Religion and Spirituality in Society Newsletter, December 2011

2012 Religion Conference, Vancouver  Find Out More >

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Headline News

Announcing the Winner of the International Award for Excellence Congratulations to David Greene the winner of the International Award for Excellence in the area of area of religion and spirituality in society for his paper Logology, Guilt, and the Rhetoric of Religious Discourse: A Burkean Analysis of Religious Language in Contemporary Politics. Abstract: In “The Rhetoric of Religion” Kenneth Burke developed the concept of “logology” as a way of studying how religious language works, “not from the standpoint of their truth or falsity as statements about the supernatural, but purely for the light they throw upon the forms of language.” Burke’s dramatistic theory of rhetoric as symbolic action, based on his concepts of guilt, terministic screens, and identification through consubstantiality help us to understand how religious language is functioning in the political sphere. Dr. David Greene is Assistant Professor in the Department of Professional Communications at Farmingdale State College of New York (USA). Finalists for the International Award for Excellence Congratulations to all of the Award finalists: Raoul Adam - An Epistemic Theory of Religious Fundamentalism Glenna Barlow - Sati or Suttee: Dutiful Deity, Patriarchal Practice (to be published in an upcoming issue) Michael J. Breen and Caillin Reynolds - The Rise of Secularism and the Decline of Religiosity in Ireland: The Pattern of Religious Change in Europe Loretta Brewer - Ancestors, Elders, and the Role of Spirituality in Late Life Jeremy Cummings – The Sacred and the Transformation of the Self: A Proposed Definition of Religious Conversion (to to be published in an upcoming issue) Rob James - Engagement, Disengagement and African Theology Phillip T. Stephens - The Poetry That Drives and Divides Faith: How Metaphoric Thinking Shapes Belief and Creates Religious Conflict Alicia Cordoba Tait - Finding Balance: The Rule of St. Benedict as Model for Spiritual Practice through Prayer, Study and Work Donald L. Wallenfang - Figures and Forms of Ultimacy: Manifestation and Proclamation as Paradigms of the Sacred

Community News

Vatican To Host Stem Cell Research Conference Photo by Jennifer Graylock By Barbara Bradley Hagerty from NPR A few years ago, Father Tomasz Trafny was brainstorming with other Vatican officials about what technologies would shape society, and how the Vatican could have an impact. And it hit them: Adult stem cells, which hold the promise of curing the most difficult diseases, are the technology to watch. “They have not only strong potentiality,” says Trafny, “but also they can change our vision of human being[s], and we want to be part of the discussion.” In a rare move, the Vatican decided to collaborate with a private company, NeoStem, to do education and eventually research. The Catholic Church is investing $1 million to form a joint foundation, and next week, scientists from around the world will meet at the Vatican to discuss the future of stem cell therapies. To Read More… At Religious Campuses, Atheist Groups Operate Underground Photo by Religion News Services By Kimberly Winston from USA Today Late one night over pizza, University of Dayton students Branden King and Nick Haynes discovered neither of them believed in God. Surely, they thought, they couldn’t be the only unbelievers at the Roman Catholic college. Last year, King and Haynes and a couple of other like-minded students applied to the administration to form the Society of Freethinkers, a student club based on matters of unbelief. The university rejected their application — and rejected them again in September. Without university approval, the group cannot meet on campus, tap a student activities fund, participate in campus events or use campus media. For now, they meet at a Panera cafe off campus, relying on word-of-mouth to draw members, up to about 15 now. And they are appealing the rejection. To Read More… Designer Brings Muslim Fashion To The Runway Photo by Nailah Lymus By Margot Adler from NPR Nailah Lymus is a 27-year-old aspiring designer who had her first runway show during New York’s Fashion Week in September, and she has just had another one. Lymus began designing jewelry when she was 7, and now has a line of clothing called Amirah Creations. She is a devout Muslim, but her dresses will surprise you. They are full of color: blues, purples, prints and tapestry woven pieces. Lymus is determined to break down many of the stereotypes about Muslim women — like the assumption that all Muslim women are docile and wear black. “I like colors and I like flowers, and I like head pieces with feathers coming off of them, and all I do is just put it on top of my hijab instead of putting it on my hair,” Lymus says. “I am a woman — I am attracted to those things, so I really want to break down that stereotype.” To Read More…

