Religion,Human Rights,and Neo‐liberalism in a Post‐Humanist Era

In a modern and secularized world, churches and religious groups that fight in the public sphere for social justice justify these actions in the name of defending human rights. This has been the path taken to express in non‐religious language what they understand to be a God‐given mission. Based on the distinction between civil rights, political rights, and social rights, which make up the set of human rights, this article analyzes the relationship between the notion of religious mission and the struggle for human rights; how neoliberal ideology, in an anti‐humanist perspective, criticizes the notion of social rights and social justice with the denial of any human right above the laws of the market; and the challenges that this neoliberal ideology poses for the justification of the social and political action of religious groups and institutions in the contemporary globalized world with a growing post/anti‐humanist culture.     

马克思主义宗教观和新时代宗教学

发展新时代中国宗教学,首先要把马克思主义宗教观坚持好、维护好、研究好、运用好,这是我国宗教学研究的根本任务;其次要彻底打破“马克思主义只有宗教观没有宗教学、只有西方才有宗教学”的神话,把马克思恩格斯开创的运用辩证唯物主义和历史唯物主义科学世界观和方法论进行的宗教研究作为新时代中国宗教学的正统;三是要加强对西方宗教学的研究但不能盲信照搬,要用马克思主义立场观点方法进行科学分析,取其精华、去其糟粕;最后,马克思主义宗教学既要坚持开展理论研究,又要关注现实、研究问题,追求为用立学、学以致用。     

Embodying Learning: Post‐Cartesian Pedagogy and the Academic Study of Religion

This paper explores the concept and practice of “embodied pedagogy” as an alternative to the Cartesian approach to knowledge that is tacitly embedded in traditional modes of teaching and learning about religion. My analysis highlights a class I co‐teach that combines the study of Aikido (a Japanese martial art) with seminar‐style discussions of texts that explore issues pertaining to embodiment in the context of diverse spiritual traditions. The physicality of Aikido training makes it an interesting “case study” of embodied pedagogy and the lessons it offers both teachers and students about the academic study of religion. Ultimately, the questions and insights this class generates illustrate how post‐Cartesian pedagogies can expose, challenge, and correct epistemological assumptions that contribute to one‐dimensional views of religion and that fail to address our students as whole persons. A final part of the paper considers other possible venues for embodying teaching and learning in the academic study of religion.     

撒哈拉南部非洲的若干新兴宗教运动

近几年来 ,非洲大陆新兴宗教运动的增多 ,以及个人在信仰中寻求新的意义 ,引起宗教专家们关注。但是 ,对于“宗教热”的意义的这种种解释产生了许多疑问 ,特别是在宗教“创新”的意义和影响问题上。其实大可不必咬文嚼字 ,这种宗教“创新”应该主要从横向的和纵向的两种信仰融合形式来解读 :首先 ,就其横向的形式而言 ,这种宗教创新一方面应看做是非洲各种传统宗教通过同起源于西方或者亚洲的宗教的和平的或者暴力的冲撞 ,所产生的不断革新 ;正是这样的冲撞导致了形形色色的新传统主义、先知主义和独立教会的诞生。我们将从一些先知派宗教的…     

New Religious Movements in Global Perspective: Views from the Mainstream

Books reviewed in this article:
John A. Saliba, Geoffrey Chapman, Christian Responses to the New Age Movement: A Critical Assessment
Bryan Wilson and Jamie Cresswell (eds), New Religious Movements: Challenge and Response     

Measuring and Reducing Religious Bias in Post‐Conflict Zones: Evidence from Côte d'Ivoire

This article explores how religious bias, once it has been cultivated through politicization and violence, can be reduced. Using foundations from social identity theory and superordinate goal theory, I develop post‐conflict bias reduction strategies that include competing types of superordinate messages, economic and theological, as well as different sources of those messages. To test these strategies, I use video‐based information treatments coupled with Implicit Association Tests in Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire. The experimental findings point to three conclusions. First, implicit Muslim‐Christian bias in the study area remains high. Second, Christians in the study tend to be more biased against Muslims than Muslims are against Christians. Third, the effectiveness of treatments depends on the subjects who receive those treatments: theological messages are most effective in reducing bias among Muslims, regardless of their source, and strategies that rely on political leaders to deliver messages perform best among Christians, regardless of the content.     

