Suchergebnisse

Explores the notion of Just Peace, demonstrating the validity of three propositions. First, the implications of religion for the topic are significant & intricate: significant due to religion's vital role in today's international system & vital because religions at times differ in their doctrinal understandings of justice & peace. Second, the concept of Just Peace should be regarded as a rubric, an "umbrella term" that encompasses a host of sub-problems. Third, despite the complexity of the issues at hand, the enduring significance of internationally acknowledged human rights constitute one major unifying theme for the diverse considerations of peace & justice. K. Coddon

When one considers the results of social scientific surveys, secularisation in Germany seems to be a more or less linear process of erosion of what is traditionally named religiosity. The percentage of citizens who affirm that they are "religious", believe in God or otherworldly beings, hope for life after death or participate regularly in the praxis of a religious community has been – by and large – steadily declining for decades. This decline has occurred over the succeeding generations: The younger the generation, the fewer "religious" people in it. But the process of secularisation is apparent not only in this persistent quantitative shrinkage from generation to generation. Above all it also manifests itself – this is the thesis of the article – in the transformation of the habitus formations and contents of faith of the generations.
The essence of ongoing secularisation naturally is reflected most clearly in its contemporary state of development which is represented in the youngest adult generation. Therefore the analysis of this generation is particularly interesting for the sociology of religion. But the article does not confine to analyze this generation. After indicating some basic premises of the sociology of generations and the notion of secularisation presupposed in this paper, the succession of generations in Germany is outlined hypothetically, from the so-called generation of '68 to the youngest adult generation, concluding with some remarks about the progress of secularisation.

Examines the nature & consequences of the multiple interconnections between religions & wars both historically & in the contemporary world, highlighting their geographic dimensions. The function of religions as "cultural systems" & the mutable nature of such systems are described in terms of how they provide the impetus, motivation, or rationale for war. The relationship between geographic context & the religious discourses that fuel war is explored, along with religion's role in the "territorial concerns & spatial strategies of combatants." Also discussed are differences between religiously motivated wars & other types of conflict; linkages between religion, nationalism, ethnicity, & war; wars resulting from secular opposition to religious activities; & the function of religion in the political pursuit of peace. References. K. Hyatt Stewart

"This essay describes the situation of religion in Hong Kong. Particular attention is paid on its social role in the community. Starting in the 19th Century, Hong Kong transformed from a rural region dominated by traditional Chinese culture to a modernized, globalized and value pluralistic society. It also underwent a process of colonization and de-colonization. It is an interesting issue how various types of religion adapt to this rapidly changing social and political environment. The following section introduces the historical background of Hong Kong. Section III provides a brief sketch of the ethical situation of this society. It is intended to set the stage for the analysis of the situation of religion and its social role in the society in sections IV and V. The historic process of de-colonization in the 1980's and the 1990's has big impact on religion. Section VI discusses how various types of religion are affected by this political change and how they respond to it." (author's abstract)

The chapter explores religious orientations & values in the People's Republic of China & Taiwan, identifying both the extent of religiosity & how religious beliefs shape political & economic views. The conclusions are based on responses to survey questions. Religious affiliations are examined, along with the tenets of the religions practiced, & the social, economic, & geographic characteristics of the adherents surveyed. The relation of particular religious orientations to political & economic values is next discussed, with comparisons drawn between Chinese & Taiwanese systems. That religiosity in China is markedly less prevalent than in Taiwan is due perhaps as much to the relative disinterest in religion before communism & the effects of modernization as to differences in the two political systems. 4 Tables, 2 Figures, 1 Appendix, 17 References. K. Coddon

Analyzes the relationship betwen religion & identity in Northern Ireland, drawing on census & polling data & 1992/93 personal experience on the Opsahl Commission, an independent inquiry into ways forward in Northern Ireland. It is shown that the violence since the 1970s has polarized people to a greater extent than ever before. Much of this division is structured in terms of the Protestant & Catholic religions, which provide identity anchors for this conflict. However, it is also found that, in the recent period, polarized identities produced on the basis of religion may be eroding, particularly in the Protestant community. It is suggested that at the bottom of these developments lays the realization that the problems in Northern Ireland can only be resolved from the bottom up by individuals who learn to live & work together. 1 Table, 1 Appendix. D. M. Smith

"What is known in scholarly and political circles as 'globalization' is widely recognized as the wave carrying the world into the next epoch. The sociological weight of academic and political opinion lies with the conviction that globalization is either the solution to endemic problems of economic, political and cultural underdevelopment or at least inevitable. Those holding the latter opinion, the less optimistic, are less sanguine about the prospects for globalization as a panacea for a multitude of social ills, but nonetheless see no realistic alternative in the face of economic, political and cultural processes of such overwhelming force. The latter perception only heightens the tendency to accept globalization as a given and proceed to examine how a given nation can best take advantage of the opportunities it provides. The proponents of globalization have the upper hand in political, economic and cultural spheres, despite the fact that globalization clearly threatens national sovereignty, undermines traditional methods of economic regulation on behalf of the common good, and renders political authority weaker in the face of unprecedented accumulations of private power." (author's abstract)

John Adams' views on religion & politics are explained through the history & provisions of the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution, which Adams in large measure drafted. In a broad sense, Adams upheld as his first principle of political philosophy a balance of the freedom of many private religions with the establishment of one public Christian religion. For him, too little religious freedom is a recipe for hypocrisy & impiety, while too much religious freedom is an invitation to depravity & license. He advocated for a "mild & equitable establishment" of Protestantism. D. Miller