Implications of Lived and Packaged Religions for Intercultural Dialogue to Reduce Conflict and Terror

The use of intercultural dialogue (ICD) to promote intergroup understanding and respect is considered as a key to reduce tensions and the likelihood of conflict. This paper argues that understanding the differences among religions – those between packaged and lived religion – enhances the chances of success and makes the effort more challenging. Religions contained and packaged are found in formallyorganised expressions of religion – churches, denominations, synagogues, mosques, temples and so on. For packaged religions, religious identity is singular and adherents are expected to identify with only one religion and are assumed to accept the whole package of that religion. ICD in this context involves communicating with religious groups such as organisations and encouraging different leaders to speak with each other resulting in platforms filled with ‘heads of faith’ – bishops, muftis, ayatollahs, chief rabbis, swamis and so on. In contrast, lived religions involve ritual practices engaged in by individuals and small groups, creation of shrines and sacred spaces, discussing the nature of life, sharing ethical concerns, going on pilgrimages and taking actions to celebrate and sustain hope. There is some evidence that, although packaged religions are declining, lived religions continue at persistent levels. Violent extremism is more likely to be associated with lived rather than packaged forms of religion, making a more balanced intercultural competences approach to ICD critical to countering conflict.1 1 This article is a revised version of Gary D Bouma (2017) ‘Religions – lived and packaged – viewed through an intercultural dialogue prism’ in Fethi Mansouri (ed) Interculturalism at the Crossroads: Comparative perspectives on concepts, policies and practice, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, France, pp. 129–144

Kiribati: religious practices

A revised update of an entry on Kiribati in the Worldmark Encyclopedia of Religious Practices. It looks at a brief history of religious practices in Kiribati, especially of the major Christian Churches. The entry is a brief bird's eye view of the narrative of the Christian Churches as well as some of the indigenous religions practices before the arrival of Christianity

Religion, support of equal rights for same-sex couples and the Australian national vote on marriage equality

In 2017, the Australian Government commissioned a national vote on same-sex marriage legislation, which elicited substantial debates dominated by religious voices. We examine the associations between religious identification, the importance of religion to one's life and frequency of attendance at religious services and support for same-sex couples in such a unique context. We contribute to knowledge by (1) systematically examining these relationships in a country other than the United States (Australia) using high-quality, nationally representative panel data spanning 2005-2015 (Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey; n = 44,794 observations/18,384 individuals), (2) assessing the degree of intra-group heterogeneity in views toward equal rights, and (3) considering how religiosity modifies the effects of other sociostructural factors. We find high degrees of between- and within-group heterogeneity in support of equal rights for same-sex couples, and large religiosity gradients. Furthermore, religiosity suppresses the liberalizing effects on attitudes of historical time, education, socioeconomic background, and city residence

Globalization, Social Capital and the Challenge to Harmony of Recent Changes in Australia's Religious and Spiritual Demography: 1947-2001

Religious organizations have been one of the primary engines of social capital in Western societies. Globalization, demographic change, the events of September 11 2001 and the Bali bombing have combined to raise concerns about the role of religion in promoting social harmony in Australia. Changes in Australia's religious profile since 1947, the last census before the effects of post-war migration, and 2002 include a major decline in identifications with mainline protestant groups, the rise of Catholics, the Orthodox, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus. Much of the change can be attributed to various forms of globalization - the migration of religious persons, groups and ideas. The rise and recent decline in those declaring 'no religion', the increased presence of pentecostal Christian groups, and the rise of Pagan and New Age spiritualities is largely attributable to changes in religious identity in response to the globalization of ideas about religion and of new and refreshed religious beliefs and practices. The impact of these changes on the way religion and spirituality contribute to or threaten Australia social capital is explored

The Religious Contribution Of Dutch Migrants To Multicultural Australia

The religious consequences of Dutch migration to Australia have been noticeable and enriching. Dutch migrants introduced a new religious group to Australia - The Reformed Churches in Australia (Deenick, 1991), strengthened a number of Catholic parishes and Presbyterian congregations, and swelled the ranks of those claiming to have 'no religion' (Victorian Office of Ethnic Affairs, 1991:15, 20, 27). The settlement of Dutch migrants has involved the introduction of Dutch religious orientations and expectations some fitting easily into the Australian relaxed attitude toward religion while others did not. Dutch migrants have also brought orientations to the ways religious groups are supposed to relate to each other that contribute to issues of religious diversity facing Australian society. This paper will describe some features of the religious institution of Holland as a backdrop to understanding some of the contributions made by Dutch migrants to Australia

From Hegemony to Pluralism: Managing Religious Diversity in Modernity and Post-Modernity

The societal norms regulating religious diversity in western societies have gone through several phases since 1648, most of which have seen religious diversity as a problem to be overcome rather than a resource to be used and valued. The issue of managing religious diversity arises at personal, organisational, societal and increasingly at global levels. Using an institutions perspective, this paper examines the social history of the management of religious diversity at the level of western national societies. Following centuries of repression of religious diversity and the organisation of religious diversity through state church monopolies, and then oligopolistic cartels of denominations which while different each promoted dominant values, the emergence of multicultural and religiously plural societies in the late 20th century mark the emergence of a major change in their institutions of religious diversity

