Spiritual Crisis Research Articles

Jerusalem Moves West: Undoing the Hebrew Bible in Blake’s Milton and Jerusalem

ABSTRACT William Blake’s evocative figuration of England as Jerusalem is central to debates about his attitude to nationalism. Nonetheless, Jerusalem in his poems is often read as not actually referring to the city in Palestine. In this article, I argue that while Blake’s refraction of Enlightenment standards of time and space has produced depoliticized readings of his Jerusalem, his attempt to restore spirituality to Britain was nonetheless cast in political and in geographical terms. Blake reacted against an Arian theology that relegated spirituality to a distant time and space. In his prophetic poems, he undoes the temporal and spatial organization of the Hebrew Bible, a possibility first explored in Milton and then fully achieved in Jerusalem, where Blake deconstructs the ancient biblical world to rebuild it in modern Britain. To rescue Britain from spiritual crisis, Blake rewrites Newtonian physics and theology, the Miltonian epic, antiquarian histories about the eastern Levant, and the Hebrew Bible. Common to these diverse engagements is Blake’s effacement of the East as the cradle of spirituality, and his recasting of sacred geography in immediate local terms, moving it away from the geography of Palestine.

Theopsych: A Psychological Science Primer for Theologians

Theopsych: A Psychological Science Primer for Theologians

Benny Hinn’s Book “Good Morning, Holy Spirit!” in the Light of the Dogmatic Teaching of the Orthodox Church

This article deals with Triadology, Christology, and the ascetical theology of the Charismatic Pentecostals according to Benny Hinn's book "Good Morning, Holy Spirit!" The purpose of this article is not to defame or in any way denigrate the Charismatic movement, but simply to examine the creed of this religious group from the point of view of Orthodox dogmatics. In the Triadology of Benny Hinn, two main theses have been identified. First, the differences between the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity are not limited to the hypostatic properties and what they entail. Second, the author implies that the natural connection between the Son and the Father is not accompanied by direct communication, but that it is the Holy Spirit who carries out the mutual relationship between the Father and the Son. In the Christology of Benny Hinn, three main theses have also been identified. First, his doctrine is characterized by a certain separation of two natures in Jesus, reminiscent of Nestorianism. Second, according to the author's teaching, the Holy Spirit is also "the Father" of Jesus Christ. Third, Jesus Christ was capable of sin. Finally, in Benny Hinn's ascetical theology, two theses were highlighted. First, the victory over sin is not a joint action of man and God but a gift of the Holy Spirit, with no need for human spiritual struggle. Second, to be Christian means not to follow Christ but the Spirit. Undoubtedly, this teaching in no way corresponds to the teaching of the Orthodox Church and may thus be considered heretical from the Orthodox point of view.

Педагогічний аспект метаантропологічного пізнання канонічного права

Good and evil will never agree. A spiritual struggle is needed. The evil deeds of man testify to the absence of true, perfect knowledge. The factory of knowledge is a person who, with the help of existential and transcendental virtues and having a higher spiritual inoculation, a spiritual vaccine, knows, reveals in the universe the synergistic processual effect of ionization, that is, the transformation of potential good into ontological matters. At the same time, evil necessarily takes part in ionization, as a certain incentive to the opposite action. Ionization is caused by such an ionizer as the spiritual energy of a person, his organic cognition. This process is ontological and necessary for a person to master himself and win a place for himself in the transcendental world. The metastases of evil are so penetrating that a person cannot comprehend them from beginning to end. The natural ability of man to know the world is blocked by evil. If the earthly phenomena can be known in the main, then the supernatural ones - only a part, referring to irrationality, that is, the permissibility of existence, but the impossibility (absurdity) of revealing the essences. The philosophy of law, together with its introductions to the deontology of law and canon law, convincingly proves that it is necessary to learn about the world through the prism of law. In particular, the deontology of law appeared thanks to the ontology of law. The ontology of law derives from human organics about the laws of creation of the world. Every day of the creation of the world is justified by a specific system of laws: light, space and time, the plant world, the solar system, the nature of water-air space, the nature of terrestrial space. These are the fundamental laws of the development of the world, the laws of reality act on a person and in his body, thoughts and feelings. That is why man has a name - microcosm. Thoughts and other organic factors are the basis of the human spirit, which is the leader in relation to the body, the organism. The human spirit is influenced by various teachings, theories, and religions. This leads a person to confusion. The way out of the situation is found in canon law, which offers a single knowledge, a single theory, a single faith. Therefore, there is a need to pay attention to the knowledge of canon law.

