Christian Denominations and Sects Commons^™

Tradition And Transformation, On Worship Among Kenyan Friends: Reconsidering Fox's Rejection Of Rituals, George Busolo Lukalo

Quaker Religious Thought

From the centrality of the Bible, to baptism, to holy commu- nion, to simplicity and plain dress, to the nomination of leaders, to the use of alcohol and not swearing oaths, in his essay “Tradition and Transformation, on Worship among Kenyan Friends: Reconsidering Fox’s Rejection of Rituals,” George Busolo Lukalo examines the evolving ways in which the Kenyan Quaker church continues to consider the importance and meaning for their own context of George Fox’s rejection of rituals—sometimes complying with Fox’s precedent, but often reinstating certain ritualistic practices precisely as a way of preserving their Quaker convictions.

Rationality, Silence, And The Numinous: Exploring The Mystical Theology Of Otto, Thurman, And Panikkar, Welling Hall

Quaker Religious Thought

In her essay “Rationality, Silence, and the Numinous: Exploring the Mystical Theology of Otto, Thurman, and Panikkar,” Welling Hall traces out the thought of these three important advocates of mysticism as they struggle with the relationship between rea- son and that which transcends rational comprehension, an issue of ongoing interest and concern to Quaker theology. In light of this essay, we might ask ourselves whether our rituals or lack thereof are an impediment to a deeper connection with God, or a means thereunto?

Sacred Discrimination: Latvian Lutheran Clergy Against Ordination Of Women, Ģirts Rozners

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper examines the resistance of contemporary Latvian Lutheran clergy to the ordination of women, rooted in historical factors and theological conservatism. It discusses the impact of Latvia's tumultuous history on theological discourse, revealing how practical concerns and traditionalism influenced the decision against women's ordination. Through clergy interviews, it uncovers a range of arguments used to justify this stance, exposing elements of sexism and neoconservatism. The clergy's prioritization of community identity over societal progress is evident, as they align with hierarchical leadership and resist external influences. This study highlights the disconnect between theological tradition and modern ethics, illustrating how theology …

"We Don’T Need No Ordination": Analysis Of The Discourse On Women’S Ordination In Latvian Online Media From 1999 To 2022, Emīls Zavelis, Sofija Anna Kozlova

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This paper analyzes the discourse on women's ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (ELCL) as represented in Latvian online media from 1999 to 2022. The study combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies to examine the argumentative strategies employed by different discourse producers. The findings reveal significant differences in the use of gender equality concepts and other argumentative patterns between those in favor and those against women's ordination. These differences can be attributed to the distinct sociocultural contexts and epistemic grounds of the ELCL and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia Worldwide (ELCLW). The paper highlights the need for a …

"God Has Given Women All Kinds Of Opportunities To Serve": How Media Discourse On The Ordination Of Women Constructs Understanding Of The Role Of Women In Church And Society, Ilva Skulte, Kristīne Briede

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The representation of a particular topic in the mass media not only forms the understanding of this topic at a particular moment of time, but also contributes to the cultivation of values and norms in a particular culture that go far beyond this topic. The discourse in media establishes relations of power between particular social groups and (re)structures the way people see the roles of those groups. This is why discussion of a particular case of denying ordination to women in the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELCL), the biggest church in Latvia, is determined by and has an impact on …

Trauma Informed Theology: A Framework For Developing A Culturally Competent African American Intimate Partner Violence Curriculum For The Pentecostal Clergy, Bridget P. Robinson

Doctor of Ministry

The objective of this dissertation study is to increase the awareness of intimate partner violence (IPV) among Pentecostal clergy. African American women experience higher rates of intimate partner violence in the United States. There are unique risk factors for IPV in the African American community, considering the social and cultural context of the African American experience during colonization and post-colonization. Throughout these experiences, the Black church has consistently served as a steadfast source of hope for the community. However, considering the concerning prevalence of IPV among the African American community, church leaders may not be aware of the profound effects …

Tenets Of Neoconservatism: Biological And Theological Versions Of Life And Gender In Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, Aivita Putniņa

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The paper examines the tenets of neoconservatism in current Christian discourse. The notion of life that evolves around biology and procreation is seen as a marker of conservative argumentation. As Jordanova (1995) has argued, a shift in the ‘natural’ association of children with their mothers instead of their fathers occurred in the18th century due to a shift in perspective in life sciences and technology. The new model of procreation involving both parents and a biological, rather than theological, understanding of the process supports arguments that justify not ordaining women and taking anti-LGBTQ+ positions while simultaneously deleting its historical ties to …

Use Of The Council Of Religious Cults By The Totalitarian Regime To Fight Against Protestant Communities In Ukraine, Oksana Vysoven, Olga Shkolna, Alina Zadorozhnya, Yuriy Figurnyi

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article analyzes the use of the Council for the Affairs of Religious Cults in the fight against Protestant communities in Ukraine by the totalitarian government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. In the 1940s, the Council for the Affairs of Religious Cults, created by the order of J. Stalin, directed all of its activities to the unification of Protestant communities and their comprehensive subordination to the totalitarian government. In the 1950s and 1960s the Council for the Affairs of Religious Cults continued to successfully perform the registration, control, punitive, and repressive functions towards Protestant communities in Ukraine and …

