K. M. University, India Christianity in the Land of Santhals: a study of Resistance and Acceptance in Historical Perspective(03U)
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Maroba, Kala'abiene University of Lubumbashi, Congo African Religion(s) and Women Social Roles in Traditional Society: A Step in a Global World(11F) In Africa the position of women in religion does not differ from her position in society. Religion has been and is still part of a whole. African tradition and cultures present themselves to women as an oppressive system that asserts the superiority of men over women. Girls are sexually prepared to play their roles as wives according to rigid secret initiation rites. This belief is reinforced by Biblical or Qur'anic texts. The essential leading figure is usually a man. Women are often endowed with a mysterious power. To improve women's situation, religion must be treated with tact in order to eradicate pretensions of man's superiority. Challenging "African Religion" in that way will lead to the integration of women in a global world. Organized panel
Abo Akademi University, Finland Organisations of Immigrant Religions: The Case of Finland(06V) The organisation process of immigrant religions is one of the major channels through which immigrants adapt to a new social environment (Ebaugh & Chafetz, 2000; Warner & Wittner, 1998). A closer look at these organisations reveals that they most of them are not copies of organisational forms derived from the countries of origin, but rather resemble more Western models of religious organisation. The paper will discuss the processes of immigrants' religious organization in Finland as an example of how immigrant religions adapt to a new social environment. It will also discuss what might be the consequences of such adaptations. The paper is based on my PhD in comparative religion that deals with the issue in the city of Turku, Finland (Martikainen, forthcoming). Organized panel, English
University of Vermont, USA Mythology and Folk Belief(12F) *chairperson Organized panel
University of Vermont, USA Introduction: The Theory of Divergent Modes of Religiosity and Historical Research(13T) A brief introduction to the Whitehouse "divergent modes of religiosity" theory with suggestions for its utility for historical research as exemplified by the study of Graeco-Roman religions. Organized panel, English
University of Vermont, USA Imagistic Modes of Religiosity in the Graeco-Roman World(14T) The panel on "imagistic modes of religiosity" will assess the predictions of a "divergent modes of religiosity" theory proposed by the British anthropologist Harvey Whitehouse. According to this theory, in which Whitehouse proposes an "imagistic" and a "doctrinal" modes of religiosity, "imagistic" does not simply refer to religious traditions that employ images, which, of course, most all do. Rather, the imagistic mode of religion refers to a cognitively based set of variables which involves varying levels of initiatory arousal, the activation of a specific system of memory, and spontaneous exegetical learning which result in small-scale, exclusive, intensively cohesive groups that are uncentralized and ideologically heterogenous. At first glance, this "imagistic" set of variables would seem to describe many of the diverse expressions of religiosity in the Graeco-Roman world, from the Hellenistic mystery cults to the early Christianities. While panelists may present alternative cognitive, social or historical approaches in their presentations, all will engage the utility of the Whitehouse theory for the historical study of Graeco-Roman religions. Organized panel, English
University of Vermont, USA Critiques of Religious Studies from Economics, Cognitive Science, and Philosophy(15K) *respondent Organized panel, English
University of Vermont, USA Mind and Society in the Transmission of Religion(16U) *respondent Organized panel, English
Brigham Young University-Hawaii, USA Mormons in Japan: Seeking Harmony Inside and Out(02U) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a.k.a. LDS Church or Mormon Church) has been in Japan since 1901, and now has about 120,000 members. As most Western religions operating in predominantly non-Christian countries, the Church of Jesus Christ has struggled to present its worldview (which is unique even in mostly Christian countries) to the Japanese people in effective ways. Parallel to this search for harmony with its environment, the Church is also facing the effect of globalization forces within its ranks. Significant numbers of Brazilians, Peruvians, and Bolivians (descendants of Japanese who immigrated to South America in the early 1900's) are now moving to Japan. Some of these are members of the Church of Jesus Christ who bring with them culture-based religious practices indigenous to their countries but foreign to the LDS environment in Japan. In addition, some of these immigrants have limited language skills, which makes their assimilation in the Japanese church more difficult. Organized panel, English
The University of Tokyo, Japan Researches on Sanskrit Philology(14M) *chairperson Organized panel
University of Tokyo, Japan A Point of Contact between Indian Philosophy and Religion: the Meaning of MahAjana-parigraha in the Justification of the Vedic Scriptures(14M) It is often difficult to draw a clear line between philosophy and religion in Indian thought. For instance, in the tradition of Nyaya Philosophy in which the issues of logic and epistemology occupy a peculiar position, philosophers were also actively engaged in controversies over various religious matters, such as karmic retribution, liberation, and God. Specifically Jayanta, who was active in Kashmir in the latter half of the ninth century, claimed that the purpose of Nyaya Philosophy should lie in the justification of the authority of the Vedas. In his magnum opus, the Nyayamanjari, he devoted two chapters to the subject of how to prove the truth of the Vedantic scriptures as the words of an omniscient God. The present paper will analyze the meaning of the concept of mahajana-parigraha. In connection to this, we will also consider Jayanta's doctrine of the validity of all religious traditions. Organized panel
