Initiation,Trance And Possession in an Afro-Brazilian Religion-The Narratives of a mineiro maranhense

This article presents the process of initiation to the Tambor de Mina, the mainreli-gious tradition in Maranh?o, a state in the north of Brazil .The Tambor de Mina designates an ec-static and inziatic ...     

Leaving my religion: Understanding the relationship between religious disaffiliation,health, and well-being

Religious disaffiliation—leaving the religious tradition in which one was raised for no religious affiliation in adulthood—has become more common in recent years, though few studies have examined its consequences for the health and well-being of individuals. We use an innovative approach, comparing the health and subjective well-being of religious disaffiliates to those who remain affiliated using pooled General Social Survey samples from 1973 through 2012. We find that religious disaffiliates experience poorer health and lower well-being than those consistently affiliated and those who are consistently unaffiliated. We also demonstrate that the disadvantage for those who leave religious traditions is completely mediated by the frequency of church attendance, as disaffiliates attend church less often. Our results point to the importance of the social processes surrounding religious disaffiliation and emphasize the role of dynamics in the relationship between religious affiliation and health.     

Socio-economical analysis of Italy: The case of hagiotoponym cities

This paper considers joining the economical characteristics of Italian cities with a relevant sociological aspect of the Catholic saints. More than in other countries, a high percentage of Italian cities are toponyms coming from the name of specific saints (hagiotoponym). The link with Italian religious views is distinct. The statistical analysis of the economic contributions that each hagiotoponym city provides to the Italian GDP is considered. Such an analysis is also based on the comparison with Italian data and is considered with the Theil, Gini, and Herfindahl-Hirschman indices. It is obtained that hagiotoponym cities represent a proxy of the overall Italian reality of medium-sized cities in the case of outliers removal.     

Reaching Isolated Older People

In the second part of a paper reporting a unique single day a week adult day program, the service methodologies developed in the program are described as well as a study of outcomes in four areas: success in reaching the target group, attendance, length of participation, and resolution of psychosocial and health related problems. Outcomes, illustrated by statistical and case material, indicate success in achieving the overall goal of maintenance and enhancement of the participant's life and functioning as a whole. Such a resource is recommended as a vital one for the target population of isolated older people described in the paper.     

MODERN TIMES: RELIGION,CONSECRATION AND THE STATE IN BOURDIEU

Bourdieu held that the state in modernity has become the primary agent of consecration, ‘the legitimation and naturalization of social difference’, a function formerly performed largely by religion. After clarifying the role of ‘religion’ in Bourdieu's work, this paper brings two empirical issues into dialogue with his ideas: social fragmentation in late-modernity, and the relation between temporalization and social structures in medieval and early-modern charity. His view that religion is anachronistic, that it was left behind by modernization misses its continuing, even increasing, importance. He overemphasized the centrality and authority of the state in modernity and distinguished too sharply between pre-modern gifting and modern market relations. Once these limitations are mitigated, Bourdieu's analysis can be redirected to account for the importance of religion as an agent of consecration globally today.     

正教与正学--从《正教真诠》看王岱舆的教道观

王岱舆所谓"正教",即伊斯兰教.所谓"正学",就是以伊斯兰教经训为内容和对象的学问.也就是说,有关伊斯兰教的宗教知识就是所谓"正学".明清之际的穆斯林学者从伊斯兰教立场出发,以弘扬伊斯兰教义为宗旨,在探讨"正教"与"正学"时,有时涉及对于儒释道各家思想学说的批评和议论,为我们提供了伊斯兰教关于该问题的一种学术思考.     

Living as a non-Christian in a Christian community: experiences of religious marginalisation amongst young Korean Americans

Christianity is a critical element in the study of Korean Americans. It is estimated that over 70% of all Korean Americans are affiliated with Korean Christian churches. Much of the existing literature illustrates that these churches provide essential resources for Korean immigrants and they serve as important social mechanisms. This study responds to the need to investigate the lives of secular migrants where religious marginalisation may play a significant role in their everyday lives in relation to their predominantly Christian communities. In particular, the study focuses on the unique experiences of those aged between 25 and 35 living in the greater Boston area. The study compiles vivid narratives of non-Christian Korean American experiences within a dominant Christian ethnic community focusing on their religious and non-religious performances.     

论回族在构建和谐社会中的积极作用

本文结合回族历史及中阿文化交融来详细论述回族在当今构建社会主义和谐社会中的积极因素,在阐述回族顺利融入中华的历史背景和文化结合基因之后,重点对回族人善于沟通交融的社交能力,回族人平等有序的社会价值观,回族人守护信仰家园的精神富足,回族人重视生殖健康和戒烟戒酒的良好习惯,回族人宽容别人、自觉律己的道德品格,回族人无私“散给”、助人为乐的精神境界六大方面加以例述,最后阐释回族对伊斯兰教义的合理阐发和创新性运用以及回族的发展实践对与时俱进的中国特色民族宗教理论的贡献。     

宗教文化心理学研究的释义学方法论取向

宗教的文化心理学基于文化心理学的视角,对人类复杂的宗教现象进行研究,特别对引起、促进和构成人类的主观性和精神功能的文化机制进行探索。宗教是人类文化发展到一定历史阶段的产物,人类所有的精神现象都可以在特定的文化历史背景中加以理解和阐释。经验分析的科学研究范式,不可能完成对人类文化最复杂的宗教现象的终极意义和本体论价值的考量。作为文化心理学研究的一种重要方法论取向,释义学能够找寻宗教行为背后的意义和动机,并试图发现这些意义和动机是如何构成一个人的宗教心理机制的。释义学为理解宗教行为背后的意义提供了有效的解读方式,成为考察人类复杂宗教现象的重要方法论取向。