Holokost Sonrası Yahudi Diasporasında Din ve Dinî Değişimler

The Holocaust has left a deep scar in the history of the Jewish people, representing a dark period that resulted in the loss of millions of lives. After this traumatic period, the surviving Jewish diaspora found themselves confronted with the challenge of rebuilding their religious identities and beliefs alongside their survival. This paper is written with the aim of understanding and evaluating the religious and religious changes that occurred in the Jewish diaspora after the Holocaust. This study focuses on the religious and religious changes that took place in the Jewish diaspora after the Holocaust. The research encompasses efforts to preserve religious identities, adapt religious practices, cope with the influence of the modern world, and understand the emergence of new religious movements. In the aftermath of the Holocaust, Jewish communities faced a significant religious crisis. The devastation caused by the genocide, the loss of religious leaders, and the dispersal of communities created significant challenges in preserving religious identities and maintaining religious life. This study holds great importance in understanding the reasons and consequences of religious changes in the post-Holocaust period and evaluating the measures taken to strengthen the religious identities of Jewish communities. This research aims to examine in detail the religious and religious changes that occurred in the post-Holocaust Jewish diaspora. By addressing fundamental issues such as changes in religious practices within and outside communities, the balancing of religious values with the modern world, the reconstruction of religious identities, and the emergence of new religious movements, this study aims to comprehend and evaluate this process. The study is designed as a qualitative research. Historical documents, academic articles, research reports, and other reliable sources will be used to conduct a literature review of religious changes in the post-Holocaust Jewish diaspora. In the post-Holocaust period, religious and religious changes occurred in the Jewish diaspora. Communities engaged in efforts to preserve and reconstruct their religious identities, resulting in variations in religious practices both within and outside these communities. The influence of the modern world necessitated a balance of religious values, and the emergence of new religious movements was observed in some communities. This study provides an important perspective for understanding the reasons, consequences, and reactions of communities to religious changes in the post-Holocaust period. This perspective could contribute to future religious changes and the efforts of communities to preserve and strengthen their religious identities.bDuring the post-Holocaust period, communities undertook efforts to preserve and reconstruct their religious identities, leading to variations in religious practices due to migration to different countries. The influence of the modern world made it crucial to balance religious values, and innovative methods were developed for religious education and learning. Additionally, the emergence of new religious movements was notable in certain communities. These findings underscore the complexity and significance of religious changes in the post-Holocaust period. In conclusion, the religious and religious changes in the post-Holocaust Jewish diaspora are a significant research topic from historical and sociological perspectives. This study has been conducted to understand the steps taken by Jewish communities to preserve and strengthen their religious identities and provide important insights for the future. Understanding this process could support the efforts of communities to strengthen their religious identities and pass on religious values to future generations.

Spiritual and religious aspects influence mental health and viral load: a quantitative study among young people living with HIV in Zimbabwe

IntroductionThe role of religion and spirituality as social determinants of health has been widely discussed. Studies among people living with HIV describe positive and negative influences of religion and spirituality...

