advance a form of religious environmentalism has been done by many scholars both from inside and outside the tradition because Buddhism holds a worldview and a number of teachings often perceived as environmentally friendly. This paper contributes to this effort by proposing a framework that is faithful to the Buddhist pedagogical approach. It asserts that this approach comprises two overarching and integral dimensions-a horizontal (relational) and a vertical (developmental) dimension. In establishing Buddhist environmentalism, the horizontal dimension is employed to assess the root cause of the environmental crisis and the state of human-nature relationship. The horizontal dimension also helps to provide a corrective to the abnormalities in this relationship is proposing a vision of harmonious human-nature relationship characterized by solidarity, responsibility, accountability, service and gratitude. These relationships can be established by resorting to Buddhist cosmogony and fundamental teachings such as the Principle of Dependent Origination and the Three Characteristics of Existence. The vertical dimension constitutes the prescriptive aspect of Buddhist environmentalism, which insists that self-cultivation aimed at emancipation from mundane existence is part and parcel of the effort to promote self and environmental well-being. It asserts that human-nature relationship must be added to the total number of relationships in one’s life, and it must be held in view in the process of self-cultivation so that it becomes an indicator of a person’s spiritual progress. Virtues such as loving kindness, gentleness, moderation and generosity developed through the Noble Eightfold Path not only go towards promoting interpersonal relationship but also promote environmental well-being and flourishing. Consequently, this paper is critical of any Buddhist environmentalism that fails to give due attention to both dimensions, and it emphasizes that both the relational and developmental dimensions must be held in balance in order for a genuine Buddhist environmentalism to be possible.

ENHANCING THE ECONOMIC ROLE OF THE MOSQUE THROUGH EMPOWERMENT A Case Study in Yogyakarta City

A large number of Muslim population in Indonesia is also suitable for a large number of mosques. Mosque in the history of Islamic civilization is a means to perform da’wah and development of economic resources of Muslims. Using descriptive qualitative methods, this study aims to examine how the economic role of the mosque can be improved through community empowerment program in Yogyakarta City, Indonesia. From the result, it may be concluded that mosque has a strategic position to empower congregation. For enhancing the economic role through empowerment, there are at least six steps. Firstly, planning process including agreement among the administrator, looking for fund source, and also looking for the partner. Secondly, socialization to the congregation, opened, closed, or limited. Thirdly, selecting the beneficiaries. Fourthly, the empowering process including lending a soft loan, establish cooperative, or marketing intervention. Fifthly, mentoring both economic and spiritual progress of the beneficiaries. The last process is evaluating the program periodically. The success indicators of this program are the performance of returning loans and the improving intensity of the congregation prayer.

Etika Akademis Dalam Pendidikan Islam

Academic ethics cannot be separated from the important role of Islamic Education. Islamic education based on the Qur'an and Hadith regulate the relationship of something with other elements, which can ensure harmony, balance, and harmony in life to achieve spiritual progress and happiness. Academic world is expected to provide intelligent solutions to the problems that occur in society universally with guidance to academic ethics. Academic ethics is the essence of scientific activity that takes place in the academic world both in universally applicable educational institutions, such as honesty, rigor, openness, objectivity, humility, willingness to learn and develop, ready to accept criticism, mutual respect and non-discriminatory . Violation of academic ethics is tarnished the world of education, Violations of academic ethics must be analyzed the causes and solutions. As for acts that violate academic ethics should be taken seriously through solutions and prevention efforts.

Koreksi Persaudaraan: Tantangan dalam Mengembangkan Hidup Bersama

ABSTRACT: Fraternal correction is an endeavor that will never end in life. In the diversity of the society, fraternal correction needs to be a pillar to achieve lifes goal of living together as expected through the idea of Augustine. With the reality of plurality, fraternal correction is expected to be one of the strongest foundations in spite of challenges such as differences in interpretation, communication and corrective aversion. It is difficult but necessary to be actualized because it is useful in building togetherness and bringing repentance. Fraternal correction is an admonition given to our neighbor to help them along the path to holiness. It is a means of spiritual progress to help us to know our defects, since these may often be hidden from us by our limitations, disguised by our self-love. It is a necessary precondition to enable us to tackle those defects with Gods help, and so improve our living. KEYWORDS: fraternal correction,

