Political Dynamics (Asynchronous Session)
“Spirit of Capitalism” and Spiritual Potential View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Dušan Kučera
The conceptual study introduces the philosophical and spiritual perspective of economic thinking, focused on business and management environment. Its outlook grows initially from a critical evaluation of Weber’s theses of the spirit of capitalism, which is justified by the Protestant ethic and is further deepened by a philosophical approach to the meaning of business and management in the context of economic thinking and acting. The author uses this concept and concentrates on a spiritual or even religious view that is neglected in the entrepreneurship and management, especially in the transformational countries of Central and East Europe. However, the management of private or state organizations and companies itself was in the West born in a unique spiritual environment and lives in a particular spiritual and value-oriented background. The spiritual intelligence belongs today to the fourth acknowledged intelligence (besides the logical, social, and emotional ones) and allows the application of theoretical assumptions into the managerial practice. Finally, the study elaborates its practical application in business and management in the West and East. Listed spiritual potentials are an impulse for business schools and executive education, coaching, and mentoring for every day managerial responsibility or long-term strategy.
Guru Politics: Conflict Escalation and Resolution in India View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Aavriti Gautam
This paper explores how popular Hindu religious beliefs and practices are communicated and mobilised by Gurus (Hindu religious and spiritual leaders) to play a significant role in conflict escalation and resolution in India. Gurus play a crucial, yet rarely acknowledged, role; both as part of a wider Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) agenda, and as part of a peacebuilding initiative. An exploration of “Guru politics” reveals the dynamic relationship between religious and political spaces in India, particularly, its role in conflict escalation and resolution. The discussion in this paper are on three types of gurus: (1) The Catalyst: Baba Ramdev and Sadhvi Pragya who escalate conflict by disseminating somatic nationalism and Hindu nationalism; (2) The Inhibitor: Swami Agnivesh, who resolves conflicts through multi-faith movements; (3) The Paradoxical: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who resolves conflicts through the Gandhian approach of non-violence but also covertly escalates conflict. This paper concludes that the religious and political sphere remain intimately connected in India, and this connection can be clearly witnessed in the continued participation of gurus in the political sphere. It further concludes that the involvement of gurus in manifesting reactive co-radicalisation is on the rise and that the government’s support is crucial in accomplishing peace processes in India.
Sexual Activities among Religious Christian Singles in Gombe Metropolis View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Adewale, Olukayode Ogunrinade
While churches are known as citadels of spirituality and morality, usually, it is assumed that religious Christian singles rarely engage in sexual activities. However, it appears this may be imaginary. This study examined some indulgences of singles towards sexual activities in selected churches in Gombe Metropolis vis-à-vis how they perceived and became involved. One hundred and eighty copies of a questionnaire were distributed (60 each) among the singles in three church denominations selected purposively namely: Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Mainline. Oral interviews where possible were conducted. Data was subjected to content and simple descriptive analyses. Four indulgences were indentified namely: attractiveness, social and mass media, premarital sex, and clothing. About attraction, singles get noticed through appearance, voice, accents, gesticulation, walk, and cosmetics. About mass and social media, they engaged in sharing photos, videos, making friends, learning, identifying likes and dislikes, exchanging and tracing contacts. Others include watching sexual television contents and pornography to douse their “inordinate sexual interests.” Some singles consider intercourse abominable while others indulged in protected sex to avoid diseases and pregnancies. Others who practice non-penetrative sex feel it is not unscriptural and safer. Lastly, clothing made from plain, ornamented and multicolored fabrics, customized into tight, skimpy, fitted or flowing attires, designed with lace or net transparency induce singles towards friendship. They consider flowing dresses as old fashioned while fitted ones are voguish. Sexual activities take place among Christian singles and the church needs not deny, fear, or ignore but should face it squarely. This is the “new normal”.
Spirituality of Resistance and Planetary Liberation from a Hong Kong Christian Perspective View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Bryan K. M. Mok
Hong Kong has been experiencing a difficult time since 2019 due to the anti-extradition movement and the imposition of the National Security Law. The movement has grown from a simple demonstration against a bill to a full resistance to political domination. It testifies that the people will make a way by themselves when there is no way. The song “Glory to Hong Kong” also symbolizes a spirituality of resistance that transforms anger and doubts into faith and hope of liberation. This paper argues that this spirituality of resistance is essential not only to the fight for political freedom but also to the struggle against environmental degradation. By employing liberation theology as a tool of analysis, it illustrates that the practice of political resistance against an authoritative and dominating regime leads to the contemplation of the depth of reality that calls for our solidarity with the oppressed. Amid climate change and destruction of ecosystems, this underlying spirituality of the movement to liberate Hong Kong also constitutes a foundation for planetary liberation. In the light of Orthodox theologian John Zizioulas, the demonstrators in Hong Kong can be seen collectively as a priest who brings the wounded planet to the face of the ultimate mystery. This serves as a spiritual ground for ecological actions that commit to both human and planetary well-being.
Islam and Muslims in the Work of Meiji Period Christian Thinkers View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session James Morris
This paper explores Christian-Muslim relations in Meiji Period (1868-1912) Japan by focusing on the descriptions and evaluations of Muslims and Islam by contemporary Christian writers. Meiji period Christian thought vis-a-vis Muslims and Islam was influenced by European scholarship, which had come to view Mohammad as a great historical figure and Islam as a potential ally to Christianity. Nevertheless, Christian reflections on Islam in Meiji Japan were also influenced by Japanese understandings that both the Japanese and Muslims (Turks, Arabs etc.) were linked by their Asianness. The paper explores the roles that these influences had on Christian-Muslim relations as seen in the work of Kanzō Uchimura, Gorō Takahashi, and Zanka Togawa amongst others.
International and National Policy and Social Views in the Field of Religious Freedom in Prisons: The Polish Perspective View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Olga Sitarz, Jakub Hanc, Anna Jaworska Wieloch
The execution of the penalty of imprisonment generates many problems (axiological, organizational, financial) which must be solved by each state. Simultaneously, the penalty of imprisonment arouses many social emotions, both in terms of the conditions for its execution and the scope of restrictions related to it. One such area that collects all these issues is he religious freedom of persons deprived of their liberty. This type of freedom is of particular importance both in multicultural societies as well as those with a homogeneous religious structure. The purpose of our study is an attempt to confront Polish public opinion with state decisions - in the form of laws and regulations - governing the scope of religious freedom in prisons. The publication presents the results of the survey. The survey asked questions about views on generally understood religious freedom. The respondents were also asked about the admissibility of specific behaviors that manifest the chosen religion (diet, clothing, religious practices). The answers are compared with the applicable national law in the light of the adopted international solutions. Each state, leading penitentiary policies, must operate within the standards determined by international law, although it must take into account the social and cultural reality of its own.
Political Marriage of Religion and Liquidity View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Elnaz Shir Mohammadi, Yashar Sadeghi, Khadijeh Safiri
Building on ideas developed in the interpretative paradigm, I explore how power and political desires of the reformist religious government of Iran construct liquid subjectivity for female university students born in the 2000s, through employing grounded theory method. Following Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1978, religious norms occupied the society and a broad range of traditional beliefs were revived. However, when the religious conservative replaced by a religious reformist state in 1998, some significant social and economic changes, which reflected on nurture patterns and manners, occurred and caused the new generation to experience liquidity in three main dimensions, including religiosity, national identity and cultural values. Liquidity in Iran is identified as the consequence of lack of balance between desires of religious government and people living in a society of transition.