Identity construction: A comparison between Turkish Muslims in Australia and Germany

The essentialization of identity coupled with its confused association with loyalty has ensured that issues related to identity are at the forefront of politics, and are used as a platform to generate moral panics which are fuelled by the mass corporate media. Different socio-political contexts affect identity construction among Turkish Muslims in Germany and Australia. Based on qualitative interview data collected in 2008 and 2009 in Germany and Australia, this paper examines the circumstances that influence the self-conception of the Turkish Muslims in both countries. The different political and demographic circumstances of each country are described and their impact on identity formation taken into account. Then we use labeling theory, that is, differences in the language, concepts and official descriptions used by the powerful in each society to label minority groups (Akers 1999), in order to examine the impact of top-down government policies on identity construction among Turkish communities in Australia and Germany - a major example of this being the contrast between Australia's multicultural policies with Germany's assimilationist integration policies

INSPECT: A Retrospective Study to Evaluate Long-term Effectiveness and Safety of Darvadstrocel in Patients With Perianal Fistulizing Crohn's Disease Treated in the ADMIRE-CD Trial

Background: The efficacy of a single administration of darvadstrocel (expanded allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells) for treating complex perianal fistulas in patients with Crohn's disease was demonstrated in a randomized, double-blind trial (ADMIRE-CD [Adipose Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Induction of Remission in Perianal Fistulizing Crohn's Disease] trial). The current chart review study (INSPECT [A retrospectIve chart review study evaluatINg the longer-term effectiveneSs of darvadstrocel in PatiEnts who CompleTed ADMIRE-CD]) evaluated the longer-term effectiveness and safety of darvadstrocel. Methods: Eligible patients had completed at least 52 weeks in the ADMIRE-CD trial. Data on clinical remission and fistula relapse outcomes were collected retrospectively at 104 and 156 weeks after treatment. Adverse events of special interest (tumorigenicity and ectopic tissue formation) were collected up to 208 weeks after treatment. Results: Eighty-nine patients were included (43 darvadstrocel patients, 46 control subjects). At 52, 104, and 156 weeks posttreatment, clinical remission was observed in 29 (67.4%) of 43, 23 (53.5%) of 43, and 23 (53.5%) of 43 darvadstrocel-treated patients, compared with 24 (52.2%) of 46, 20 (43.5%) of 46, and 21 (45.7%) of 46 control subjects, respectively. In patients with clinical remission at week 52, this remission was sustained at 104 and 156 weeks after treatment in 19 (65.5%) of 29 and 16 (55.2%) of 29 darvadstrocel-treated patients and in 17 (70.8%) of 24 and 13 (54.2%) of 24 control subjects, respectively. Time to fistula relapse and incidence of fistula relapse or new fistula occurrence were not significantly different between groups. Tumorigenicity was reported for 1 (2.2%) patient in the control group (malignant epidermoid carcinoma). No ectopic tissue formation was reported. Conclusions: Real-world follow-up of patients from the ADMIRE-CD trial indicates that clinical remission of complex perianal fistulas can be sustained in the long term irrespective of whether it is achieved through darvadstrocel administration or maintenance treatment regimens and confirms a favorable long-term safety profile of darvadstrocel

Depositional setting, provenance and tectonic-volcanic setting of Eocene-Recent deep-sea sediments of the oceanic Izu-Bonin forearc, NW Pacific (IODP Expedition 352)

New biostratigraphical, geochemical, and magnetic evidence is synthesized with IODP Expedition 352 shipboard results to understand the sedimentary and tectono-magmatic development of the Izu–Bonin outer forearc region. The oceanic basement of the Izu–Bonin forearc was created by supra-subduction zone seafloor spreading during early Eocene (c. 50–51 Ma). Seafloor spreading created an irregular seafloor topography on which talus locally accumulated. Oxide-rich sediments accumulated above the igneous basement by mixing of hydrothermal and pelagic sediment. Basaltic volcanism was followed by a hiatus of up to 15 million years as a result of topographic isolation or sediment bypassing. Variably tuffaceous deep-sea sediments were deposited during Oligocene to early Miocene and from mid-Miocene to Pleistocene. The sediments ponded into extensional fault-controlled basins, whereas condensed sediments accumulated on a local basement high. Oligocene nannofossil ooze accumulated together with felsic tuff that was mainly derived from the nearby Izu–Bonin arc. Accumulation of radiolarian-bearing mud, silty clay, and hydrogenous metal oxides beneath the carbonate compensation depth (CCD) characterized the early Miocene, followed by middle Miocene–Pleistocene increased carbonate preservation, deepened CCD and tephra input from both the oceanic Izu–Bonin arc and the continental margin Honshu arc. The Izu–Bonin forearc basement formed in a near-equatorial setting, with late Mesozoic arc remnants to the west. Subduction-initiation magmatism is likely to have taken place near a pre-existing continent–oceanic crust boundary. The Izu–Bonin arc migrated northward and clockwise to collide with Honshu by early Miocene, strongly influencing regional sedimentation