K. M. University, India Christianity in the Land of Santhals: a study of Resistance and Acceptance in Historical Perspective(03U)

Lafleur, William

University of Pennsylvania, USA

Religion and Biotechnology(10J)

*chairperson

Organized panel
Laldin, Mohamad Akram

International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Islam in Social Contexts(04O)

*chairperson

Organized panel
Laldin, Mohamad Akram

International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

The Role and Influence of Custom in Muslim Society: Malaysia as a Case Study(04O)

Custom and practices of people have always played a major role in Muslim societies, including Malaysia. There are two elements of customary practice in the Malays society, namely the adat pepatih and adat temenggung. This paper will examine the effects of these two forces on the Muslim society in Malaysia and how Islam has influenced the characteristics of these two forces. In addition, some practices which are considered to be against Islamic teaching and are still being practiced will also be examined. Finally, the paper will study the actual cases pertaining to the practice of adat pepatih which is still being observed in one of the state in Malaysia namely Negeri Sembilan.

Organized panel, English
Landres, J. Shawn

University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

Religious Conditions in Post-Socialist Countries and the Challenges of a Religiously Plural Society(05E)

*respondent

Organized panel
Landres, J. Shawn

University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

A Critical Reappraisal of Religious Pluralism and of the Presence of Islam in the United States(13O)

Opportunities for encounters between the worldviews and value-systems of the West and those of other counties have increased dramatically in recent years. This is taking place not only at the level of international conferences and consultations, but is reflected within the daily lives of more and more people living in Europe and North America. Despite the obvious potential for tension and conflict, such encounters also hold out the hope for creating new structures of understanding in which differing beliefs and values can coexist peacefully and enhance one another. Religious pluralism as it exists in the United States exemplifies the dynamic role that religion is playing in the shaping of society today. This is exemplified in a particular way by the ever more significant role that Muslim citizens in the United States are playing in areas of American life traditionally dominated by Christian values. Participants in research programs entitled "Religion in the United States: Pluralism and Public Presence" held under the sponsorship of the Fulbright American Studies Institute (2002-2004) reflected on the current religious situation in the United States, particularly as it was affected by the tragedy of September 11, 2001. The present session aims to continue that discussion by inviting relatively young scholars from four Islamic countries, all of them participated in the Fulbright programs, to share their critical evaluation of the current religious scene in the United States, to be followed by a discussion with a prominent U. S. scholar in the field.

Organized panel, * Session Abstract, English
Larsson, Goran

Goteborg University, Sweden

Islamic Conflicts on the Art of Photography: Historical and Contemporary Examples(01O)

The aim of the paper is to discuss and illustrate how Islamic scholars have viewed and evaluated the art of photography from the beginning of the 20th century up till today. By using fataawa and books by, for example, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi it is possible to analyse how Muslim intellectuals and theologians argue and view the art of taking pictures. This case study will also illustrate how analogical reasoning are being used by theologians such as Rashid Rida and Qaradawi.

Organized panel, English
Lattke, Michael

The University of Queensland, Australia

Conflict and Peace in Paul's Letter to the Galatians(11N)

This paper does not attempt to investigate exegetically Paul's relatively short letter to the Galatians. Neither will it deal with the controversy, North Galatian "territory" vs South Galatian "province" theory. There will be a brief discussion of the date of Paul's letter and its historical situation on the one hand, and an implicit treatment of the anti-Pauline opposition an the other. The main purpose of the paper is, however, raising the question how Paul's letter fits into the general theme of the Congress. Galatians reveals several layers of conflict between (1) Jesus and those who crucified him, (2) Paul the Jew and followers of Jesus, (3) Paul the Christian apostle and Peter, and (4) Paul and his Galatian opponents. The Freedom Jesus and Paul proclaimed cannot be gained and maintained without conflict. How can violent conflict be overcome by peaceful conflict? Perhaps Paul's letter can help us to criticise later developments of Christianity (persecution of other Christians, Jews, and Muslims) and even to offer paradigms for any conflict resolution in the present climate of fundamentalism and religious hatred.

Organized panel, English
Lattke, Michael

The University of Queensland, Australia

Christian Views on Dialogue and Peace(15U)

*chairperson

Organized panel
Lawrence, Bruce Bennett

Duke University, USA

No More Crusades: Rethinking Islam in the West(05O)

How do we overcome the "crusader" mentality, with its one-sided, deficient interpretation of the Christian encounter with Islam and the Muslim world? As a Spanish historian once quipped, there are as many histories as there are projects for the future. If the Crusades form the single most fractious image of Christian-Muslim relations, they are also parents of the clash of civilizations story. Through the lens of the Crusades the millennial course of history becomes two irreconcilable narratives with one inevitable outcome: the clash of Muslims with non-Muslim others. But is such a clash inevitable? As the Rashomon effect demonstrates, all narratives are true for those who tell them, yet none may capture the whole story as it actually unfolded. I will offer a brief, alternate history of Islam in the West during the past millennium. Islam is not apart from the West or against the West. Islam is part and parcel of the West, and those who represent Islam in its broadest arc are not fundamentalists and fanatics but moderates and pluralists. Their genealogy offers a lifeline to the distant past but also, hope for a non-apocalyptic future.

