UP Theology and Religion’s Post

How can the Catholic Church truly listen to younger generations? French sociologist Dr. Yann Raison de Cleuziou’s latest research uncovers critical barriers in the Synod's listening process — it failed to engage many younger Catholics. His work offers a roadmap for designing deeper, more inclusive listening practices to shape a more vibrant future for the Church and the communities it serves. New on our blog, IACS President Dr. Richard Wood explores this vital research, published in the Journal of Moral Theology. https://lnkd.in/gT6f82D5 #IACS #Synod #Synodality

In March 2023 Jessica Roitman delivered her inaugural speech on the occasion of her appointment as Professor of Jewish Studies in the Faculty of Religion and Theology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. “Jews, History, and Home-making: Colonial Contradictions and Contemporary Challenges” is the edited version of the text of this inaugural speech. You can read it here: https://lnkd.in/eM39qtHE Abstract:   In the eighteenth century, Dutch Caribbean colonies constituted the center of Jewish life in the Americas. This work looks at questions of Jewishness and home-making in these colonial contexts. Jews and other in-between groups like free people of color, it is argued, offer crucial insights into the tensions and contradictions within colonial societies more broadly. The talk upon which this printed version is based discussed why this story of Jews making their home in colonial contexts is relevant, not only for Jewish Studies, but more broadly for contemporary scholarly and societal debates. #Curaçao, #Suriname, #colonialism, #Pesach, #Passover, #slavery, #Jews, #home,  #homemaking, #OpenAccess, #AUP 

[Lecture] Thomas Mark Németh, “Ukraine's Churches at War: Challenges for Society and Christianity”   ❗️ Open to the public ❗️ Monday, October 14, 2024   12:00 CET   IFDT / Online Hosted by #IFDT Research Group for the Study of Religion   Working language: English Russia’s war against Ukraine has significant implications for churches, religious communities, their relationships, and global Orthodoxy. This lecture will overview Ukraine's religious landscape, focusing on the two leading Orthodox jurisdictions and their connections to the state and society. It will explore peace ethics, the role of church leaders, and historical and ideological influences. The discussion will also address the constructive role that churches and academic theology can play in this conflict. Speaker: Thomas Mark Németh (Eastern Christian Studies, Faculty of Catholic Theology, Universität Wien | University of Vienna, and a priest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church) More information and Zoom link: https://lnkd.in/dzxb6NCq  #EngagedThought #Ukraine #Churches #IFDT #ReligionStudies

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of having an article published that was titled 'Manuscript Mystique: 𝔓72 a Canon of Petrine Authority for a Proto-Orthodox “Community”?' Writing this paper was a truly enjoyable experience! It gave me the chance to explore a theme that had fascinated me throughout my master's studies, but which I had only been able to touch on briefly in my dissertation. Here is the abstract: The following study takes its cue from a body of literature that seeks to challenge the academic discourse on “religion” as transcendent, irreducible, and unique – sui generis. Naturally, a sui generis conception of religion also views religion’s objects through a lens of transcendence and divine authority. These objects possess immense meaning potential and act as social mediators in particular social contexts. In both ancient and modern times, early Christian manuscripts are examples of such religious objects. They are evidence of the literary practices of early Christians and are windows into their social contexts, reflecting how these believers navigated their socio-cultural realities. Modern scholars often use these manuscripts as evidence to postulate the existence of homogeneous Christian communities who created these texts for their theological upliftment. However, are such postulations supported by the material evidence? This paper examines one case study where 𝔓72 has been propped up as a witness to the presence of a coherent unified proto-orthodox Christian community in the fourth century CE in Egypt. The following research concludes that extant evidence points to a socio-religious context in Egypt during this period that was remarkably complex; as such, the existence of such a community cannot be supported. The article was published by Brill (https://lnkd.in/g8iM_Hi3) in Religion and Theology and grew out of my participation in a mini-conference 'Manufacturing Religion: From Christian Origins to Classical Islam'. The conference was organized by Gerhard van den Heever and hosted at the University of South Africa/Universiteit van Suid-Afrika. The article is not open access, but you can find a pre-published (post-peer review) version on the University of Pretoria's institutional repository here: https://lnkd.in/gyC8jz97

We are excited to announce the release next month of our latest multivolume reference set, Milestone Documents of Christianity. Edited by Joseph T. Stuart (University of Mary), This 3-volume, 1,000-page set includes 81 critical documents that explore the major eras, events, themes, and cultures in the history of global Christianity. Accompanying each source is an in-depth scholarly essay that analyzes the text and helps place it in its historic context. The set is available directly from us, both in print as well as via our ebook platform, the Schlager Digital Library. Key Features: * 81 critical documents, from iconic Biblical texts to influential essays and papal opinions * Documents paired with in-depth scholarly analysis * Questions for Further Study and extensive bibliographic sections drive further research Milestone Documents of Christianity is a useful reference for students and is an ideal starting point for research projects and papers. In addition, the scholarly commentary assists students and researchers in engaging with primary documents, analyzing textual sources, and comparing and contrasting historical texts, events, eras, and religious movements. Explore the history of the world’s largest religion with Milestone Documents of Christianity! https://lnkd.in/gBUPaDmj #primarysources #historicdocuments #libraries