University of Tsukuba, Japan Contemporary Taiwanese Taoist Ritual as Seen from the History of Ritual Documents(11H) One of the most distinctive features of Taoist ritual is its general use of ritual documents to communicate with gods, spirits, ancestors, and ghosts. My own research on contemporary Taiwanese Taoist ritual shows that Taiwanese Taoist priests write and send numerous ritual documents. These documents include high memorials zou or shu and low memorials die or zha. Historically speaking, low memorials have been used by popular ritual masters since Song Dynasty. In order to understand the historical background of Taiwanese Taoism, it is very important to investigate the form and contents of low memorials in various ritual traditions. History of ritual documents in reference to the actual ritual practice will be discussed in my presentation. Organized panel, English
Doshisha University, Japan Religion and Contemporary Japanese Novelists(1)(04W) In Japanese society, where the conscious commitment to a specific religious group is not widely observed, the commitment of an individual novelist to a religion might not constitute a major topic. Nevertheless, certain writers with religious or spiritual interests have been influenced by either Buddhism, Christianity, or some other religions. One typical example of such a religious novelist is a Catholic writer, Endo Shusaku, who revealed a conscious and ambivalent commitment to Catholicism. Another example of a novelist who shows a strong interest in spiritual salvation is Oe Kenzaburo, who incidentally utilizes a rich reservoir of local myths. Local mythology has stimulated other contemporary novelists in various ways. This panel will take up several Japanese novelists after World War II to reflect on the religious or spiritual themes in their works. We will trace the source of the universal implications behind the specific background of faith, family, and local environment. Organized panel, * Session Abstract, English
Doshisha University, Japan Endo's Concept of God Reconsidered(05W) Shusaku Endo (1923-1996) is a widely known Japanese Catholic novelist, one whose lifelong aim was to inculturate Christianity, to help it take root in the "mud swamp" of Japan. Endo expresses his faith and theological thoughts implicitly through the form of literature. His hermeneutics include interpretations of biblical writings and a search for the meaning of Christianity in a country of religious pluralism. Later his attempt at inculturation is not only for his homeland, but also for the global culture. In my presentation, I shall reconsider Endo's theological thoughts, especially focused on the concept of God that was developed in his literature: not so much a patriarchal God, but a God who made himself without power and authority in order to be an ever-present spiritual companion. Organized panel, English
Doshisha University, Japan Religion and Contemporary Japanese Novelists(2)(05W) In Japanese society, where the conscious commitment to a specific religious group is not widely observed, the commitment of an individual novelist to a religion might not constitute a major topic. Nevertheless, certain writers with religious or spiritual interests have been influenced by either Buddhism, Christianity, or some other religions. One typical example of such a religious novelist is a Catholic writer, Endo Shusaku, who revealed a conscious and ambivalent commitment to Catholicism. Another example of a novelist who shows a strong interest in spiritual salvation is Oe Kenzaburo, who incidentally utilizes a rich reservoir of local myths. Local mythology has stimulated other contemporary novelists in various ways. This panel will take up several Japanese novelists after World War II to reflect on the religious or spiritual themes in their works. We will trace the source of the universal implications behind the specific background of faith, family, and local environment. Organized panel, * Session Abstract, English
University of Toronto, Canada Havel's Language of Politics: Secular or Spiritual?(10B) This paper considers Havel's call for a new moral dimension of politics. That dimension would have to accommodate co-existence among different cultures, race, and civilizations. It will show that his call is resonant of the call to peace by heretical medieval movements such as Bogomils and to some extent Cathers and Albigensians. Organized panel, English
The University of Michigan, USA The Study of Religion as Politically Constituted(16B) *respondent Organized panel
University of Kyoto, Japan The Christology of Simone Weil(09R) What is the greatest misery for those who have failed in life, for the afflicted (les malheureux)? Jesus knew that it was nothing else but the absence of someone who loved them. They are rejected and alienated. They only know loneliness and despair. Not miracles that cure illness but love is required the most by them. Jesus believed that we need an eternal companion who is like a mother to us. A companion who suffers with us, and shares all of our sadness and pain. War, terrorism, hunger, poverty, illness – the world we live in is filled with the suffering of innocents. True salvation for us may be found in the Cross of Christ. However, it is not the image of Christ radiating power and glory that can be our eternal companion. According to Simone Weil, it is Christ on the cross, deprived of authority just like the two bandits next to him, who can take on this role. Organized panel, Japanese