THE EVOLUTION OF WESTERN SPIRITUALITY: FROM ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME TO CONTEMPORARY PRACTICES

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the history of spirituality in the Western world, examining its evolution from ancient Greece and Rome to contemporary practices. The article explores the development of key religious and philosophical traditions, including early Christianity, the Protestant Reformation, and the Enlightenment, and analyzes their contributions to the evolution of Western spirituality. The article also investigates the emergence of contemporary spirituality, highlighting its emphasis on personal experience and individual growth, and its rejection of traditional religious institutions and dogma. While contemporary spirituality has been criticized for its lack of structure and its tendency to promote subjective experiences over objective truth, it has also had a significant impact on Western culture, particularly in the areas of health and wellness. The article discusses the challenges that contemporary spirituality poses, including the potential for spiritual bypassing, the need for authenticity in spiritual practices, and the importance of recognizing spirituality as a deeply personal and individual experience. Additionally, the article explores the future of Western spirituality, considering the impact of changing cultural and social trends and the ongoing evolution of spiritual practices. The article also examines important works and figures that have contributed to the development of Western spirituality from Ancient Greece and Rome to contemporary times, showing the diversity and richness of spiritual perspectives and practices over time. Ultimately, this article offers a comprehensive overview of the history of Western spirituality and highlights its enduring influence on Western culture and society, while also providing insights into the challenges and opportunities that contemporary spirituality presents.

The Role of Religion, Spirituality and Social Media in the Journey of Eating Disorders: A Qualitative Exploration of Participants in the “TastelifeUK” Eating Disorder Recovery Programme

This study explores the religious and spiritual aspects of eating disorder recovery and the role of social media in the context of a third sector community-based recovery group in the UK. Four online focus groups explored participant perspectives (17 participants in total) using thematic analysis. The qualitative findings highlight that relational support from God is important in eating disorder recovery and coping, although this can be challenged by spiritual struggles and tensions. Relational support from people is also relevant where it offers a place to share different experiences together giving a sense of community belonging. Social media was also found to be important in relation to eating disorders, either providing a community of support or exacerbating existing issues. This study suggests that the role of religion and social media should be acknowledged where it is important for that individual in relation to eating disorder recovery.

"God wastes nothing": A consensual qualitative study of coping among Catholic individuals with cancer diagnoses.

While religious meaning-making has been extensively studied, emic religious coping remains largely unexplored. This consensual qualitative research study explored Catholic cancer survivors' (N = 22) descriptions of drawing on their religious framework throughout their cancer journeys. Findings revealed distinctive Catholic resources such as the power of blessings, drawing comfort from the saints and sacraments, and "offering up" suffering as a form of spiritual surrender, suggesting the existence of underlying theodicies of divine purpose as well as potential clinical resources. While many participants described spiritual struggles and questions, most found meaning through deepening their faith, helping others, and re-examining their priorities. Exploratory mixed-method analyses suggest that questioning God may promote turning toward faith, while being angry at God is associated with difficulty in doing so. The findings have implications for research, pointing to emic practices that merit further study.

The Gnostic Imagination and Its Imaginaries

Abstract Applying cognitive theories about human creativity, this paper theorizes how the Gnostic as an identity is an idealization of a discrete metaphysics or spirituality forged by the human imagination and diversified as radical imaginaries and social imaginaries. The emergence of Gnostic spirituality was made possible because a novel cognitive script had developed that theorized religion in kinfolk terms, rather than conventional slave, vassal, or client terms. This script allowed people to understand their true selves as God’s offspring who had become separated from their divine parent(s), lost, and in need of rescue by their divine kin. This new spirituality came to be associated with the word Gnostic which was used to identify religious people in the Roman world who claimed to have knowledge (gnosis) of the true God, the true pathway home, and their true selves as God’s offspring. Once this idealization of the Gnostic was framed, it functioned as the cognitive structure upon which a variety of constellations of the ideal were then ratcheted. These constellations are radical imaginaries built using concrete images, stories, and legends to make sense of the human predicament and authorize certain practices and moral codes. When a radical imaginary is shared collectively it can become a social imaginary which serves to legitimate group behavior as happened, for instance, in the case of the Valentinian, Basilidian, and other Gnostic imaginaries. This paper considers the ideological and social implications of the distribution of radical imaginaries, especially those offloaded onto artifacts which circulate beyond any single social situation.