Organized panel, English
Lawrence, Bruce Bennett

Duke University, USA

Religion and Violence: Multiple Perspectives(11C)

*chairperson

Organized panel
Lawrence, Bruce Bennett

Duke University, USA

A Critical Reappraisal of Religious Pluralism and of the Presence of Islam in the United States(13O)

*respondent

Organized panel, English
Lease, Gary

University of California, Santa Cruz, USA

Vatican Diplomacy: Religion and Foreign Policy Identified(10B)

This paper examines historical and contemporary problems associated with identifying of religion and foreign policy in the context of Vatican Diplomacy. From that examination it draws out the lessons learned, the consequences to be wary of, and the principles to observe. Its historical treatment includes the suppression and condemnation of the Templars, the starting of war (Crimea, Jerusalem, and Christian Churches), the Crimean Peace Treaty, and Merry del Val and the relationship of the Serbs to the Austrians and the beginning of WW1. With respect to contemporary situation it considers problems in connection with Palestine and Israel relative to the Vatican, the Pope's visit to Cuba and US's new rules for visiting Cuba, the imposing of religion and foreign policy relative to US and Europe, and the Vatican's intrusion into discussions on the proposed European Union constitution.

Organized panel, English
Lecca, Grazia Anna

The University of Ulster, UK

Developing a Scale to Measure Strength of Belief: "The Self-Evaluation Scale of Adherence to the Creed of the Roman Catholic Church"(12U)

Religious belief's themes shared among believers can vary or diverge among individuals both in the content of the faith and also in its extent and inaccuracy in the assessment of strength of belief has a significant limitation in the field of psychology of religion. The purpose of this abstract is to focus on the specificity of the content of the Catholic doctrine and to illustrate a psychometric instrument to assess the entity of Catholic religious belief which is "The Self-Evaluation Scale of Adherence to the Creed of the Roman Catholic Church". This scale has been developed to address fundamental contents of faith with respect to theological assertions of Catholic framework and to provide an instrument capable of measuring adherence and strength to the Doctrine of the Catholic Roman Church in Catholic believers. This scale assesses disposition towards specific statements of belief and it measures strength of belief in respondents in which contents of belief are arranged by distinctive themes among 20 dimensions and it has been surveyed through quantitative research to sample of 473 people with a Catholic background with a good internal reliability. Our scientific contribution could have a significant impact for conducting reliable research projects especially when correlations in the fields of mental health or psychopathology need to be carried out.

Organized panel
Lee, Fong-Mao

Academia Sinica, Taiwan

Folk Religion in Far-Eastern Asia(08O)

*chairperson

Organized panel
Lee, Fong-Mao

Academia Sinica, Taiwan

Plague-Eliminating Rituals (Wenjie) and Local Traditions in the Tainan Area in Taiwan(08O)

Compared with other Chinese areas, the plague-eliminating rituals originating from the Fujien area are better preserved in Taiwan. However, with the popularization and development of modern medical systems, the god Wangye, originally a god of disease, whose medical power was characteristic of the rituals celebrating his regular visits, now is less associated with disease. Even so, when the SARS epidemic broke out, coincidentally, at the same time as the ritual, Wongye's image as a God of disease was recalled by most people. This research will use this example as a point of departure, explaining how Daoist plague beliefs and plague-eliminating rituals are preserved and incorporated with other rituals (for example, Confucian rituals), and eventually developed into a complete ceremony. The cooperation and confrontation between Daoism and Confucianism in terms of rituals show how serious epidemic was in the ancient time. Like in modern days, epidemics had a profound influence on people's life. The deadly disease brought the two belief systems to work together on rituals with efforts to eliminate the impact of disease and maintain regional order and stability.

Organized panel, Japanese
Lee, Gyungwon

Daejin University, Korea

The Sangsaeng (mutual Aid and Cooperation) and 'Daesoon Thought' as the New Idea of Peace in 21th Century(12D)

The history of humanity has been characterized by struggles and confrontation. Religion has been a key player in these confrontational struggles. The 21st century presents religious people with the opportunity to use religions to promote peace. In Korea, a deeply religious society, the Daesoon thought that appeared at the onset of the modern era, has proposed 'Haewonsangsaeng' (eliminating resentment and helping one another) and 'sangsaeng'(mutual aid and cooperation) as models for inter-religious and inter-group relations. In this paper, focusing on Sangsaeng idea, I try to introduce the new viewpoint of Daesoon thought about conflict and peace.