Responses to the AAR‐Teagle White Paper: “The Religious Studies Major in a Post‐9/11 World”

In October 2008 The American Academy of Religion published the findings of an eighteen month study (conducted with funding from the Teagle Foundation) on “The Religious Studies Major in a Post–9/11World: New Challenges, New Opportunities.” Re‐published here, this AAR‐Teagle White Paper provides the opportunity for four respondents to raise issues and questions about the teaching of religion in their own institutional contexts. First, Jane Webster describes how the White Paper's “five characteristics of the religion major” find expression in her biblical literature course. Then James Buckley suggests some of the general level teaching issues provoked by the study and analyzes how well the White Paper aligns with how the teaching of religion is conceived in his Catholic university context. Tim Jensen draws comparisons between the White Paper and the higher education structures and goals from his university context in Denmark, raising questions about what motivates students to major in religious studies, the “utility” of a religious studies major, and whether students' religious and spiritual concerns ought to enter the classroom. And finally Stacey Floyd‐Thomas finds surprising similarities between the state of the religion major and the various crises facing contemporary North American theological education.     

增强人才培养能力夯实佛教中国化人才基础

党的十八大以来,中国佛教协会认真学习贯彻习近平总书记关于宗教工作的重要论述,始终把加强人才培养作为中佛协工作的重中之重,围绕提高佛教教职人员综合素质、为坚持佛教中国化方向提供有力人才保障的中心任务,开展了以下工作:一是健全工作机构,完善工作机制.设立教育培训部,重视发挥理事会佛教教育委员会的作用,建立全国佛教院校联席会...     

全面贯彻新时代党的宗教工作理论和方针政策 学习贯彻全国宗教工作会议精神专题之二

习近平总书记在2021年全国宗教工作会议上的重要讲话,明确了做好新时代宗教工作的指导思想、战略目标、重点任务和政策举措,是做好新时代宗教工作的总纲要。今年本刊专题将围绕习近平总书记提出的"三个全面""九个必须"来约请党政队伍、宗教界代表人士队伍、宗教学研究队伍的有关人士,就深入学习贯彻落实全国宗教工作会议精神进行笔谈,以推动会议精神贯彻走深走实。本期专题围绕"全面贯彻新时代党的宗教工作理论和方针政策"的主题展开。     

Angels and the Dragon King's Daughter: Gender,Sexuality in Western Buddhist New Religious Movements

Abstract

Through colonialism and globalization, Buddhism has developed an increasing profile in the West. This can be observed within popular culture as well as the presence of Buddhist practitioners from a range of ethnicities of whom a significant number are converts. This presence has led to the development of Buddhist new religious movements (NRMs). We first outline interpretations of gender and sexuality that have arisen within Buddhist traditions. Then, using Linda Woodhead's (2007) model that theorises religion's positioning with respect to gender, we discuss gender norms that have developed for two of the largest Buddhist NRMs in the UK: the Triratna Buddhist Community (TBC, formerly the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order, FWBO) and the Nichiren group Sōka-Gakkai International-UK (SGI-UK). Through examining new empirical data, we explore how their gender norms are negotiated by members. We note that within these movements, women, queer people and people of colour are creating provisional spaces that challenge attempts to hegemonize hetero-patriarchal perspectives.     

毛泽东时代的庆祝游行：中国五十年代的国家景观

中华人民共和国的政治性的庆祝游行是-个内容丰富而驳杂的文化主题,于此,史家可以更深入地理解中国共产党的性质及其政策.中国共产党的国家景观,其中首推二十世纪五十年代天安门广场举行的五一节和国庆节(10月1日)庆祝活动,都是精心组织并有着多重目的的政治仪式:既是打破旧秩序、迎接社会主义新时代的反传统的节日,也是对中国共产党权威的合法化,又是共产主义领导下无数成就的展示,亦是对中国现代革命史上毛泽东中心地位的肯定,同时还宣告着中国在国际社会主义阵营中的存在.尽管受到苏联的影响,这些庆祝游行还是表现出浓重的民族风格.它们也反映了一个国家正在经历着的政治上和经济上的变化.最终,毛泽东和其他党内高层领导,同时充当着演员和导演,小心翼翼地控制和编排游行者的动作,让作为观众的游行者们在天安门广场上对党和党的主席所取得的成就大加赞颂.