Digital Commons Network^™

Religion At The Bedside: Institutionalizing Medical Chaplaincy In Ukraine’S Secular Healthcare Space And Its Moral Tensions, Iryna Horokholinska

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The author conceptualizes medical chaplaincy in Ukraine as a phenomenon of significance for society and its value sphere. It is emerging at the intersection of the secular healthcare system, the social functionality of religion, wartime trauma, and the growing need for spiritual and existential care. The study demonstrates that, in the context of full-scale war, the social relevance of medical chaplaincy is not merely a pragmatic response to psychological and moral challenges, but also a systemic manifestation of the post-secular transformation of the public sphere characteristic of both Ukraine and the contemporary world.

The article further examines the legal and …

Security Challenges For The Activities Of Religious Organizations During Russian-Ukrainian War, Iryna Kondratieva, Iryna Fenno

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

In the article authors identify the greatest security challenges for religious organizations of Ukraine during Russian-Ukrainian war. In conditions of martial law, external threats and risks associated with the existential dimension become particularly acute. In the context of armed conflict and military operations, issues of survival assume paramount importance. Religious communities, like all other civilian populations, incur substantial losses and are perpetually vulnerable during the active phase of armed conflict. Security challenges are defined by authors as the most significant factor in changes in religious life in Ukraine during martial law.  Among them authors examine in detail war crimes in …

Italian Missionary Activities In Georgia: Historical Legacy And Modern Inter-Religious Dialogue, Zaza Tsotniashvili

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the historical development, cultural contributions, and contemporary significance of Italian missionary activities in Georgia spanning seven centuries, from medieval Catholic presence through the traumatic Soviet period to the post-independence revival. Drawing upon Georgian, Italian, and Vatican archival sources, including the manuscripts of Arcangelo Lamberti, Cristoforo de Castelli, and Michel Tamarati, the study provides comprehensive analysis of Italian Catholic missionaries' multifaceted engagement with Georgian society. The research demonstrates that Italian missionaries, particularly members of the Theatine, Capuchin, and Augustinian orders, played roles extending far beyond religious evangelization, functioning as diplomatic intermediaries, medical practitioners, linguistic documentarians, ethnographic observers, and …

Religious Transformation Of Crimea Amid Geopolitical Changes: From Pluralism To Totalitarian Control (2000–2026), Volodymyr Zuikov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article analyzes the radical transformation of the religious landscape of the Crimean Peninsula in the context of geopolitical changes and “hybrid warfare.” I conduct a comparative analysis of two chronological periods: the stage of Ukrainian sovereignty from 2000 to 2013, which was characterized by a high level of religious pluralism and interconfessional peace, and the period of Russian occupation from 2014 to 2024/2026, which was marked by a transition to a rigid hierarchical system of control. The scholarly novelty of the study lies in its detailed reconstruction of the mechanisms of the “hybrid absorption” of Protestant communities, including Baptists, …

Marriage Governance In Kyrgyzstan: Convergence And Divergence Between Secular Law, Islamic Norms, And Customary Practices, Aisuluu Adylbekkyzy, Zailabidin Azhimamatov, Aiitmamat Kariev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Marriage governance in Kyrgyzstan is shaped by the coexistence of secular law, Islamic norms, and customary law), creating a plural legal environment in which multiple sources of authority regulate family relations. This study examines how these normative systems interact in the governance of marriage, identifies areas of convergence and divergence, and explores their implications for legal legitimacy and family regulation. Employing a qualitative socio-legal methodology grounded in legal pluralism theory, the research draws on documentary and comparative analysis of legal texts, Islamic sources, official religious guidance, and relevant scholarly literature. The findings demonstrate that marriage governance in Kyrgyzstan operates through …

Janusz Krupski And His Times: Moral Rearmament From A Historical And Religious Perspective, Christopher Garbowski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper explores the concept of moral rearmament in contemporary East-Central Europe through the historical and religious legacy of Polish anti-communist opposition figure Janusz Krupski (1951–2010). Responding to sociologist Frank Furedi’s critique regarding the "moral disarmament" of the West, the author contends that religion serves as an essential—and frequently overlooked—pillar in restoring historical consciousness and moral resilience against totalitarian and geopolitical threats.

