Is There a Korean Contribution to U.S. Pastoral Theology?

South Korea is a unique convergence of eastern and western religious traditions: 30% of South Koreans call themselves Christian, 30% Buddhist, and everyone is strongly influenced by the active traditions of Confucianism and Shamanism. Based on 8 months of research in South Korea, this paper explores three perspectives on the relationship of Christianity to traditional Asian religions: 1) Is Christianity saving Korean spirituality from the failures of Confucianism, Buddhism and Shamanism? 2) Is Christianity destroying Korean spirituality because of its connections with modernism and its rejection of historic Korean religions? 3) Is a deeper Korean spirituality transforming both Christianity and Asian religions into something that will help the world heal from the contradictions of modernism?     

Shaping Teachers' Interpretation of Spirituality: The Contribution of Anglican and Free Church Colleges in England and Wales

A sample of 298 primary-school teachers working within the state-maintained sector in England completed a 150-item questionnaire to assess their understanding of the term “spirituality.” The data demonstrate that after controlling for sex, age, personality, and current religiosity, teachers trained in an Anglican or Free Church College were more likely than teachers trained in secular institutions to interpret the educational construct of spirituality in terms of traditional features of Christianity. There is some evidence for the distinctive religious contribution of Church Colleges to teacher education.     

Post‐Christian spiritualities

This article examines the rise of post‐Christian spiritualities in the last three decades. Attention is first given to feminist versions of such spirituality (popular as well as academic), since these seem to be amongst the earliest and most influential forms of post‐Christian spirituality. It is then argued that very similar forms of spirituality are found within contemporary Christianity, and that all are forms of what is identified as ‘the New Spirituality’. The features, origins and influence of this New Spirituality are examined, and its relation to traditional Christianity, the New Age, modernity and post‐modernity briefly assessed.     

Wrestling with a Wounding Word: Reading the Disjointed Lines of African American Spirituality

This essay examines African American spirituality as a complex web of arguments constituted by and shaped around a struggle with Christianity. With these arguments, this essay examines the dominant way in which Afro-American spirituality is defined, along the lines of an essential African reality. This definition is shown to be a part of the struggle against Christianity. The positing of this essentialist definition is also a form of spiritual practice which points to a deep longing for freedom from the continuing power of the colonialist's theologically derogatory vision of the African. However the effect of this definition is to render all Christian articulation and expression of the African transparent, pointing always and only to their blackness. Thus Afro-spirituality as it is commonly articulated re-establishes the colonialist vision of the African as always presenting a theological alterity, an inauthentic Christian.     

A Primer on Celtic Spirituality With Recommendations for Counseling Practice

Research suggests that expressions of Celtic spirituality are widespread among the U.S. populace (e.g., Pew Research Center, 2014; Sullivan, 2016). Adherents vary in their commitment levels, ranging from informal cultural participants to followers of structured forms of the faith tradition (e.g., Celtic Christianity, Wicca, Paganism). The counseling literature provides scant information on this movement and germane approaches to support clients who identify with this spirituality. To respond to this deficiency, we address the topic by contextualizing Celtic spirituality from definitional, historical, and thematic perspectives. Next, we consider implications for spiritually sensitive counseling practice. We include a case study, exemplifying potential adaptive counseling processes and interventions.     

Embodied spirituality

This article explores the concept of embodied spirituality from early Celtic traditions through the British medieval mystic Julian of Norwich to the present day. A ‘high theology’ of the body in early Christianity and early Christian understandings of the relation among body, soul and spirit gave way to the influences of Greek thought with its bifurcation of spirit and matter and St. Augustine’s notion of Original Sin, leading to an implicit (and often explicit) emphasis on ‘dis-embodied spirituality’ in Western Christianity. This separation of the spirit from the body has affected much of Western and Middle-European cultures for centuries. Research from multidisciplinary perspectives provides insights into the role of the emotions in body–spirit connections; the interplay of body, soul and spirit is discussed from various spiritual traditions. Finally, children’s embodied spirituality is viewed in light of these various insights and understandings.     

The Progression and regression of slave morality in Nietzsche's Genealogy: The moralization of bad conscience and indebtedness

With the advent of slave morality and the belief system it entails, human beings alone begin to advance to a level beyond that of simple, brute, animal nature. While Christianity and its belief system generate a progression, however, allowing human beings to become interesting for the first time, Nietzsche also maintains in the Genealogy that slave morality is a regression, somehow lowering or bringing them down from a possible higher level. In this paper I will argue that this is not a mere inconsistency in Nietzsche's writing, but is instead an important clue to a correct interpretation of the Genealogy.     