Tenri University, Japan On According to Heidegger, Augustine belongs to two opposite genealogies. One is from Paul to Luther, and the other one is from Plato and Neo-Platonism to modern philosophy (metaphysics). The former is characterized by Faktizitat of life that cannot be reduced to anything, and the latter is characterized by Anwesenheit. In Augustine, indeed, seeing symbolizes the whole human cognizance and the path to the Truth itself (=God), for it makes anything possible to be present in front of ones eyes. Heidegger gazes at Augustine who is actually separated between both genealogies and stands at the point of Seinsvergessenheit. This situation is argued in reference to tempus as distentio animi and cogitatio. Organized panel, Japanese
Hanazono University, Japan The Study of Mysticism: A Review of its Past and the Prospects of its Future Methodology(09E) Looking back at the study of mysticism since the nineteenth century, it has recently been pointed out that the conceptualization of "mysticism" was historically conditioned. The same remark can be applied to the Kyoto School, which studied European mysticism in comparison with Zen. Our Panel reflects on the background and methodology of past studies of mysticism, and searches for new methods of inquiry. First, Goto reconsiders the significance of the study of mysticism in the Kyoto School. Second, we consider the case of Meister Eckhart and the question whether or not he should be considered a mystic. In response to interpreters who assert that Eckhart is not a mystic but rather a philosopher, Kato considers the close connection between mysticism and philosophy. In response to interpreters who argue for the existence of Eckhart's mystical experiences, Matsuda examines the possibility of interpreting Eckhart according to speech act theory. Organized panel, * Session Abstract, Japanese
Hanazono University, Japan Did Eckhart Have Mystical Experiences? The Possibility of Interpreting Eckhart by Means of Speech Act Theory(09E) Should we call Eckhart a mystic? This question divides his interpreters into two groups. While Flasch and the Bochum School take him for a philosopher and reject the name mystic, Germanist Ruh insists on that denomination. Both sides, however, have the same conception of mysticism, according to which being a mystic requires having mystical experiences, of which mystical texts are the expression. Ruh, for example, distinguishing mysticism from mystical theology and mystagogy, mentions mystical experiences as a characteristic of mysticism. Ruh, together with other interpreters who maintain the existence of Eckhart's mystical experiences, refers to certain passages in his German sermons. But recently attempts have been made to interpret those passages independently of the concept of mystical experience, by relying on speech act theory. I will examine the validity and the limitations of those interpretations, with the aim of casting some light on the problematic relation between Eckhart and mysticism. Organized panel, Japanese
University of Tsukuba, Japan The Religious Activities of Brazilian Migrants in Japan(06V) Utilizing an anthropological approach, this research will explore the relationship between displacement, religious practices and self-motivation among Brazilians migrants in Japan. Considering that the role of religion among these migrants is not widely explored, this is an attempt to analyze how religious practices can provide a coherent and meaningful way for the migrants reconnect themselves within the context of the displacement experience. In addition this research effort will compare the religious experiences and life-stories narratives among members of three groups: the Catholic Church in Japan and two new religious groups Sekai Kyuseikyo and Soka Gakkai. This research will focus on the way these groups are dealing with Brazilians migrants, the support (spiritual and/or worldly oriented) they are providing, the strategies and adaptations they are implementing to recruit and receive these migrants. Finally this research will analyze the process of self-reconstruction through religious experience for the members of these three groups. Organized panel, English
Dokkyo University, USA Philosophy and Religion in the Age of Science and Technology - Reconsidering H. Jonas' The Imperative of Responsibility -(08Q) *respondent Symposium, Japanese
Eichi University, Japan Sufism: A Perspective for Peace and Coexistence(02O) Originating in the Holy Koran, the doctrine of "peaceful heart" or "pure heart（qalb salim) absorbed various ideas and techniques for heart purification, and developed into Sufism. At Sufism's core is the doctrine of unity in plurality and plurality in unity. Through the fusion of the philosophy of heart purification and the doctrine of unity in plurality and plurality in unity, Sufism was given the basis of a philosophy for peace and an ethics for co-existence. This panel aims to discuss the various aspects and possibilities of Sufism from the viewpoints of peace and coexistence. Organized panel, * Session Abstract, English
Wako University, Japan Myth Theories and War(11C) The purpose of this paper is to compare the effect that wars had on the formation of the study of mythology. The theories of the nineteenth century (Max Mueller and J. G. Frazer) show no sign of having been influenced by any of the armed conflicts of that time. In the twentieth century, however, two great world wars occurred in which not only soldiers but also civilians were affected. The effect war had on the study of myth is evident in the cases of C.G. Jung, Georges Dumezil, Mircea Eliade, and Joseph Campbell. Jung and Dumezil thought that Nazism and Germanic mythology were related, while Eliade propagated a way of living based on myth rather than on historical thinking. Campbell, in contrast to these three, praised the culture of victory and heroic myths. After the Second World War, theories that investigate the relationship between myth and violence in general started to appear: the theories of Rene Girard and Walter Burkett are good examples of this trend. Organized panel, English