Focusing on the unique intellectual ecosystem of the Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) during the communist regime, the article details Krupski’s pioneering role in establishing an underground publishing movement, most notably the independent Catholic journal Spotkania (Encounters …

The Phenomenon Of Existential Ecumenism In Contemporary Ukraine, Iryna Kondratieva, Andrii Marchenko, Oleksii Marchenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

An analysis of existential ecumenism as a dimension of inter-church unity, which is being formed in modern Ukraine due to a common existential threat from the Russian aggressor, when Ukrainian churches unite in an ecumenical response to war crimes, focusing on practical cooperation in real life, on the tasks of social service, and not on existing doctrinal or institutional differences. Existential ecumenism combines the main ideas of existential philosophy, with its emphasis on the value of the human person, the significance of the themes of human freedom and human choice in the face of meaninglessness and death, and ecumenism as …

Hybrid Identity And Religious Radicalization: On The Effectiveness Of Kazakhstan's State Policy, Sholpan Zhandossova, Marhabbat Nurov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the relationship between hybrid identity and religious radicalization in Kazakhstan, arguing that state policy has been built on a systematically inverted risk hierarchy. Drawing on secondary analysis of longitudinal sociological surveys, expert assessments, and official statistics, the article demonstrates that the intensity of religious practice is a statistically non-significant predictor of radicalization (ρ=+0.18; p>0.05), whereas identity fragmentation– the internal incoherence between competing ethnic, Soviet-secular, Islamic, and civic- Kazakhstani identity layers–carries the strongest positive correlation (ρ=+0.61; p<0.001). The normative architecture constructed between 2011 and 2024 is evaluated against these empirical predictors across four analytical levels: longitudinal trend analysis, regional identity profiling, factor correlation analysis, and institutional trust trajectories. The article finds that successive policy instruments have concentrated institutional resources on the weakest risk factor while leaving the strongest predictors structurally unaddressed. The post-2016 decline in registered criminal cases is attributed primarily to the organizational collapse of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as a recruitment structure rather than to domestic policy effectiveness. Trust in the state-affiliated religious authority declined by twenty percentage points over the period of maximum normative intensity–an outcome directly contrary to policy intent. The article concludes with three evidence-based corrective directions: reorienting the diagnostic framework toward monitoring identity fragmentation, recovering protective social factors as explicit policy targets, and restructuring formal religious authority to allow community-derived legitimacy to carry preventive functions.

Religious Transformation In The Post-Soviet Space: On The Example Of Kyrgyzstan, Atabek Galmamatov, Sagynbek Kozuev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines the process of religious transformation in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan, focusing particularly on its institutional, social, cultural, and political dimensions. The study aims to identify the main characteristics of religious transformation, analyze the factors that have shaped its development, and assess its implications for contemporary Kyrgyz society. Methodologically, the research combines historical, comparative, and qualitative approaches to examine changes from the Soviet period to the present. The analysis demonstrates that the collapse of Soviet atheistic ideology and the expansion of religious freedom created favorable conditions for the revival of religious institutions, the growth of mosques and madrassas 1 , …

Churches And Religious Communities In The Macedonian Constitution: Competing Visions Of Recognition And Equality, 1991-2001, Aleksandar Spasenovski

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines competing constitutional visions concerning churches and religious communities at two defining moments in the Macedonian constitutional order: the adoption of the 1991 Constitution and the amendments of 2001. Through a legal-historical analysis of constitutional provisions, proposed amendments, and parliamentary debates, it reconstructs four competing proposals from 1991: the designation of Orthodox Christianity as the official religion, special constitutional status for the Macedonian Orthodox Church, the joint recognition of the Macedonian Orthodox Church and the Islamic Religious Community, and a general separation-and-equality clause without naming particular religious organizations. The analysis relates these proposals to the political orientations of …

Mechanisms For Preventing Online Religious Discord: A Comparative Analysis Of Kazakhstani Experience And International Models For Regulating Religious Hate Speech, Kalmakhan Yerzhan, Lyazzat Kalybekova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The ever-increasing speed at which information spreads on the internet is giving rise to several serious challenges alongside its undeniable positive trends. This is especially clear in the increasing threat of online publications and comments that insult religious beliefs and incite discord, posing a risk of victimisation. Western researchers are conducting extensive studies on the definition and application of hate speech, its taxonomy, targeting, and prevention through artificial intelligence tools; studies grounded in the religious dimension are especially notable for highlighting the high relevance of these issues in today's complex geopolitical environment. Nevertheless, the majority of researchers argue that religion-based …

The Religious Field In Poland Under The Pressure Of Ukrainian Migration, Oleksandr Dobroier

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

An analysis of the transformation of the religious field in Poland between 2014 and 2024 in light of Ukrainian wartime migration. Using Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of the religious field as its conceptual framework, the study explores the redistribution of symbolic capital, the evolution of religious habitus, and the emergence of new actors within the field. Particular attention is given to the Roman Catholic Church, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church, and evangelical communities. The study reveals a weakening of the RCC’s monopoly and an expansion of symbolic legitimacy among previously peripheral …