Varieties of Religious and Spiritual Struggles by Type of Mental Disorder: A Qualitative Approach

Introduction: Little is known about types of religious/spiritual (R/S) struggles with regard to various diagnostic groups in mental health care. The current qualitative study aims to give an impression of R/S struggles as observed in six diagnostic groups in clinical mental health care. Methods: Inductive thematic content analysis was applied to 34 semi-structured interviews. The interviews were performed among (day) clinical mental health care patients in two institutions. Results: Among patients with depression, a lack of positive R/S experiences, isolation, and feelings of guilt and shame were present. Those with cluster C and anxiety disorders reported uncertainty toward God and faith and R/S reticence. Psychotic disorders were accompanied by impressive R/S experiences, reticence to share these, and mistrust toward health professionals. Patients with bipolar disorder struggled with the interpretation of their R/S experiences and with both attraction and distance toward R/S. Cluster B patients showed ambivalence and anger toward God and others, and some reported existential tiredness. Patients with autism mentioned doubts and troubles with religious beliefs. In all groups, many patients had questions like “why?” or “where is God?” Conclusion: R/S struggles to some extent may be the language of the illness. Mental health professionals are recommended to take this into account, taking heed of the content of individual R/S struggles and considering using R/S interventions.

The Concept of Monotheistic Humans Privileges in the Perspective of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab

<p>People do not often realize that humans who believe in (monotheism) will get privileges from Allah SWT. The matter makes today’s people less interested in tawhid. As a result, various deviations occur in the midst of Muslims’ life, such as a spiritual crisis which indicates that there has been a mistake in human perspective. This article explains what privileges will be obtained by monotheistic humans according to Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. This study used the literature or document study method in qualitative research with interpretation analysis techniques. The data used are primary and secondary. The primary data comes from the writings of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. Then, secondary data is relevant literature to Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. According to him, the privileges obtained by monotheistic humans are; monotheism eradicates sins, and whoever practices monotheism will enter heaven and get peace of heart and soul. These findings can have implications for humans who do not practice monotheism, do not believe, or are unaware of the privileges that humans will gain.</p>

Поиск способов интеграции элементов естественно-научных знаний в образовательный процесс воскресной школы

The present article attempts to answer the question of the possibility and pedagogical expediency of harmonizing religious and natural science knowledge in the classroom within the framework of the parish education of children. For quite a long time, natural science knowledge was used as a powerful means of atheistic propaganda and destruction of any thought about faith and religion among the people. At present, there remain difficulties in combining scientific knowledge and religious faith in science and educational practice. As a result of the materialistic approach to teaching natural science subjects at school, the young believers reject the biblical picture of the world offered in Sunday School as contradicting scientific knowledge and suffer from ideological dualism.The purpose of the present work is to substantiate the necessity and value of integrating elements of natural science knowledge into the educational process of Sunday School through effective ways of its implementation. The article reveals the theoretical aspects of the indicated problem and describes practical methods of integrating natural science knowledge into religious education within the framework of parish activity. Such forms of integration as natural science laboratories of a young naturalist, master classes, creative workshops and others are singled out as the most efficient. Basing on the available practical experience, the article presents the real and expected educational effects and highlights the pedagogical conditions that contribute to their achievement.The author expresses the hope that due to the integration of elements of natural science knowledge into the religious education of children, it will be possible to avoid the ideological and religious crisis among teenage schoolchildren and reduce the number of children who abandon the faith planted by parents and teachers and leave the confines of the church.

Rethinking Inter-Faith Relations in Nigeria: A Study of Christian-Muslims Relations in Bayelsa State,b 1997-2015

Religious crises in Nigeria are no longer news today. Previously the Boko Haram insurgency sacked many communities, destroying lives and properties, especially in northern parts of Nigeria. These religious motivated crises have, so far, dented the image of Islam in the North (especially among other faiths) and other parts of the country. However, the narrative in Bayelsa State posits a different view. This paper examines the nature of inter-faith relations in Bayelsa, 1997-2015. It is an area that enjoys peaceful inter-faith relations, despite the presence of both Christians and Muslims. Unlike Northern Nigeria where there was incessant religiously motivated violence, Muslims in Bayelsa enjoy moderate harmonious relations with their Christians counterparts. The paper found that while there was never a time both Christians and Muslims got entangled in a religious motivated physical conflict in Bayelsa, the age-long struggle for dominance between the two faiths was inevitable in the area. The paper discovered growing but salient challenges in the interfaith relations among Christians and Muslims in Bayelsa. The study relies on interviews and sourced information from secondary sources. The paper finally argues that, though doctrinal difference was inevitable among the two faiths, there was no recorded religious motivated mayhem in Bayelsa. The study further suggested that other states in the country should emulate this for a better and prosperous Nigeria.