The Progression and regression of slave morality in Nietzsche''s Genealogy: The moralization of bad conscience and indebtedness

With the advent of slave morality and the belief system it entails, human beings alone begin to advance to a level beyond that of simple, brute, animal nature. While Christianity and its belief system generate a progression, however, allowing human beings to become interesting for the first time, Nietzsche also maintains in the Genealogy that slave morality is a regression, somehow lowering or bringing them down from a possible higher level. In this paper I will argue that this is not a mere inconsistency in Nietzsche's writing, but is instead an important clue to a correct interpretation of the Genealogy.     

“I Saw a Peach Tree in Full Bloom”: Transformative Spirituality and Mission in an Interreligious Context

The crisis in Sri Lanka, which is rooted in the politics of ethnicity and reached a new stage in May 2009 when the government forces militarily defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels, forms the backdrop to this article. Transformative spirituality in this context is demonstrated in the strong bond of friendship between the author, a Sri Lankan Sinhalese, and a colleague who is a Sri Lankan Tamil. The article draws upon four principles of transformative spirituality in the interreligious context articulated by Sri Lankan Jesuit priest Aloysius Pieris. First, it must take the context seriously, which, in the Sri Lankan context means its grinding poverty and its rich religious diversity, to which must now be added the devastating war that has just concluded. Second, robust interreligious dialogue requires that Christians look beyond typologies such as exclusivism, inclusivism and pluralism, and engage other religious traditions on their own terms. Third, unless religions engage with the other core‐to‐core, rather than engage the kernel of Christianity with the husk of Buddhism, there cannot be genuine transformative spirituality. Fourth, transformative spirituality is only possible when the core of Christianity meets the core of Buddhism in the praxis of liberation. Acknowledging that dialogue never engages only the participants' religious identity, but engages the other as a whole person with multiple identities, the article applies Pieris' interreligious dialogue principles to conflictual ethnic relations seeking to provide dialogue as a model for other types of reconciliation.     

Transformative Spirituality for a Transformed World: Contributions from the Indigenous Perspective

A Transformative Spirituality from the perspective of indigenous peoples should be rooted in the life experience, cultural values and spirituality of the indigenous peoples. From the identity and history of the indigenous relationship with Christianity, the article presents some experiences and voices of indigenous peoples and concludes with some suggestions to think about the theme. In this perspective Transformative Spirituality is a proposal of an alternative way of life to the current one which is marked by financial crisis and hopelessness in the face of the future. Pachamama as the Mother Earth, origin and end of life, is the main symbol of this spirituality.     

Toward Common Ground: Catholicism and Pentecostalism in African Christianity

After reviewing the great appeal of Pentecostal/charismatic spirituality as a religious phenomenon that has come to stay on the tapestry of the pastoral ecology of African Christianity, this article suggests a more dynamic and practical interface and collaboration with these movements by the Catholic Church in Africa, using the Vatican Council's embrace of ecumenism and dialogue.     

Self‐esteem mediates the relationship between spirituality and subjective well‐being in Iran

Self‐esteem appears to play a central role in the spiritual life and ethical behaviour of the typical Iranian. For example, for many Iranians, humankind is believed to be the crown of creation, and each person is believed to be individually valued by God. Previous empirical studies also indicate that in Iran spirituality is positively associated with self‐esteem. On this basis, it was hypothesised that self‐esteem would be one of the mechanisms through which spirituality leads to increased mental well‐being. Mediation analysis showed that self‐esteem was a partial mediator of the spirituality–well‐being relationship. Moreover, results of moderated mediation analysis revealed that this mediation was not significantly moderated by gender, and that the indirect path through self‐esteem was significant in both genders. Implications of the results and their relevance to other western and eastern religions (e.g. Christianity and Buddhism) are discussed.     

Christianity and Feminism: Do they need each other?

Abstract

This article presents personal reflections on the relationship between Christianity and feminism. It argues that Christian ideas have influenced the historical development of feminism, and that there exists a continuing affinity between some debates of the contemporary secular women's movement and those of committed Christian feminists. It presents an historical example front the nineteenth century which shows how Christian and early feminist ideas were combined in the work of Florence Nightingale. It then discusses the global empowerment of women in relation to the challenge and opportunity this poses for the Christian churches, and reflects on the wisdom of women as an important source for Christian renewal. The article argues that Christianity and feminism both challenge and need each other for mutual transformation. Without a rightly understood feminism Christianity will not remain true to its own nature and, without Christianity or rather without religion and spirituality, feminism will lack an essential source of empowerment. It also raises the question of what difference the participation of women will make to the future of Christian theology.     

Western Theology in Africa: Christian Mission in the Light of the Undermining of Scientific Hegemony

Comprehension of the Old Testament in indigenous African Christianity can draw deeply on, confirm, and uphold tribal traditions designed to prevent death, calamity, and infertility. Deep spirituality demonstrated in such comprehension contrasts with “remnant spirituality” in the West. Western people's awareness of their own religious underpinnings has lapsed. As a result, how well are Western Christians able to engage with holistic African communities? Holistic or integral mission can fall short through being a holistic means of introducing dualism. This article questions the legitimacy of science's intrusion on the Christian faith, and draws practical implications for the Western mission enterprise, such as the fact that it generates dependency.     

