Inclusion ideals and inclusion problems: Parsons and Luhmann on religion and secularization

This paper builds upon the theoretical work of Talcott Parsons and Niklas Luhmann and offers a critical reconstruction of their views on religion (Christianity) and secularization in the western world. It discusses the relation between the functional differentiation of modern society, the individualization of inclusion imperatives and the changing expectations regarding inclusion/exclusion in religious communication. From this perspective, it analyzes secularization in terms of perceived problems of inclusion in religious communication, and in terms of the reactions of Christian religions to these perceived problems. It thereby shows how the theories of Parsons and Luhmann are useful for empirical and historical research, and how they open up new perspectives for empirical and historical research

Management of information through an interactive voice response system the prospect of religious domain

This paper explores the potential of using an interactive voice response system to maange information in institutions of religious domain. We first explain the terminologies involved such as an interactive voice response system, computer telephony integration, information management, and religious domain. Then we look at how information is managed through an interactive voice response system. IVR application supports two kinds of communications, i.e. real time communication and message type communication. Users could make either a real time communication or a message type communication as needed. Real time communication includes accessing databases in order to get instant and updated information within the real time during the call is made through the system. Message type communication includes voice mail application using telephone recording. The suitability of using interactive voice response for institution of religious domain is studied, and we also describe a few options for the implementation of the system

Narrativization of Religious Conversion Experience in the Environment of Evangelical Protestantism in Ukraine

In the context of this article and in the perspective of interpretational approach we have considered possibilities of sociological analysis of a religious conversion. Based on examples of Evangelical Protestantism communities functioning on the territory of Ukraine the author analyzes peculiarities of building and structuring conversion narratives, a strategy of representation of the religious experience, linguistic means and tools used in this process. A religious conversion is considered as a particular discursive practice or a religious communication related to producing a narrative, which on the one hand reflects changes occurring to a person who passed through a conversion experience, and on the other hand the narrative itself preconditions such changes by means of adaptation of a canonic language of the religious group. Conversion cases considered by the author allow making a conclusion about existence of steady communicative conversion models at the level of Evangelical Protestantism which determinative distinction is reconstruction of the biographical experience in compliance with the “plot” predetermined by a canonic discourse of the considered communities

The Sacred Engagement: Outline of a hypothesis about the origin of human ‘religious intelligence’.

The question that motivates the central hypothesis advanced in this paper regarding the emergence of early religious thinking is the following: ‘why does religion need material\ud culture?’ What basic functional or symbolic need renders material culture an indispensable and universal component of religion and ritual activity? A common temptation, obvious in a number of recent archaeological and anthropological studies, is to seek an answer in the field of memory (Boyer 1993; 1996; 1998; 2001; McCauley and\ud Lawson 2002; Whitehouse 2000; 2004; Mithen 1998a). This paper argues that material culture does much more than simply offer a symbolic channel for the externalization,\ud communication, and thus successful cultural transmission, of religious ideas. Although the mnemonic significance of the ritual object is not denied, it is proposed that the\ud argument from memory, as traditionally premised, fails to provide a cognitively adequate account of the complex affective ties and multimodal interactions that characterise the distinctive phenomenology of religious experience. Moreover, and from a long-term\ud evolutionary perspective, it is argued that the commonly implied ontological priority of the religious idea, over its material expression, leaves us with no explanation about why,and how, religious concepts emerge in the context of human cognitive evolution. Drawing on the theoretical lines of the Material Engagement approach (Malafouris 2004;\ud Renfrew 2004) I want to advance a different hypothesis that places material culture at the heart of the human capacity for religious thinking (cf. Day 2004)

РЕЛІГІЙНА ПОВСЯКДЕННІСТЬ ЯК СФЕРА КОМУНІКАЦІЇ ОЦЕРКОВЛЕНИХ ВІРУЮЧИХ УКРАЇНСЬКОГО ПРАВОСЛАВ’Я (RELIGIOUS EVERYDAY LIFE AS A SPHERE OF COMMUNICATION OF STRONG BELIEVERS OF UKRAINIAN ORTHODOXY)

