重释“宗教”:史密斯对于宗教概念的消解

史密斯质疑宗教概念的普遍有效性,从词源学和观念史角度对宗教的含义及其变迁作了历史考察,指出它不过是西方近代文明的一个产物,并不适合解释其他文明的生活传统,主张用信仰和累积的传统两个独立的概念取而代之。依据这一概念框架来解释儒家传统会消除一些困难。     

The Matter of Religion and Science: Response to Huston Smith

Huston Smith's Why Religion Matters is the culminating reflections of one of the most respected religion scholars of our day. In this work, Smith sees modern society to be in the midst of a spiritual crisis. According to Smith, this crisis has been brought about by the advance of science and the inroads into what Smith calls the traditional worldview. While Smith's work is of some importance, I believe that several of its fundamental claims are mistaken. Smith often does not accurately portray the content of science and frequently conflates the actual practice of science with philosophical scientism. Smith wrongly blames science alone for the decline of religion among Western elites. His claim that all religions can be equivocally described in terms of the traditional worldview is also problematic. Despite this, Smith does have a clear conception of what the issues are in the relation between science and religion. It is my hope that these issues will continue to be taken seriously.     

D.Z. Philips (ed.), Religion and Morality

International Journal for Philosophy of Religion -     

Religion in Meaning Making and Boundary Work: Theoretical Explorations

Based on the articles brought together for this special issue, this article proposes a transversal analysis and theoretical elaboration of the question of the uses of religious elements for meaning making and boundary work. In order to do so, we will first propose a sociocultural psychological perspective to examine meaning making dynamics. Second, we will apply a boundary work perspective, as recently developed in the social sciences, on the organization of religious differences. The first considers religious elements as resources that can be used by people to orient themselves in time and the social space, to interpret and guide action, and to create new forms of life. The second approach proposes an analysis of uses of religious stuff in order to understand how boundaries between groups are created, transgressed or dissolved as well as to explore the link between religion and power. Our argument is that the articulation of these two approaches can itself offer a rich theoretical frame to apprehend religions in contemporary society.     

The Role of Religion in the Work Lives and Coping Strategies of Ugandan Nurses

Nursing in Uganda is a highly stressful, underpaid profession, leading to worrisome attrition levels; yet some nurses do manage to stay on the job and thrive. This study explored the ways in which religion influences the work lives and coping strategies of Ugandan nurses who thrive despite job stress. Participants were 15 female nurses working in faith-based and non-faith-based facilities in Uganda. The nurses were all actively religious people, a fact not known at the time they were recruited. All the nurses revealed that religious values affected their performance positively, enabling them to find meaning even in the face of adversity.     

云南旅游业与民族宗教工作

云南地处中国西南边　，是一个多民族、多宗教的省份。全省有５２个民族成份，其中人口在５０００人以上的世居少数民族有２５个，是全国少数民族种类最多的省份。其特点包括有云南特有的少数民族１５个，跨境而居的少数民族１６个，有８个自治州、２９个自治县、１９７个民族乡，并在全省范围形成了“大杂居、小聚居”的复杂格局。云南亦为五大宗教俱全的省份，其中佛教三大部派集于一省乃云南所独有。其信教群众多集中在民族地区、边疆地区和贫困地区，亦形成云南宗教发展之特色。由此可见，民族、宗教之交织共在构成了云南省经济发展中的…     

D. Z. Phillips and Timothy Tessin (eds.), Philosophy of Religion in the 21st Century

International Journal for Philosophy of Religion -