Reconciling Faith And Modernity: The Sociocultural Dynamics Of Jadidism As An Islamic Reformist Movement In The Russian Empire, Meltem Akıncı, Zhanerke Nyshanbay

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This study examines the Jadidist movement as a fundamental sociocultural and religious- reformist phenomenon that redefined the intellectual, spiritual, and educational landscape of the Turkic-Muslim populations within the Russian Empire and Central Asia. Moving beyond traditional historical narratives, this article analyzes Jadidism through the lens of sociological theories of modernization, cultural identity, and transnational intellectual exchange, placing special emphasis on its Islamic reformist core. By integrating Western secular pedagogical models with indigenous Islamic renewal discourse, Jadidists attempted to navigate the delicate tension between religious tradition and modern demands. The research investigates the institutional development of "Usul-i Jadid" schools, the role …

Frontmatter (Volume 46, Issue 4), Paul B. Mojzes

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

Theological Foundations And Regional Adaptation Of Jihadist Ideology In Russia: Case Of The North Caucasus, Tilekkabyl Amangeldi, Gulzhan Rasheva

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The growth of jihadist movements in the post-Soviet space has generated significant scholarly interest in the ideological and theological mechanisms that sustain militant mobilization. Russia, particularly the North Caucasus, represents an important regional context where global jihadist doctrines intersect with local political conflicts and historical narratives of resistance. This article examines the theological foundations of Russian jihadist movements in order to understand how militant actors reinterpret Islamic doctrines to legitimize violence and construct ideological authority. The study aims to analyze the key theological concepts that shape jihadist discourse in Russia and to explore how global Salafi-jihadist ideology has been adapted …

Religious Norms In The Mechanisms Of Legal Regulation Of Freedom Of Conscience In Modern States, Mykola Lahodych

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article is devoted to role of religious norms in the legal regulation of freedom of conscience, with a special focus on the institutional interaction in modern democratic societies between religious organizations and the state, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. The extant scholarly literature has addressed first and foremost the constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and church autonomy. However, less attention has been devoted to the institutional mechanisms through which religious norms operate within public administration. The study utilizes comparative legal analysis, institutional analysis, discourse analysis of official church documents and qualitative analysis of 28 judicial and institutional cases …

Saint Sophia Of Kyiv As A Sacred Space Of Religious Memory And National Identity, Oleh Sokolovskyi, Olha Hordiichuk, Viktoriia Omelchenko

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article examines Saint Sophia of Kyiv as a sacred space where religious memory, Christian symbolism, sacred geography, and national identity intersect. Using historical, hermeneutic, cultural-studies, and discourse approaches, it analyzes the cathedral’s architecture and iconography, particularly the Virgin Orans, the “Unshakable Wall,” and the concepts of Kyiv as the Second and New Jerusalem. The study demonstrates how medieval Christian meanings have been preserved, transformed, and reactivated within cultural and religious memory. It argues that, particularly during Russia’s war against Ukraine, Saint Sophia functions as a dynamic symbolic space where sacred meanings interact with contemporary national identity, historical continuity, and …

The Bureaucratization Of Faith: Appointed Clerics And The Limits Of Tsarist Administrative Control In The Kazakh Steppe, Zharas Akhan, Kanat Uskembaev

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article explores the religious policy of the Russian Empire in the Kazakh Steppe during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, focusing on the state's institutional efforts to co-opt and instrumentalize the Islamic clergy for colonial governance. Drawing on administrative and archival data, the study examines how Tsarist authorities leveraged imperial religious frameworks to deploy state-appointed Tatar mullahs into Kazakh society and formalize the middle-tier religious office of the akhund. Taking the Bukei Horde under Jangir Khan as a critical case study, the author illustrates how religious titles were integrated into the imperial bureaucratic apparatus to enforce political loyalty and …

Daily Religious Life Of Muslims In Kazakhstan And Central Asia During The Soviet Period: Controlled Institutions, Unofficial Islam, And Atheist Policy, Adiyet Kairken, Kuralay Aubakirova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The core focus of this study is the dialectic between the anti-religious policies enforced by the Soviet totalitarian regime in Central Asia and Kazakhstan and the resilience of Muslim communities in preserving their spiritual and cultural identity. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the daily religious lives of Muslims under Soviet rule, examining the constraints placed on religious obligations and the functions of state-controlled religious institutions. The research investigates the mechanisms of the state apparatus, including atheist propaganda techniques, educational campaigns targeting the youth, and the role of official religious directorates. Furthermore, the study identifies the significance of underground …

The Crisis Of Theodicy In Wartime Ukraine: From Gottverlassenheit To The Anthropodical Shift, Tetiana Havryliuk, Yuriy Chornomorets, Svitlana Shkil

