Search results

Religion and state must be separated for neither will prosper while mullahs govern. Excerpts from a lecture first printed In Kiyan, 'a monthly journal In the field of philosophy and religion', November 1995

An ethical mapping of the transatlantic slave trade / Katie G. Cannon, United States -- Feminization of poverty across Pan-African societies : The Church's response; alleviative or emancipatory? / Barbara Bailey, Jamaica -- The informal economy and the religion of global capital / Takatso A. Mofokeng, South Africa -- A theological perspective on the effects of globalization on poverty in Pan-African -- Contexts / Lewin L. Williams, Jamaica -- African traditional religion and the concept of poverty / Elizabeth Amoah, Ghana -- Religion and poverty : ritual and empowerment in Africa and the African diaspora / Linda E. Thomas and Dwight N. Hopkins, United States -- The Bible and poverty in African Pentecostal Christianity : The Bosadi (Womanhood) approach / Madipoane Masenya, South Africa -- The struggle for full humanity in poverty-stricken Kenya / Nyambura J. Njoroge, Kenya and Geneva -- Poverty among African people and the ambiguous role of Christian thought / Kossi A. Ayedze, Togo -- Religion and materiality : the case of poverty alleviation / Esther M. Mombo, Kenya -- Warm bodies, cold currency : a study of religion's response to poverty / Anthony B. Pinn, United States -- Nyerere on Ujamaa and Christianity as transforming forces in society / Laurenti Magesa, Tanzania -- Caribbean issues : the Caribbean and African American Churches' response / Noel Leo Erskine, Jamaica and United States -- Africa's poverty, human rights, and a just society / Simeon O. Ilesanmi, Nigeria and United States -- Self-initiation : a necessary principle in the African struggle to abolish poverty / Peter J. Paris, Canada and United States

The basic question that this paper tries to answer is, is it possible for the values of different ?often contending- religions in a single country to be the basis for the nationhood? Or, can the values of a single religion in a country where different religions exist be the basis of the state? The answer that this paper propagates is certainly no. But another question arises. What then the values ?assuming that values are a must in a society or country as a term of moral reference- that must be adopted by all? It is toward answering this question that this paper is aimed at. It argues that religious values are universal and meaningful for human kind. They can serve as the basis for human benefit and well-being. But these values ?often originated from different religions- must not only be accommodated but also be reconciled. And the reconciling concept cannot be a religion, for that would mean that we support one religion at the expense of others. Hence this paper proposes that what has commonly been known a civil religion be the common ground -the sacred canopy as it were- in which various religious values can be integrated. It is in other words, the integrating mechanism for different religious values, which in turn can bring the social and political harmony for all citizens. The paper will discuss particularly this notion by referring to the concept of the Nahdhatul Ulama (NU) on nationhood and national identity.

Überall ist Religion. Auch religiöse Zeichen müssen als kulturelle Erscheinungen untersucht und beschrieben werden. Denn Religion ist nicht streng begrenzt auf das Religionssystem Kirche, sondern Menschen erfahren Religion durch Kunst und Kommunikationsdesign der Werbung, durch Wissenschaftsethiken und Untenehmenskulturen, durch Rechtsethiken und Bildungsgrogramme oder durch Politik und Unterhaltungskultur. Die Praktische Theologie befindet sich daher in einer doppelten wissenschaftlichen Bindung. Auf der einen Seite muss sie der kirchlichen Praxis helfen, deren religiöse Kommunikation in den Alltag zu übersetzen. Auf der anderen Seite kann und muss sie anderen Kulturwissenschaften Hilfen zu theologischen Deutungen der eigenen Arbeit anbieten.Dieser doppelten Aufgabe fühlt sich die Reihe verpflichtet. Sie wird neben Arbeiten zur Musik, zu Film und Theater u.a. grundsätzliche Beiträge zum Verhältnis von Praktischer Thologie und Kultur sowie historische Untersuchungen zu pluralen Sinnkulturen umfassen.

From the Englightenment to the middle of the 19th century, geological time and the antiquity of human beings received ever growing attention. This was caused by a series of events, such as: *the beginnings of experimentation in Geology (Buffon, 1778) *the development of the transformism (Lamarck, 1809) *the recognition and description of extinct animals (Cuvier, 1812) *as well as the studies made in alluvial deposits, caves and gravel beds, with brought to light artefacts, human rest and bone of extinguished animals (from John Frere, 1797, to Albert Gaudry, 1859). The development towards evolutionism (Darwin, 1859) came gradually. In Spain, all these currents found their echo: Spain, e.g. was the third country where the Palaeolithic remains were discovered (Verneuil and Lartet, 1863). Also the Darwin ideas were introduced forcefully, right from the beginning. But the change in worldview, which was prerequisite to these ideas, lead to polemic controversies in the political and religious realm. The most significant evidence was the official prohibition of the teaching Darwinism in public educational centres (1875). At theological level, thanks to the advance of the geologic knowledge, went leaving the literal interpretations of Biblical texts was eventually discontinued and replaced by more liberal interpretation. In some case, the process was difficult because some political, religious and scientific authors and researchers didn't understand the new scientific ideas.