Organized panel, English
Lee, Jin Gu

Honam Theological University and Seminary, Korea

Protestant Theology and the Politics of Comparison in Modern Korea(16L)

This paper attempts to reveal the politics of comparison in protestant mission theology in modern Korea. The protestant missionaries and the native protestant intellectuals needed to understand about Korean traditional religions in order to make missionary activities efficient. So they left many books, articles, and essays about Korean religions. Those writings were, however, written in terms of Christian apologetics. Protestant missionaries and theologians tried to show the similarities and the differences between Christianity and other religions by using a comparative method. They stressed the discontinuities as well as the continuities between them. But the ultimate aim of the comparison was to prove the superiority of Christianity and the inferiority of other religions. In this paper, I will reveal the politics of comparison by focusing on some strategies of comparison that are employed within protestant mission theology in modern Korea.

Symposium, English
Lee, Seunghyun

University of Tokyo, Japan

Yanagi Muneyoshi's Perspective on Peace: An Examination of A Culture Devoid of Antithesis(09V)

The achievements of Muneyoshi Yanagi (1889-1961) include works on philosophy of religion, folk craft movements, and Buddhist aesthetics. In his pursuits, these topics became indivisible from one another. However, in the end, he comes to advocate his original thoughts on peace in A Culture Devoid of Antithesis (1961). The view on peace represented in A Culture Devoid of Antithesis became his main focus. As early as 1913, Muneyoshi began to consider the problem of the opposition of "duality," and in 1917 makes a reference to "Huni," which becomes the foundation of "a culture devoid of antithesis." Then, in 1948, after examining "Non possession good scurvy prayer" in the Buddhist scripture, Large Unmeasured Sutra, he commits himself fully to a perspective on peace. In the postwar era, by attaching "a culture devoid of antithesis" to "Huni," he goes beyond both the east and west framework of religious terminology. In advocating "a culture devoid of antithesis," Muneyoshi searched for the origins of a perspective on peace that could transcend all that was afflicting the world.

Organized panel, Japanese
Lee, Sung Jeon

Keisen University, Japan

Protestant Missionaries in Colonial Korea - Their Views on Japan and Japanese Culture(10W)

Presbyterian Missionaries were one of key players of modernity in Colonial Korea. They were antagonistic to the Government General in the 1910s and in the 1930s. However, they compromised to the Government General and were active collaborators in the 1920s. This presentation examines how Presbyterian Missionaries viewed Japan and Japanese culture in Colonial Korea under the Japanese Imperialism.

Organized panel, Japanese
Lee, Won-Bum

Dongseo University, Korea

Spread of Japanese Religions in Korea(09D)

The spread of Japanese religions in Korea is historically related to the 19th century Japanese colonialism. They were introduced into Korea and spread among its population when the Japanese settled in Korea. Being linked to the dominators, the Japanese religions enjoyed wide privilege and exerted great authority on the Korean society. The Japanese religions in the colonial era had authority and privilege as dominators' religions. Although the fortunes of these religions have been mixed in post-colonial Korea, Japanese religions still command a substantial following in Korea. There are about 15 Japanese religious orders and an estimated 2.5 million believers' groups Korea. There seem to be two reasons for the spread of Japanese religions in spite of Koreans' hostility towards Japanese religious culture. First, the spread of Japanese religions into Korea is fulfilled by Japanese Koreans. It is an advantage in Korea where family ties are considered important. Second, the "Priesthood of All Believers" is getting popular in Korea. The lay believers' discontent with a priest-centered doctrine appears to show a favor to Japanese religions.

Symposium, Japanese
Lee, Wook

The Academy of Korean Studies, Korea

The Understanding of Government about Religious Knowledge after the Opening of a Port(16L)

The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the understanding of the western modern knowledge of religions by Chosen Government at early modern period. Chosen administration was a centralized bureaucracy based on Confucianism, so the government was the main receiver and resistant against westernization after the opening of a port. This paper comprises of two parts. The first part examines the foreign books about religions that were bought by the government, especially King Kojong, and the second considers the religious policy of government.

Symposium, English
Lee, Youna

Seoul National University, Korea

Discourses on New Women in Modern Korean Christianity(10D)

This thesis elucidates the discourses on New Women produced by Christians in Modern Korea. Although Christianity is usually regarded as a symbol of modernization, it possesses not only modern but also pre-modern aspects. As a result, when a new group of women, New Women, came to the fore, Christians acknowledged them on the one hand and censored them on the other hand. Such ambivalence shows Christians' ambiguous attitudes on gender equality. Despite its modernity-oriented characteristic, Christianity often moved back to pre-modern bias, especially when women's voices for freedom and equality were heard.