宗教身份与罗马人格法

宗教身份是指某宗教团体(派别)及其信徒在世俗社会中所处的地位。在基督教传入罗马前,各宗教间保持着和平共处的态势。其时,拥有某宗教身份不会影响人们的法律地位。但随着基督教的出现,这种情况改变了。帝政初期,他教信仰者因憎恶基督徒而对其迫害。因基督教身份,基督徒或被剥夺市民身份降为外邦人;或被剥夺自由身份降为奴隶。此时,宗教身份是人格变更的因素。而当基督教成为帝国国教时,信仰正统的基督教则成为完整人格的构成要素。凡信仰正统基督教则享有完整的权利能力;反之则具体权利能力受限,但不会导致身份的剥夺。     

Asian Pentecostalism: a religion whose only limit is the sky

The study surveys the current growth of Pentecostal Christianity, as defined broadly, in Asia, particularly in comparison with Latin America and Africa, predicting that the future growth is expected to be exponential. In a brief historical survey, the continent is divided into four categories depending on the beginning and development of Pentecostal Christianity: Pre‐Azusa Revivals; Azusa Missionaries; New Pentecostal churches; and ‘None of the above.’ The study concludes with the discussion of four unique characteristics of Asian Pentecostalism: the movement in the context of suffering; the charismatic nature of the church as demonstrated by some Asian churches; explosive church growth among Pentecostal churches; and the emergence of strong Pentecostal scholarship in Asia. The author presents the bright future for Asian Pentecostal Christianity, but also raises a warning signal for the healthy development of its spirituality and theology.     

A return to the roots: Conversion and the culture of the Mexican-descent Catholic

Conversion within the Mexican-descent, Catholic community of the United States is a reinforcement of existing values through a recommitment to the worldview of this people by means of an explicit, personal and public retrieval of its kinetics achieved by an innovative adaptation of its formal themes. Three rites of this community's popular spirituality are analyzed in order to discern the crisis in each context of culture, Christianity, and the world which may occasion conversion.Kenneth Davis is working with the Hispanic team of the staff of the International Office of RENEW. He has recently been inducted into the Academy of Hispanic Catholic Theologians of the United States (AHCTUS).     

Sex Reassignment Technology: The Dilemma of Transsexuals in Islam and Christianity

The birth of people with confused or ambiguous sex makeup as a biological fact since the annals of history has posed the challenge of accommodating them within the binary gender of sociocultural systems. In this process, the role of religion as a defining factor in social engineering has been paramount. Major religions, such as Islam and Christianity, have addressed this issue within the frame of their God-ordained laws by devising a set of moral and legal imperatives specific to the “third gender.” Modern developments in medicine and biology, however, have made sex reassignment possible for this category of people, today called transsexuals. The question is: How do Islam and Christianity respond to it. After presenting an analytical view of both Muslim scholars and Christian religious authorities on the legitimacy of sex reassignment for transsexuals, this paper attempts to explore if such a dilemma can be resolved.     

Learning from experience: The value of analysing Avalon

In this article some of the experiences and insights gained from roughly fifteen years of conducting a long term study of Glastonbury are examined. Glastonbury, a small town in the south west of England, has become a multivalent pilgrimage site for a variety of spiritual seekers, and an icon of integrative spirituality (my preferred term for ‘alternative’ or ‘New Age’ spirituality).The concept of vernacular religion is explained, and its appropriateness in relation to both place-centred study and research into integrative spirituality is demonstrated. The rationale and some of the methodological complexities underlying this type of study are explored, and some of the trends and phenomena that the long term observation of one location has revealed are considered. The contextual detail and depth of knowledge gained from such long term study feed into an appreciation of both the internal dynamics of Christianity in Glastonbury, for example, and the growing institutionalisation of the Glastonbury Goddess movement and the spread of its influence through a variety of conduits. The role of the internet in framing expectations and presentations of Glastonbury is examined, and research relating to its unique spiritual service industry is briefly summarised.While Glastonbury is by no means ‘typical’, it is indicative of a number of trends in relation to ‘integrative’ spirituality and therefore lessons learned from there can have wider implications for the study of phenomena increasingly common in the contemporary milieu.     

My Soul to Take: A Phenomenology of the Struggle for an Authentic Gay Spirituality

This phenomenological study explored the “coming‐out” experience of 7 gay men who were significantly influenced by conservative Christianity in their formative years and who are living as “out” gay men. Four commonalities were revealed in their experience of this phenomenon: (a) a realization and acceptance of their gay identity, (b) a reckoning that action was required, (c) a rejection of the oppressive religious authority in their lives, and (d) a reorientation in their pursuit of a healthy spirituality. The study includes a review of the relevant literature and recommendations to counselors in addressing the unique needs of spiritually oriented lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning individuals.