**Unraveling the Complexities of 2 Esdras: Bridging History and Theology** The Second Book of Esdras presents a unique blend of apocalyptic literature that speaks to both Jewish and Christian audiences, offering profound insights into theological issues such as sin, suffering, and eschatology. Despite being non-canonical, 2 Esdras remains a significant text for its exploration of divine justice and the human condition, particularly in the aftermath of the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE. Written likely between the late 1st and 2nd century CE, it serves as both a historical narrative and a response to societal upheavals, revealing the interplay of religious themes from both Jewish and early Christian traditions. Engaging with this text invites us to reconsider how religious literature addresses enduring questions about the human experience. How can the historical context of non-canonical texts like 2 Esdras enhance our understanding of contemporary theological debates?

Join CH as we unfold historical revivals from the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries, a second issue in our series on revival. Revival, as defined in CH’s first issue in this series (#149), is 1) popular– a widespread occurrence; 2.) transformative– resulting in conversion and recommitment to Christ; 3.) institutionally unsatisfied and critical– movements that question, reform, and renew institutions; and 4.) devotional– emotionally charged.  This issue details movements that certainly fit these criteria, focusing extensively on the First and Second Great Awakenings. Both awakenings swept through America and transformed her church. We take a deep dive into the revival preachers and gatherings of that specific time, highlighting the lives and ministries of influential revivalists: George Whitefield, John and Charles Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, and later, Charles Finney, Barton W. Stone, and A.B. Simpson, among many others. These awakenings resulted in the renewal of many people and in many ways, the conversion of a nation. But before we jump into the heart of these awakenings, we start as CH often does: in unexpected places. From the institutionally critical English Puritans, whose reform movement made waves in the Church of England, we move to Reform Catholics of the Early Modern period, whose desire to more deeply encounter Jesus transformed the Catholic church. Around the same time, Pietism would change local communities and influence figures well beyond its beginnings within German Lutheranism. In this issue, you’ll see how God used these movements as perhaps unlikely vectors of revival. Through stories and people you may be familiar with, to those figures less often recognized and easier to miss within the big “Awakening” picture, we invite you to follow the threads that spanned continents and faith traditions to weave a fascinating tapestry of spiritual revival. https://lnkd.in/eRGQtBZ

Honored to be accepted as an Associate Fellow at the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge! As a historical theologian, my main task is to help Christians learn from the past, in order to live wisely in the present. My research lately has focused on worship, liturgy, theological economics, and a theology of justice. #theology #publictheology #kirbylaingcentre

https://lnkd.in/d9VhwvnW Summary Pentecostal political thought refers to the relationship between Pentecostal Christianity and the constitution of a political order. It speaks to the evolution of the relationship between politics and theology in world history; the nature, constitution, and meaning of political theology; and how Pentecostalism mediates the understanding of the relationship between politics and theology, especially in Africa. Since political theology does not answer to any straightforward description or definition, a historical analysis reveals how its contours have been molded since the ancient times (in the works, e.g., of Marcus Terentius Varro), in the 20th century (fundamentally through the intervention of Carl Schmitt), and in contemporary time through Pentecostalism’s intervention in various societies, from the Western liberal societies to postcolonial African societies. Due to its theology of the spontaneous Spirit, Pentecostalism has consolidated its hold on societies—postsecular and postcolonial—that are undergoing a crisis of social and political order. The Pentecostal social imaginary, at least the type this article focuses on, therefore constitutes a significant challenge to the state everywhere, especially in its understanding of politics as a mode of being for those who have been shortchanged by the state. The question, however, is how to understand African Pentecostalism’s understanding of politics and its aspiration to become a political community when its spirituality is constituted on an individualist and friend-enemy basis that fragments Pentecostalism itself, as well as its relationship with non-Pentecostal faiths.

Are you interested in learning about Christian nationalism in U.S. politics? Discover why no promotion of a Christian theocracy emerged at the recent RNC, and explore Franklin Graham's emphasis on religious liberty over theocracy. Dive into the political narratives surrounding MAGA Republicans and the potential influence of religious ideologies in public life. Check out the latest blog by Author & Pastor Ted Peters at https://lnkd.in/gkn76xpj. Don’t miss this insightful read! #Netherlands #DutchScholar #Christianity #Jesus #USA #Universe #Science #PublicTheology #Planet #Religion #TedPeters #Blogs #research #PublicTheology