Also This Month... Beijing Eyes Tibetan Buddhist Resurgence

Conference News

2012 Religion Conference, Vancouver Location and Date The 2012 Religion Conference will be held in Vancouver, Canada at UBC’s Satellite in downtown Vancouver: Robson Square from 20-22 February. For more information, please visit www.Religion-Conference.com Plenary Speakers We are currently working on our plenary speaker line-up. Please visit our website for updates and further information. Call for Papers If you intend to present a paper at the conference, your participation begins with submission of a paper proposal. For information on proposals, presentation types, and other options, please click here. To submit a proposal click here and follow the online instructions. If your proposal is accepted, you will then need to register for the conference. Registration Those who submit paper proposals should register following the acceptance of the proposal. Conference delegates who do not intend to present may register at any time. For registration options, or to register for the 2012 Religion Conference, click here. Themes The themes for the International Religion and Spirituality in Society Conference are loosely grouped into four categories: Religious Foundations Religious Community and Socialization Religious Commonalities and Differences The Politics of Religion More details on these themes can be seen online here. Please do note that these themes are meant to be rather broad so as to encompass a larger group of interests. Scope and Concerns The Religion Conference scope and concerns is outlined here. Contact Please feel free to contact us with any questions that you may have. We can be reached by email at support@religioninsociety.com or by phone at +1 (217) 328-0405.

Publishing News

Religion and Spirituality in Society Journal, Volume 1, Issue 3 The third issue of Volume 1 of The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society is now available. Volume 1, Issue 3 includes: Surprisingly Unsurprising: How Brazilian Evangelicals Work Jiu Jitsu into their Worship Services by Jessica Rivers. Why Many Japanese Say They have No Religion: Collective Spirituality, Family and Law by Kyoko Inoue. The Poetry That Drives and Divides Faith: How Metaphoric Thinking Shapes Belief and Creates Religious Conflict by Phillip T. Stephens. The Descent of Gods: Creating Cultural History in the Kumbh Mela by Anjali Chauhan. Charisma in the Marketplace: The Transformative Role of Prosperity Religions in Southeast Asia’s Economic Modernization by Rebecca Sargent. Old Beliefs – New Town: Construction of a Sacred Place in a Secular Liminal Surrounding by Iris Aravot. Aspects of Spirituality in the Narratives of Persons with Acquired Brain Injury by Kathleen Torsney. Ethnicity/Nationalism versus Religiosity: Identity Issues in a Gnostic Spiritual Movement in South-eastern Europe by Saša Nedeljković. (more…) Religion in Society Journal Associate Editors listing available As part of the process of publishing The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society all submissions are sent for peer review, prior to publication. Assessment, comments and guidance by the referees are an essential part of the publication process and invaluable to the authors of the submitted papers. In recognition of the important role of referees, the international advisory board acknowledges all referees who have refereed papers as an Associate Editor in the volume of the journal they have contributed to. The Associate Editors listing for Volume 1 of The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society is now available. Religion and Spirituality in Society Journal Submissions Open We are accepting submissions for The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society. The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society aims to create an intellectual frame of reference for the academic study of religion and spirituality, and to create an interdisciplinary conversation on the role of religion and spirituality in society. It is intended as a place for critical engagement, examination, and experimentation of ideas that connect religious philosophies to their contexts throughout history in the world, places of worship, on the streets, and in communities. The journal addresses the need for critical discussion on religious issues – specifically as they are situated in the present-day contexts of ethics, warfare, politics, anthropology, sociology, education, leadership, artistic engagement, and the dissonance or resonance between religious tradition and modern trends. Papers published in the journal range from the expansive and philosophical to finely grained analysis based on deep familiarity and understanding of a particular area of religious knowledge. They bring into dialogue philosophers, theologians, policymakers, and educators, to name a few of the stakeholders in this conversation. Refereeing of submitted papers will commence shortly so start the submission process early by submitting your proposal. Paper submission guidelines and timelines are available online. Hockey as a Religion: The Montreal Canadiens Hockey as a Religion: The Montreal Canadiens by Olivier Bauer is now available as part of the Sport and Society series. Sport is all about play and game, aesthetic and strength, passion and emotion, challenge and rivalry. But because sometimes players and fans look for a little extra help from God, gods, spirits or any other Supreme Being, sport is also a matter of beliefs and Faith. Often, sport uses religion if the sport itself does not become a religion first. In Montreal, the fans’ passion and emotion benefits the Montreal Canadiens, the oldest and the most victorious National Hockey League team. Since 2008, the Protestant Theologian Olivier Bauer, a former hockey goaltender, is carefully studying the religious aspects of the Montreal Canadiens. In his book, Olivier Bauer reveals how the Montreal Canadiens becomes a religion, specifies which kind of religion it is, and explains how it is interrelated with Quebec’s Catholicism. From a theological point of view, he analyses two ways of practicing the Montreal Canadiens Religion, shows why both ways are idolatry, denounces the weakness of such a religion, and pleads for an evangelical use of the Montreal Canadiens. Based on the Montreal Canadiens, Olivier Bauer explains how sport becomes a religion, but he also critics the religion that sport offers.

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