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

Examination of the crisis of classical theodicy in the context of contemporary warfare, with particular attention to the experience of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. The problem of innocent suffering can no longer be approached solely through speculative attempts to justify the world order or reconcile radical evil with divine providence. Methodologically, the study combines hermeneutic, phenomenological, and comparative-conceptual analysis. It reconstructs a selective genealogy of Gottverlassenheit from Martin Luther’s Theologia Crucis through Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Jürgen Moltmann, brings this tradition into dialogue with contemporary moral anti-theodicy, and examines Ukrainian philosophical and religious reflections shaped by wartime experience. The article’s …

Patterns, Pressures, And Pathways : An Ethnographic Study Of Discipleship In Nepali-Speaking Immigrant Churches In The United States, Ram Kumar Budhathoki

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Another Voyage Into Paul's Climactic Journey : Acts 27:9-44 From Literary And Historical Vantage Points, Matthew R. Peterson

ATS Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Lived Experience Of Tenders Of Community Grief Rituals, Margaret Y. Wilson

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this research study is to gain an understanding of the lived experience of tenders of community grief rituals, and how tenders make meaning of their experiences. This study utilized photo elicitation and a reflexive thematic analysis. Participants (N = 11) provided one to three photographs that captured their experience of grief and/or tending grief rituals. The results identified 10 themes supported by subthemes: (a) Grief Tender Wisdom About the Nature of Grief, (b) Life’s Many Experiences are Sources of Grief, (c) The Multifaceted Impacts of Grief-Body, Anger, Compassion, Empathy, Resilience, Gratitude, Joy, and Love, (d) The Nuances …

Thirtieth Sunday In Ordinary Time - 25 October 2026, Pina Ford

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

Full Journal

Pastoral Liturgy

No abstract provided.

Characteristics Of Women Who Fast During Pregnancy: Findings From The Kuwait Birth Cohort Study, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Ali H. Ziyab, Reem Al Sabah, Ahmed N. Albatineh, James Blando, Majeda S. Hammoud

Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Fasting during pregnancy is a widespread practice in Muslim communities, yet its health implications remain poorly understood. A lack of conceptual frameworks and limited understanding of the characteristics of women who fast during pregnancy have hindered research in this area. This study examines the differences in several nutritional biomarkers between women who fasted and those who did not and identifies factors associated with fasting behaviour. We analysed data from the Kuwait Birth Cohort in which information on fasting, sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviours was collected via structured interviews between 2017 and 2021. Clinical and laboratory data were extracted from medical …

Modern Day Saints And The Production Of A Contemporary Pilgrimage Site: Comparative Analysis Of St. Pio Of San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy And Sai Baba Of Shirdi, India, Kiran Shinde, Anna Trono Prof

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Places valorised by saints have attracted pilgrimage for a long time as devotion to saints is a way to achieve both material wellbeing and spiritual growth. Yet, the cult following of modern-day saints in contemporary societies has become a topic for exploration only in recent years (Di Giovine, 2010; Shinde & Pinkney; 2013, Srinivas, 2008). A few excellent hagiographies discuss the material and non-material world created around charismatic modern-day saints with global followership (Waghorne, 2004; Weiss, 2005; Shepherd, 1986). Given the immense popularity of modern-day saints many questions arise- what kind of pilgrimage landscape is created around them? Are they …

Toward A Transformative Church: The Role Of Elders In Church Growth In The Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Brian Kwalela Mungandi

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study addressed the need for a transformational leadership strategy that engages elders in membership retention and church growth for a Seventh-day Adventist Church. This mixed-method study aimed to identify factors contributing to declining membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, with the goal of informing strategies for improved member retention and potential church growth. A survey involving 30 active members was administered to gather insights into the target church’s profile. Additionally, interviews were conducted with 18 elders across four churches to evaluate leadership perspectives concerning membership retention and church growth. These data sources offered a snapshot of the target church's …

On Dark Skinned Jesus Of Nazareth: Why Color Matters, Nicholas Berkel

MA Theses

This thesis examines the historical, religious, and cultural consequences of portraying Jesus as white within Christian art. Although Western art has overwhelmingly depicted Christ with white skin, archaeological, and contextual evidence supports a dark-skinned Jesus rooted in the ethnogeography of first century Palestine. The persistence of a White Jesus has shaped religious imagination and perception for centuries, reinforcing racial hierarchy and legitimizing systems of white supremacy. Through an interdisciplinary analysis combining biblical studies, Christian iconography, ethnography of ancient Semitic, Greco-Roman, and Egyptian peoples, medieval symbolism, modern mass-produced imagery, and Black thought, this study demonstrates how Jesus’ original complexion was gradually …

Master Plan Of Evangelism – Kurdish Version, Robert E. Coleman

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.