Search For Resonance: The Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church’S Quest For Relevance And Resonance Amidst The Complexity Of Contemporary Societal Discourse, Jānis Meļņikovs

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This investigation examines the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church's role in Latvia's political debates, uncovering diverse opinions within the church on its public policy influence. Despite some members' active opposition and others' reluctance to engage in polarizing topics, the church steadfastly positions itself as a moral arbiter in society. Applying Hartmut Rosa's theories on public discourse and resonance, the study proposes the church as a place for deep, meaningful engagement with faith and society, where resonant experiences can foster individual and community well-being. Analysis of interviews illustrates the church's struggle to maintain its values in a modern, secular world, with individual …

The Problem With The Performance Of Alternative Or Military Service Of Ukrainian Adventists In War Conditions, Valentyna Kuryliak Dr

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article discusses the lack of legal documentation faced by Ukraine in defending its borders and national interests, taking into account its historical experience. Attention is drawn to the issues encountered by Protestant churches, especially, but not exclusively, the Seventh-day Adventist Church. A proposal has been made to utilize the volunteer non-combatant potential of churches, regulating it legislatively without involving the Ukrainian court system. The question of alternative (non-combatant) service during mobilization and in times of war in Ukraine is analyzed. The author argues the necessity of preserving the right to alternative service for church members, which according to the …

Gendered Labor Division In The Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Latvia Through The Lens Of Gifts And Reciprocity, Māra Neikena, Gareth E. Hamilton

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article explores the concepts of 'gift's and 'reciprocity' within anthropological literature and applies them to ethnographic fieldwork conducted within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. In interviews, pastors and members of parishes used the word 'gift' to rationalize gender differences in performed tasks and assumed inherent abilities of men and women. The article aims to investigate the variety of reciprocity that takes place when informants refer to the idea of the 'gift' in various social contexts. Through qualitative interviews, analysis highlights that the gendered labor division in managing the 'household' of a parish is tied to a sense of …

Bolivian Indigenous Quakerism, Emma C. Mamani

Quaker Religious Thought

Bolivians received the tradition of Quakerism from a group of young adult Friends missionaries from the United States of America in 1919. Bolivia is a multicultural country because of the thirty-six Indigenous communities that make up seventy percent of the Bolivian population. Bolivian Quakerism has kept the roots of Quakerism practiced by early Friends since 1919, yet the influence of Indigenous traditions is also present: in the worship service format, in Bolivian Quakers’ theology, and in church work. Quakers in Bolivia are a Christ-centered, evangelical, and programmed faith community in South America. I was born in an Indigenous Quaker family. …

Whiteness And Quaker Universalism In Britain, Mark D. Russ

Quaker Religious Thought

In this article I do not address Fox’s message or his cultural limitations. Rather, I turn this question back on to the Quaker universalist discourse itself. How is the theology of the Quaker Universalist Group shaped by the conditions of its time?

The Baby And The Big Shoes, Barbara Birch

Quaker Religious Thought

This paper problematizes the premise that the Christian liturgies scrapped by early Friends were empty outer forms of little value. My queries are—Are rituals truly empty and outward, or are they full of inner sensations and experiences not easily seen or quantified? Of course, the same questions can be asked of Quaker worship, which is itself a liturgy of silence. If silence is a liturgy, is it empty or full? Moreover, does silent worship appear empty or full to newcomers and visitors?

Contributors, Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

(Non)Ordination Of Women In The Evangelical Lutheran Church Of Latvia: Response Of Partner Churches, Dace Balode, Valdis Tēraudkalns

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

This article uses archival sources and other materials to analyze opinions in order to reconstruct events and responses, and to reveal theological arguments used by various sides in the debates on the ordination of women within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (ELCL). The primary interest of authors has been to provide a comprehensive historical exposition. In studying historical documents, authors employ classical methods like identifying the origin and context of documents, as well as using generic, comparative, and content analysis. Secondly, authors are exploring how the issue of women's ordination has impacted the ELCL's relationships with its partners, and …

The Essence Of The Image Of The Fool In The Context Of The Orthodox Teachings In Eastern Europe, Olga Polumysna, Valeriy Bulatov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article explores aspects of the image of the holy fool in the context of Orthodox teaching in Eastern Europe. The phenomenon of people who are called holy fools in the thinking and teaching of the Orthodox religious tradition is a controversial issue and still causes conflicting opinions, because the actions of people called holy fools are difficult to understand both for simple observers and for Orthodox researchers. The contrast of opinions in the formation of the holy fool's gestalt is of particular interest to this study. Is the life of holy fools directly connected with sacred life and Orthodox …

17th Century Ecumenical Activities Between Ecumenical Patriarchate And The Early Protestant Churches, Svetoslav Ribolov

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The ecumenical activities and contacts between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Protestant churches in the 17th century were largely shaped by two remarkable figures of the Orthodox Church–the Patriarch of Constantinople Cyril Lucaris and Metrophanes Kritopoulos, who later became the Patriarch of Alexandria. Their sincere desire for contact with Protestant theologians, along with their commitment to open dialogue and cooperation was the most important factor in Orthodox-Protestant relations in that era. However, while the political climate in Europe initially allowed for some rapprochement between Christians in the Ottoman Empire and those who had embraced the Reformation, things eventually changed after …

A Special Issue On The Ordination Of Women In Latvia, Paul B. Mojzes, Beth Admiraal, David Baer, Alex Rolfe

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

No abstract provided.