«АДАБИЙ ОКУУ» САБАГЫНЫН ЖАНА АНДА ОКУРМАНДЫ ТАРБИЯЛОО ПРОБЛЕМАСЫНЫН ААЛАМДАШУУ ДООРУНДАГЫ ФУНКЦИЯЛАРЫ

The article will focus on the role of the lesson "Literary reading", in general, literature in the upbringing and education of the student, as well as the positive and negative consequences that the era of globalization has had on human society. In particular, it describes the possibilities of bringing a young reader out of a spiritual crisis by opposing Kyrgyz culture, history, literature, ethnopedagogy, national traditions to the “attacks” of such a civilization, denying the models of globalization adopted under socialism in human actions, characters, ideals. Under these conditions, the creation of an education model aimed at cultural development, the education of the reader, the development of his strategy in accordance with modern requirements, makes it possible to return the child to the world of books. Some literature is analyzed in this direction.

Влияние позднего творчества Вл. Соловьева на философию истории А. Кожева

The later work of Vladimir Soloviev, more specifically his Three Conversations on War, Progress, and the End of World History, is considered as one of the origins of Alexander Kozhev's philosophy of history. The general characteristics of Kozhev's anthropological and historiosophic views and their comparison with the concept of history presented in Solovyev's Three Conversations are given. The comparative analysis of the views of both philosophers revealed eight conceptual points, which are presented in both historiosophic doctrine of the late Soloviev and in Alexander Kozhev's philosophy of history as well. The attention is drawn to the fact that both French thinker and Russian philosopher believe that post-historical state is characterized by the absence of wars and termination of existence of separate national states, replaced by supranational structures of government, which will later be abolished in favor of a single World Empire, based on radical egalitarianism. It is noted that both philosophers agree that the world after history is an undifferentiated culturally homogeneous space in which an apparent material prosperity coexists with a latent spiritual crisis characterized by primitivization of the man, disappearance of culture, domination of atheism, devaluation of Christian values. The emphasis is placed on the affinity between Kozhev's image of Napoleon and Solovyov's figure of the antichrist, whereas in both cases the question is about a personality who expansively imposes his individuality on the world, a subject who moves humanity by his actions into a posthistorical space by means of the establishment of the Total Empire. The main difference between Kozhev's historiosophical concept and Solovyov's is also considered. It consists in the fact that Kozhev's 'end of History' takes place in a purely secular dimension, while Solovyov, who stands on a religious position, leaves room for messianism. In summary, based on the many considered conceptual coincidences between Solovyov's and Kozhev's doctrines, we conclude the late Solovyov's work has influenced on Kozhev's historiosophy.

Формирование ментальности и этнические особенности чеченцев

The article is devoted to the study of the formation of mentality and ethnic characteristics of representatives of the Chechen people. It is noted that the mentality and ethnic characteristics of Chechens are embodied in the phenomenon of Nokhchalla, which reflects the universal values and principles existing in the etiquette culture of the Chechen ethnic group. It is revealed that mentality and nokhchalla are in dialectical interrelation, complementing and mutually conditioning each other. Based on the diagnosis of basic life experiences by the method of “Spiritual crisis” (L.V. Shutova and A.V. Lyashuk) concluded that categories such as responsibility (dekharalla) and freedom (marsho) are the most frequent life experiences of both the older generation of Chechens and young people.