У статті аналізуються особливості релігійної повсякденності як сфери комунікації оцерковлених віруючих сучасного українського православ’я, з’ясовується специфіка місіонерської, катехизаторської, благодійної, церковно-суспільної діяльності в структурі релігійної повсякденності, риси релігійної комунікації православних віруючих на повсякденному рівні (In the article it was analyzed peculiarities religious everyday life as a sphere of communication of strong believers of modern Ukrainian Orthodoxy, it was found out the specific character of missionary, catechist, beneficial, church and social activity in the structure of religious everyday life, features of religious communication of orthodox believers on everyday level, factors that constitute one and the same character of religious everyday life of strong believer of Ukrainian Orthodox Churches were defined. The author interprets everyday life as integral socio-cultural life of believers, conditions of their vital activity obvious reality were happens indirect and mediated communication, common communicative space that guarantees human socialization is emerged. One of variants of everyday life is world of religious everyday life that consists of experience, ideas and social behavior that reflect religious views of religious society and its members separately. Religious everyday life and its components that form the basis of everyday reality appear and form in communication, in constant contact between people. Afterwards religious everyday life becomes obligatory and integral basis of religious communication of strong orthodoxy believers. The main factor of religious life sphere and communication character of believers of Ukrainian Orthodoxy on everyday life level is language of region. Religious terms and sayings that constitute religious language in a mystified form reflect real relations of natural, social, cultural and other surroundings. Participation in religious ceremonies demands avoiding contact with sacrum difference between sacred and spoken languages. The task of the language of religion is approaching of God’s world about whom we may speak only with the help of symbols, comparisons, metaphors, paradoxes

Analysis of religious coping relationships with family resilience in utilizing socio-economic resources during the covid-19 pandemic

Background: Religious coping has a very important role in overcoming difficult problems in the family. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between religious coping with family resilience in utilizing socioeconomic resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The research design used was analytical descriptive with a cross-sectional approach. The respondents in this study were 242 villagers in East Java Province. Data were collected by SWBS for religious coping and FRAS for family resilience. Data analysis used logistic regression.Results: Factors that influence family resilience in utilizing socioeconomic resources involve religious coping. Families that have adequate religious coping will have a greater opportunity to have resilience in communication and problem-solving compared to families with inadequate religious coping (OR: 1.081; 95% CI: 1.038 – 1.127).Conclusion: Family resilience in utilizing socioeconomic resources is strongly influenced by religious coping factors. Strengthening the community with a religious approach is needed to support the family’s line of defense against this pandemic condition

Unlikely Friends of the Authoritarian and Atheist Ruler: Religious Groups and Collective Contention in Rural China

This article examines the roles played by rural religious groups in China's local contentious politics. More specifically, it aims to explore whether religious groups stimulate or reduce collective contention when the ruler is both authoritarian and atheist. Drawing on national survey data and comparative case studies, this article finds that collective contention is less likely to occur in villages with religious groups that simultaneously overlap with secular social organizations and local authorities, and are hence more likely to serve as credible communication channels between local states and discontented citizens. This finding highlights two important issues that are often side-lined, if not outright neglected, in the existing literature. First, the relationship between religious groups and collective contention is diverse rather than uniform. Second, this relationship is shaped not only by religious groups but also by other important players in the local political arena

The american militia movement in the age of globalization

The current trend of globalization, led largely by a rise in technological advances and increased accessibility of communication between countries, is beginning to influence the major social institutions that are present within American society. The traditional systems of the family, economy, education, law and politics, and the religious communities are being forced to implement new strategies and identities based on the adoption of globalization

Factors Affecting Contraceptive Use in Pakistan

Using data from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey of 1990-91, this study examines the effect of selected socio-cultural and supply factors on contraceptive use as reported by married women of reproductive ages. In addition to the expected positive relationship of woman’s age, number of living children, education, and place of residence with contraceptive use, it is theorised that there are five factors potentially affecting fertility regulation in the socio-structural context of Pakistan. These include the extend of communication between husbands and wives, religious beliefs, female autonomy, son preference, and the family planning service and supply variables. Using logistic regression analysis, the results of the study indicate that the explanatory power of these five factors is significant in affecting the use of contraception in both urban and rural areas. While knowledge of a source for family planning is the strongest predictor of contraceptive use, husband-wife communication and religious attitudes are also significant. The fact that the inclusion of the theoretical variables dampens the predictive effect of the primary and secondary education for women leads to the speculation that while the extremely low levels of literacy among women must be addressed through government commitment to universal education, scarce family planning programme resources can be focused more effectively on promoting spousal communication, about family size and contraceptive use, and on soliciting the support of religious leaders to counteract the misperceptions about Islamic teachings on family planning and reliance on fate. With high quality and accessible services, these measures could go a long way towards providing couples with the means to meet their reproductive goals.