The Efffects Of The Rupnik Scandal On Slovenian Catholics, Marjan Smrke

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

At the end of 2022, Slovenia and the Catholic world were shocked by news of the inappropriate sexual behavior of the globally successful sacral artist Father Marko Ivan Rupnik. In 2023, after additional accusations of (former) nuns of the Slovenian based female Loyola Community, Rupnik was expelled from the Jesuit Order and the Loyola Community dissolved. In this discussion, I will present the impact of the scandal on Slovenian Catholics. An analysis of posts posted on ten Catholic websites reveals nine types of responses: silence; denial or conspiracy theories; relativization; justification of Rupnik’s behavior; fortress mentality; deep disappointment; regret over …

Review Of "40 Questions About Arminianism", John Jaeger

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Review Of "Calvin On The Death Of Christ: A Word For The World", Jonathan Mccormick

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Review Of "40 Questions About Prayer", Joshua Strickler

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Frontmatter, Quaker Religious Thought, No. 137, Jon R. Kershner

Quaker Religious Thought

ABOUT THIS ISSUE

Welcome to Quaker Religious Thought! This issue contains papers that were delivered at the November 2020 Quaker Theological Discussion Group meeting. The general topic of the sessions was ministry and the second panel, featured in this issue, addressed the question: “What is a Quaker theology of vocational ministry, and how is it enfleshed/embodied in community?” The resulting conversation addressed the wide array of contexts in which ministry takes place, challenges of ministry in a Quaker context, and testimonies to the role of discernment in guiding and supporting ministry. A hearty thanks to our authors, Ben Brazil, Robin …

Frontmatter, Quaker Religious Thought, No. 140, Jeffrey Dudiak

Quaker Religious Thought

The theme of this issue of Quaker Religious Thought is “Quakers and Place.” The issue opens with an essay by Cherice Bock that explores a Quaker theology of place against the background of the climate crisis and colonialism. Grounding her analyses in Jewish and Christian theologies of place, Cherice then seeks to understand what constitutes the experience of a “sense of place,” before encouraging Quakers to undertake an intentional practice of place-making, and this for the sake of contributing to flourishing and resilient, local communities in this crucial historical moment. Rather than living “off” the land in an exploitative way, …

Contributors - Quaker Religious Thought, No. 137, Jon R. Kershner

Quaker Religious Thought

No abstract provided.

Unspoken Rules: Barriers To Quaker Worship For Disabled People, Greg Woods

Quaker Religious Thought

In this paper, I will examine how Quakers can be more supportive of disabled people in their congregations. First, I will start by stating a couple of premises, so that the reader and I are on the same page regarding what I mean by disability liberation theology and why I am using identity-first language throughout the paper. Second, I will provide some autobiographical information about my experiences as a disabled person within Quakerism. Third, I will talk about the expansive nature of the Inward Light of Christ. Fourth, I will explore the power dynamics within Quaker worship and how this …

Lucretia Mott: Isaiah 58, Mark Bredin

Quaker Religious Thought

In a sermon at Cherry Street Meeting on 31 March in 1850, Lucretia Mott drew upon Isaiah 58:6–7, 13 and James 2:15 for inspiration against sentiments expressed by Isaac Watts (1674–1748), views that led, she believed, to complacency towards the poor and the slave. She perceived such to be an outrage to the God of the biblical prophets. More precisely, Lucretia’s evocation of Isaiah 58 in her address resulted in an intensification of her already developed sympathy for the poor, motivating her to social engagement for justice. In making this argument I consider: (1) what it means to read the …

Remembering T. Vail Palmer, Jr., Paul N. Anderson

Quaker Religious Thought

One of the premier Quaker theologians of the last half century or more, Thompson Vail Palmer, Jr. passed away on February 6th. Vail was one of the founding members of the Quaker Theological Discussion Group, contributing to its original vision and momentous significance. He edited issues 39–47 of Quaker Religious Thought (1974–78), and he co-edited issues 47–54 with Dean Freiday (1979–82), who then succeeded him as editor. In addition to over a dozen essays, comments, and reviews contributed to QRT over more than four decades, Vail also published several important essays and books.¹

Vocation As Story, Story As Vocation, Ben Brazil

Quaker Religious Thought

On a frigid December morning in Indiana, a man named Dave Jetmore discovered that his daughter’s pet goat had died. Not wanting to upset his little girl—much less broach the topic of death—Jetmore planned to tell his daughter that “Billy” had simply gone to live somewhere pleasant. Inventing that story was the easy part; the harder part was hiding the body. First, Jetmore tried to bury the goat, but the ground had frozen hard as rock. Next, he had his son fling the body from the pickup to a snowbank, which failed to conceal anything. Time was growing short. And …