Challenges in addiction-affected families: a systematic review of qualitative studies

BackgroundThe relative paucity of research on Addiction-Affected Families’ (AAF) issues and the lack of attention given to their difficulties and treatment in interventions and clinical practices indicate that the primary focus consistently revolves around individuals with addictive disorders, even when the treatment process involves their families. However, it is believed that family members endure significant pressures that result in extensive negative consequences on the personal, familial, and social aspects of their lives. Aiming for a better understanding of the challenges and issues that AAF’s experience, this systematic review explored qualitative studies with a focus on the impact of addiction on different aspects of families.MethodsWe searched Research Gate, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Elsevier, and Google Scholar Databases. We included studies of qualitative design which have investigated the effects of addiction on families. Non-English language studies, medical views, and quantitative approaches were excluded. Participants in the selected studies included parents, children, couples, sisters/brothers, relatives, drug users and specialists. The data from the selected studies were extracted using a standard format for the systematic review of qualitative research (the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence [NICE] 2102a).ResultsA thematic analysis of the findings of the studies identified 5 main themes: 1) initial shock (family encounter, searching for why), 2) family in the fog (social isolation, stigma and label), 3) sequence of disorders (emotional decline, negative behavioral experiences, mental disturbance, physical degeneration, family burden), 4) internal family chaos (instability of relationships, shadow people, erosive confrontation with the drug-using member, a newly emerging member, collapsing system, financial collapse), and 5) self-protection (attracting information, support, and protective sources, coping and adjusting the effects, the emergence of spirituality).ConclusionThis systematic review of qualitative research highlights the various and complex issues which addiction-affected families go through in terms of financial, social, cultural, mental and physical health problems, as a result of which experts of the field are needed to investigate and take measures. The findings can inform policy and practice and the development of interventions aimed to lighten the burdens which addiction-affected families carry.

A Deconstruction of the Cross and the Crescent for Inclusive Religious Pluralism between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria

The Crescent and the Cross as religious symbols are beyond the mere signification of religious affiliations. They are symbols on which over two hundred years of wars were sustained and are indicative of the religious dichotomy between modern Christianity and Islam across the globe. However, the tangential relationship between the usage of the symbols and the Jihad or the Crusade reeks of memories of fierce competition and unhealed historical memories. The collective memory of the wars fought under the symbols has remained a moniker for conquests and forceful submission. The exclusive propensities of the experiences are evident in the interreligious relation of the adherents of both religions in Nigeria. This article attempts to answer the question of how the exclusive religious disposition underlining most instances of religious crises in the country may be addressed. This article uses deconstructive analysis to strip the symbols and their exclusive religious dispositions for an inclusive religious pluralism model. It argues for the need for a critical rethinking of the exclusive interreligious model operative in the country to facilitate social development and the peaceful co-existence of the adherents of both religions.

Peran Guru Pendidikan Agama Kristen Dalam Mengatasi Krisis Kerohanian Anak Sekolah Minggu

The spiritual crisis among Sunday school children has become a serious concern in the context of Christian religious education. This article examines the important role played by Christian religious education teachers in overcoming this crisis. In a modern context full of challenges, children often experience spiritual isolation, loss of religious values, and difficulty implementing Christian principles in everyday life. Christian religious education teachers have a responsibility to provide guidance and inspiration to these children. This article examines strategies and methods Christian religious education teachers can use to help Sunday school children overcome spiritual crises. Some of the strategies described include the use of interesting Bible stories, interactive and creative teaching, building empathetic relationships with students, and encouraging reflection and application of Christian values in everyday life. Christian religious education teachers must also be able to tactfully face children's questions and doubts, and develop a deep understanding of children's spiritual and developmental needs.
 Through their role, Christian religious education teachers can be role models and sources of inspiration for Sunday school children in strengthening their faith and dealing with spiritual crises. In carrying out their duties, teachers must have a strong commitment to the mission of Christian religious education and pay attention to the social and cultural changes that affect children's lives. This article aims to inform and motivate Christian religious education teachers in carrying out their roles more effectively and relevantly amidst the spiritual crisis of Sunday school children. Through collaborative efforts between the church, parents and the Christian community, it is hoped that Sunday school children can obtain a solid foundation of faith and be able to overcome the spiritual challenges they face in their lives.