Symposium, English
Leopold, Anita Maria

University of Aarhus, Denmark

A new conceptual model of 'Syncretism'(06K)

Syncretism is just one of those concepts in the study of religion and culture that have been severely criticized, and for reasons ranging from its being a theological invective to the idea that all religion is syncretic in some sense. Thus, it has been suggested repeatedly that the term better be avoided or discarded, banned from the scholarly vocabulary. However, the role of concepts and models is to capture events in the world, which would otherwise go unnoticed or undetected. Although some matters are more syncretistic than others, this is precisely where a theoretically well-grounded concept of syncretism is of assistance to us. The concept of syncretism can be re-considered on the basis of a new model operating on three levels: the cognitive, the social and the discursive. I demonstrate this with reference to case-studies of a range of complex syncretistic formations.

Symposium
Leppakari, Maria

Abo Akademi University, Finland

The Jerusalem Syndrome: Pilgrimage, Psychopathology and Apocalyptic Positions(14R)

Among the millions of pilgrims and ordinary tourists that are drawn to Jerusalem we find occasional travelers to whom the visit to the "holy" city is loaded with intense expectations. While some of the travelers have clearly structured anticipations of what they are about to do, others have less clear expectations for their visit. For the religiously motivated tourist, the encounter with Jerusalem can spark into intense experiences which may find dramatic ways of expression. Famous examples, such as Dennis Rohan, Alan Goodman, David Koresh and Monte Kim Miller's followers, are all identified as "drunken by Jerusalem", to the extent that they took part in the course of events and derived fame from their roles as presumptive prophets. A closer look at the "Jerusalem syndrome" helps us to grasp the significance of apocalyptic representations of Jerusalem and their violent potential.

Organized panel, English
Leppakari, Maria

Abo Akademi University, Finland

Religious Sites and Pilgrimage(14R)

*chairperson

Organized panel
Levering, Miriam

University of Knoxville, USA

The Sanctification of Hiroshima: Commemorating the Manhattan Project and Religious Studies in Oak Ridge(13R)

Since the 1970's, Religious Studies has established itself as a discipline in universities, public and private, across North America. But to what extent has it had an impact on the world beyond the ivory tower? We can discern such an impact on Oak Ridge, Tennessee's plans for commemorating its 50th anniversary as a city, a city founded to produce enriched uranium for the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. Alvin Weinberg, Oak Ridge's most distinguished scientist and and scientific leader, proposed that the appropriate way to celebrate Oak Ridge's 50th anniversary was by contributing to the Sanctification of Hiroshima. In making this proposal, he drew on contemporary Religious Studies: for example, the writings of Mircea Eliade and Peter Berger. In this paper I present Weinberg's views, their important context, his effort to convince his fellow citizens of Oak Ridge, and an argument that Weinberg would have been better served by the ideas of some contemporary scholars in Religious Studies.

Organized panel, English
Levin, Christoph

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Germany

Old Testament Religion: Conflict and Peace(02N)

As elsewhere in the Ancient Near East, there was a strong sense in Israel too that peace (shalom) and public prosperity were the result of a struggle against the forces of chaos. People experienced the endangering of the ordered world of the living in the abrupt change from the period of winter vegetation to the summer drought, in the earthquakes, which in Palestine are frequent and severe, and not least in the political struggles for power. This experience was reflected in Israel's religion: the God Yahweh, like the comparable gods of the neighboring regions, bore the features of a royal warrior who defends the country against hostile forces. The myths are not extant in the Old Testament. But their existence can be deduced from other genres, such as the Psalms. A number of details can be supplements from Ugaritic texts. Although we might expect that monotheism would have excluded ideas of this kind, the mythologems were very much alive, especially in the Judaism of the Persian and Hellenistic periods, where they now served to illustrate the battle for final world peace between Yahweh, the God of the world, and the powers of darkness.

Organized panel
Levine, Hillel

Boston University, USA

Rabbinic Authority: A Socio-Temporal and Socio-Spatial Analysis of Conflict Avoidance in Jewish Civilization(03G)

Rabbinic Judaism maintained a strong measure of authority for nearly two millennia. Rabbinic law is comprehensive, influencing every domain of individual and collective existence. Its authority is remarkable when we consider the geographic dispersion of Jews, their existence in so many different civilizations and environments, the weak communication throughout most of this period between scattered communities, the literature through which it is mediated that diligently preserves the record of disputes and the lack of consensus, the weak and decentralized institutions through which it is enforced, and the frequent encroachment of non-Jewish authorities and the challenges from bodies of knowledge, such as science, that assert themselves with a different authority. This paper will examine how each of these factors relates to the epistemologies of rabbinic Judaism that strengthen consensus and tolerance, most often without the mechanisms of physical coercion, avoid and resolve conflicts rather than spawning schisms, sectarianism and unresolvable dissent.

Organized panel