Wako University, Japan Japanese Mythology from Multidisciplinary Perspectives(17B) *respondent Symposium
Roundtable session, Japanese Matsuno, Tomoaki Taisho University, Japan The Doctrine of Lindbeck and the Nature of Shinto(01P) After the war the study of Shintoism focused primarily on the historical aspects of the doctrine without a religious philosophical approach. Using G.A. Lindbeck's doctrine and comparing Shintoism to the three regular principles which Lindbeck developed, I will approach the nature of Shinto. Lindbeck grasped the doctrine as the major role, and compared this to the three principles of Christianity. The first rule is the principle that there is only one God. The second rule is a principle that has specificity to Jesus Christ. The third is a principle of Christological maximalism where every possible importance that is consistent with the first role is ascribed to Jesus. When I explain Shintoism considering the above propositions, the first rule of Shintoism rejects monotheism and receives polytheism. The second rule is a principle which has specificity to Tennou, and the third is a customary principle which is based on ancient practices. Organized panel, English
Yamagata University, Japan The Establishment of the Eighty-eight Stages of the Shikoku Pilgrimage -- Focusing on Some Historical Maps of the Shikoku Pilgrimage(17F) The Shikoku pilgrimage consists of visiting eighty-eight sites associated with Kobo Daishi (Kukai). It is still a mystery as to how and when these eighty-eight sites were linked together to form the circuit as we know it today. First, I will introduce some historical maps of the Shikoku route which were used as guides to the Shikoku pilgrimage. In particular, I will show that a map dated the 28th day of the first month of Horeki 13 (1762), which contains illustrations of Kobo Daishi and an esoteric explanation about the Shikoku pilgrimage added by the Mt. Koya monk Kohan, became the model for subsequent maps, and that the current form of the eighty-eight sites was formalized by the appearance of this map. Organized panel, Japanese
National Museum of Japan History, Japan At the Forefront of Daoist Studies (2) Current Studies of Daoist Ritual(11H) *respondent Organized panel, English
Pacific School of Religion/Graduate Theological Union, USA Diasporic Nature of Theology Done by Asian Theologians(02E) The heart of the matter is a shared story of a displaced people who live in a racialized society, their story of witnessing to the renewing power of the Spirit in the community that is being continually reformed and reforming. What contributions do the Christian faith communities of the Asian diaspora in the U.S make to the shaping of Christian theology in Asia? What are the ways these communities practise and articulate their experiences of faith? This is a study of Christian faith in Asian diasporic communities in the U.S. Organized panel, English
Shukutoku University, Japan Religious Landscape in Japan(03P) Religious landscape can be defined as landscape that conveys religious meaning. Therefore, it covers a diverse arena, including sacred places, cemeteries, and landscapes that pilgrims encounter during their journey to their final destination. Ideas of sacredness immanent in the landscape, which might be considered naïve, persist in Japan and elsewhere, providing a focus and a frame for pilgrimage, enshrinement, and burial. Such ideas are increasingly emerging as central, rather than marginal, to religious discourse and practice. Unlike scripture, ritual, and mysticism, and other concepts that have been central to the study of religion, landscape has received little overt treatment in this academic arena. By bringing together scholars from several disciplines such as anthropology, geography, history, and sociology to discuss contemporary perspectives on the religious landscape of Japan, this symposium will shed light on the topic and provide a stimulus for further lines of not only interdisciplinary but also cross-cultural research. Symposium, * Session Abstract, English
Shukutoku University, Japan Religious Landscape in Japan(03P) *chairperson Symposium
Shukutoku University, Japan Self-Cultivation, Transcendental Being, and Nature: On the Sacred Place of Shuyodan Hoseikai(03P) Sacred places are significant as they commonly reflect key doctrinal features of a religious tradition. Some of Japan's New Religions have built extensive sacred places that feature natural settings which support the emphasis on nature often found in these religions. Shuyodan Hoseikai (Association for Self-cultivation and Sincerity), a religion founded in 1941 in Tokyo, has constructed an interesting example of such a sacred place. The locality is called Kamisato, the Home of God, occupies 25 acres on Izu peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture, and has a view of Suruga Bay and Mt. Fuji. Analysis of Kamisato, a tapestry of both traditional and innovative elements of Japanese religiosity in regard to spatial structure, reveals two aspects of this religion: Shuyodan Hoseikai is a self-cultivation group which encourages its members to reflect on themselves by confronting the sea and mountain, and it is a religion which regards its founder as a transcendental being. Symposium, English Yüklə 3,11 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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