Lessons from the Past
Asynchronous Session
Aluk Todolo - the Journey of Puang Matua’s Wisdom from the Rest to the Movement View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Halim Wiryadinata
Aluk Todolo is the ancestral religion of the Toraja ethnic, which developed from a belief that the Toraja people came from Heaven. Its concepts and teachings are not just in the understanding of epistemology but have become a mindset, behavior, and relationship with others, nature, and the Creator affecting society today. Those concepts are the life's pattern for the Toraja people to worship the ancestral spirits, which Puang Matua (God the Highest) instructed. This understanding inherits knowledge and instructions for the Toraja people to carry out ceremonies in worshiping Puang Matua and ancestral spirits as the contents of dogma in the rites and rituals of Aluk Todolo. This research answers the journey of Puang Matua's wisdom as a local religion to become a universal guideline for the Toraja people in maintaining harmony, balance, conformity, and peace between the cosmos and society. The systematics of this research is the construction of Puang Matua in the Aluk Todolo religion; secondly, the implementation of Puang Matua's dogmatics in religious ceremonies, and third, how the movement of Puang Matua's Wisdom journey sustains and impacts the rest to the movement. All resources in this research are based on primary sources: books, journal articles, academic writings, and old manuscripts. The problem statement of this research is discussed with the critical thinking method and qualitative approach. All the data from the primary resources are evaluated through critical analysis before they are displayed systematically. Finally, the data analysis leads to a conclusion and answers the research question.
“A Memorial to After-Ages”: Philanthropy, Spiritual Autobiography, and the Past, Present, and Future in the Work of August Hermann Francke View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Darin Lenz
Examining the philanthropically minded work and the writing of the Prussian Pietist August Hermann Francke (1663-1727), a professor and minister, who in 1695 began a series of philanthropic ventures in Halle, including schools, an orphanage, and a variety of other charitable activities, this paper analyses how Francke conceived of time, place, and history. In his autobiographical account he observed that his successful establishment of an orphanage and other charitable institutions in Halle were the result of divine provision in response to prayer. Published in 1705 and entitled, Pietas Hallensis: or, A publick demonstration of the foot-steps of a divine being yet in the world. In an historical narration of the orphan-house and other charitable Institutions, at Glaucha near Hall in Saxony, Francke’s account was read by other Pietists, Puritans, and eighteenth-century Christians as a source of spiritual nourishment and inspiration for taking social action. Francke intended the account to be a record for future generations because, as he observed, his contemporaries undervalued what God was doing among them due to their “ungrateful Unbelief.” This paper addresses how Francke anticipated the future use of his autobiographical account to inspire philanthropic ventures aimed at helping those on the margins of society, most notably the poor and orphans. The paper also addresses how Francke intended his charitable activities and spiritual autobiography to be a source for confirming God’s work in the world and reorient Christian piety by claiming the physical space of cities as a site of practical devotion to God.
Surviving the Forgotten Pandemic and the Role of the Catholic Church: A Challenge to AIDS and a Fight for Life Among South Africa's Migrants
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ron Nerio
In 2014, a motley group of volunteers with HIV, led by a determined mother superior, was evicted from a home in Johannesburg run by the Sisters of Nazareth. The beautiful facility, replete with sprawling gardens, was in a poor, crowded neighborhood in South Africa’s largest city and had served thousands of migrants with HIV and AIDS. Following the eviction, the migrants whose lives they had saved found a padlocked door where they once received vital medications and where their support group met. Left with no more than a stapler, a filing cabinet, and a few plastic chairs, these volunteers scrambled to find a new space where they could continue providing services to the large number of international migrants living with HIV in Johannesburg’s inner-city. On a shoestring budget, they launched the Sister Mura Foundation (SMF). This paper examines the contemporary HIV and AIDS crisis in Southern Africa by telling the stories of the people who built organization and those who have sought support and community from it. We conduct roughly 50 in-depth, open-ended interviews with migrants about their experiences having and surviving HIV and AIDS in South Africa. We explore the role of the Catholic Church which, for a time, was the only nationwide organization in South Africa to provide healthcare, therapy, and information to migrants. As AIDS transitions in Southern Africa from a fatal illness to a chronic disease, we explore the continued need of migrants for health access.
Featured Hope Amidst Persecution: A Theological Exploration of Hope within the Indian Christian Community View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Anugrah Brij
Christianity is often wrongly linked with colonial history, overshadowing its indigenous roots and diverse expressions. This misconception simplifies the faith as a relic of white domination, ignoring its rich history and cultural adaptability in the country. To correct this view, it's essential to explore the various traditions of Indian Christianity, emphasizing their contributions and distinctiveness since the first century. Through this research I uncover Christianity beyond its colonial associations, focusing on cultural integration. I present a more accurate picture, highlighting Christianity's integral role in India's diverse religious landscape and challenging the notion of it being solely a product of white faith. Christianity in India is as old as Christianity itself. Christians are accused of Forced conversations and anti-national sentiments and therefore become prey to Social Stigmatization. They are denied religious rights and are discriminated against in employment and education. There are instances of violence against Christians, including physical assaults, vandalism of churches, and disruptions during religious gatherings. These incidents are often fueled by religious intolerance and prejudice. I will present the historical, social, and political contexts that contribute to allegations against Christians, while simultaneously exploring counterarguments by the Christian community. By investigating specific cases, legal precedents, and socioreligious dynamics, I provide a nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by Christians in India. In conclusion, I explore how theological perspectives on hope influence the Christian community's response to persecution, and how these responses interact with the policies and governance of the current government.
Sacred Theft and Narrative Construction: Monasteries of Conques and Vézelay in Medieval France View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Xinran Li
This paper studies the practice of "furta sacra" (sacred theft) by the monasteries of Conques and Vézelay in medieval France. Specifically, it examines how the veneration of Saints Foy and Mary Magdalene's relics during the 10th and 11th centuries turned these monasteries into significant pilgrimage destinations and changed their status on the medieval pilgrimage route Camino de Santiago. Through an in-depth analysis of scholarly literature, the author tracked the development of relic worship and narrative story-building in these two monasteries, and discussed how these monasteries influenced perceptions of the spiritual value of these relics and strategically supported the identity and appeal of these sites as places of pilgrimage. Initially, these actions were considered "sacred thefts" and were morally controversial. However, as the story was retold, perceptions of the theft of sacred objects changed in both ecclesiastical and secular spheres. These stories provided justification for the theft of relics, and over time the stories developed leading people to believe that the theft of these relics was sanctioned by a god or a higher power. This emphasizes the important role of narrative in shaping social and religious ideas. In essence, this analysis demonstrates that monasteries' strategic use of relics and associated traditions not only enhances their spiritual and moral authority but also their influence and power, and this provides a new perspective for studying the relationship between religion and power in medieval European monasteries in the 10th and 11th centuries.
