ISLAMIC MODERNITY AND THE CHALLENGES FOR SECULAR LIBERALISM

In his recent book Islam Evolving: Radicalism, Reformation, and the Uneasy Relationship with the Secular West, Taner Edis discusses Islamic responses to the modern world and how the West deals and should deal with them. He argues convincingly that the biggest threat to secular liberalism is not fundamentalism but an Islamic form of modernity. He attributes some of the latter's success to Western neoliberalism and to the failure of secular liberals to come up with persuasive arguments. He thus puts part of the blame on the West. However, although self‐criticism is an essential aspect of a well‐functioning democracy, we should not take it too far. Instead, there exist convincing reasons why a secular liberal society is strongly preferable to a religious conservative one.     

The Quest for ‘Disenchantment’ and the Modernization of Magic

The initial premise of this article is that the lasting influence of nineteenth-century Protestant liberalism on the modern conceptualization of religion has confined our understanding of a variety of traditions to a narrow evolutionary scope in which purer religious forms in line with scientific rationalism are seen as arising out of earlier impure systems akin to magic. The article presents the instrumentality of the Qur'an as an alternative lens through which to acknowledge what has often been labelled as “magic” in Islam. Recognizing that this modern conceptualization of religion has been appropriated as an ideal by Muslim modernist reformists, the article particularly intends to show that, through the use of this alternative analytical instrument, the modernist project of emancipatory “disenchantment” can be viewed as an instance of the modernization of magic just as easily as it can be seen as religious purification, the intention of this exercise being to further problematize our current distinction between religion and magic.     

‘Teshuvah baskets’ in the Israeli teshuvah market

As opposed to the approach that makes a dichotomous distinction between ‘rigid religiosity’ and ‘soft religiosity’, I would like to point to a reality in which these boundaries are blurred. I shall do so by examining the case of the religious revival movement in Israel (the ‘teshuvah movement’), which offers a broad range of teshuvah styles, out of which hozrim beteshuvah (penitents) select ‘teshuvah baskets’, which they fill and pack themselves, according to their own personal preferences. These ‘teshuvah baskets’ are dynamic, in that their owners can fill, empty and modify their contents, while they conduct an ongoing critical ‘market survey’. This dynamism creates a reality, accompanied by a discourse, which continuously blurs the symbolic boundaries separating the various types of religious ‘supply’ sources. It demonstrates how practices and beliefs related to ‘soft religiosity’ are expressed also by those participating in what is generally referred to as ‘rigid religiosity’.     

Creation and humanity: Veli-Matti Kärkäinen's answer to the ultimate question

This article focuses on the third volume of Vel-Matti Kärkkäinen's systematic theology, titled Creation and Humanity. After a brief overview of the volume the article offers some clarification on the tenth chapter, especially on its interaction with paleontology. After that, two constructive observations follow. The first is related to Kärkkäinen's notion of the embeddedness of human nature, and the second is to further employ systems thinking in his constructive work on creation and human evolution.     

SCIENCE AND RELIGION IN NINETEENTH‐CENTURY EUROPE: NON‐ANGLO‐AMERICAN PERSPECTIVES

This is an introduction to the thematic section on “The Historiography of Science and Religion in Europe,” which resulted from a symposium held at the eighth Conference of the European Society for the History of Science, University College London, UK, from September 14–17, 2018. The introduction provides a brief argument for the decentering of science and religion from the Anglo‐American discourse. It concludes by previewing the contributions of the section's essays.     

发展“中医人类学”的必要性与意义

中医人类学不同于惯常的人类学将目光投向“异域”医疗体系与疾病文化的理解,而是借用人类学的基本理念与研究方法,同时接纳中医文化中看待、感受、体悟事物的习惯及方式,以此为基点再去看待其他医学体系的理论与方法,甚至包括所谓“主流”的西医。同时,中医人类学为现代生物医学的话语霸权、中医现代化的取向提供反思性引导;以中医视角批判生物医学的研究,为“中西之争”提供建设性话题,为中医药走出去开辟蹊径;并尝试以中医视角对其他医学体系进行研究,为传统医疗体系的发展开拓多元化道路。     

Sustaining our Spirits: Spiritual Study/Discussion Groups For Coping with Medical Illness

Illness is a universal experience that evokes a range of difficult emotions and tough spiritual questions, often without satisfying answers. Illness can be alienating and isolating. Sustaining ones spirits and preserving identity in the face of illness is a challenge for patients, family members, and caregivers. This paper introduces Spiritual study/discussion groups to strengthen patients perceived coping with illness. The groups introduce a spiritual perspective, provide emotional support, and offer a variety of spiritual coping tools, utilizing traditional and contemporary resources. Preliminary evaluations suggest that a healing time and space is created through the provision of comfort, connection, support, and inspiration.     

Reflections on Religion and Health Research: An Interview with Dr. Harold G. Koenig

In this interview renowned researcher Harold G. Koenig, MD, MHSc shares his perspective on religion and health research, drawing from his experiences as a researcher, educator and practitioner. Throughout the interview, he highlights significant advances and discusses the gaps and potential weaknesses in the current body of religion and health literature. He also outlines recommendations for the continued advancement of religion and health research. Guidelines are given to guide new investigators interested in becoming religion and health researchers.