Panchgavya and cow products: A trail for the holy grail

For millennia, cow has been central to Indian economy, life and culture. There are innumerable references-Vedic and subsequent to the sacred significance of cow. The benefits of cow have been described at length in relation to agriculture, environment, health, economy and spiritual progress. However, the socio-political issues surrounding cow as a sacred animal have raised acrimonious debates. In Ayurveda also, there is a long tradition of using cow products for positive health, pharmaceutical processes and in therapeutics. There have been quite a few studies on the activity, efficacy, safety and acceptability of Panchagavya and other cow products. Paradoxically, many cow products available in the market for human consumption require improved standardization and proper regulation.Integration of cowpathy (Govaidyak) in traditional Indian systems of medicine has been natural, based on their common dravyagunavigyan. But if its integration with conventional medicine is contemplated, we will need better understanding of the ingredients of cow products, their pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and therapeutic ratio. A rational beginning can be made by data collection of experiential and anecdotal responses. A meticulous analysis of database of panchgavya and other cow products should look for temporal relationships, biological plausibility and translational potential before embarking on state-of-the-art experimental and clinical studies for selected indications.

The Contemporary Perspectives on Using Spiritual Practices in the Clinical Psychologist` Work

The article reviews the reference scientific research on the use of the spiritual knowledge and practice in the work of clinical psychologists and psychotherapists, as well as the definition and explication of the axiological and contemporary perspectives of the spiritual component in the model of care in clinical practice. Along with the deep, fundamental understanding of the essence of spirituality and spiritual development of the individual in a psychological paradigm, Ukrainian scholars practically do not find research that examines the applied aspects of the connection of spirituality and the clinical practice of helping people. In the field of scientific and applied clinical research, there is a revival of interest in this issue. Regarding clinical practice, health and human illness are considered within the framework of a biopsychosocial model as a concept of the unity of the soul and body. The spiritual paradigm in the field of mental health has a huge potential for the transformation of personality and society. The author highlights two ways of practical integration of spirituality and psychotherapy: an active inclusion in the therapy of the discussion of spiritual issues and the introduction of spiritual practices (meditation, yoga, prayer, the teaching of holy texts) for healing and transformation; a demonstration of the physician’s willingness to cooperate and discuss spiritual matters with the client, without the active initiation of the therapist and the expectation of this initiative from the client. In this regard, the practical problem is the lack of specially targeted studying and training aimed at acquiring the knowledge, skills and practices of clinical psychologists in the use and implementation of new and traditional methods and practices that would promote the client’s spiritual progress and improve the quality of his mental health.

Michelle Karnes, Imagination, Meditation, and Cognition in the Middle Ages. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2017, pp. 268.

Michelle Karnes, Associate Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana), has produced a brilliant book that makes a major contribution to medieval studies. Like Mary Carruthers’s, The Book of Memory and The Craft of Thought, Karnes’s study of medieval imagination and cognition is paradigmatic, inspirational, and poised to be remarkably influential in the field. It makes a bold case for understanding the medieval <?page nr="460"?>concept of the imagination in Aristotelian and Augustinian terms, especially as these terms were synthesized by Bonaventure, and focuses on how meditation on the life of Christ within the imagination was seen as a path to spiritual progress: a means of connecting to the divine.

History contained in Puranas

A glimpse of the ancient Indianans and the flourishing of India in ancient times give a glimpse of the whole of flourishing. Puranas are indicative of this irrefutable truth that India was the world famous and reached the peak of metaphysical, athletic and spiritual progress in ancient times. It is believed that the original source of knowledge and religion is Vedas. The glory of the Vedas is immense, but their vocabulary is unbearable and the process of rendering is quite complicated. But the Puranas alone make heart-felt to all the common sense in their simplest terms and with the help of plot style. Therefore, in all places, the Vedas have been agreed to understand through history, mythology. From the word of history, Mahabharata and Valmiki are also known as Ramayana and Yoga Vashastrai Granth. From these mythologies, the scholars of the past have composed many beautiful essays and arrangements, who is also a director of special purposive karma.