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

Whitehouse, Harvey

Queen's University, UK

Imagistic Modes of Religiosity in the Graeco-Roman World(14T)

*respondent

Organized panel, English
Whitehouse, Harvey

Queen's University, UK

Mind and Society in the Transmission of Religion(16U)

*respondent

Organized panel, English
Wiebe, Donald

University of Toronto, Canada

Disentangling the Role of the Scholar-Scientist from that of the Public Intellectual in the Modern Academic Study of Religion(05K)

It has recently been argued that an essential aspect of the study of religion involves engagement in public analysis and critique of its economic, political, and cultural environment. Failure to do so, it has been maintained, is to exhibit a (de)fault in critical intelligence. That argument has attracted considerable attention and interest, but little by way of critical analysis or debate. I shall argue here that the case for the student of religion as public intellectual is unsound (i.e., that no such default of critical intelligence exists in the work of the scientific student of religion qua scholar). The argument for a public role for the academic student of religion, however, has been very persuasive and I will also attempt to provide an account of the influence it continues to wield.

Organized panel, English
Wiebe, Donald

Trinity College, University of Toronto, Canada

Theoretical Approaches to the Study of Religion(05K)

*chairperson

Organized panel
Wiebe, Donald

University of Toronto, Canada

Interpretation and Explanation: Concord or Discord in the Study of Religion?(10K)

Organized panel

Wilke, Annette Maria

University Muenster, Germany

Two Tamil Hindu Goddess Temples in Northern Germany: A Case Study fo Competing and Complementary Modes in Reproducing Cultural Identity(10R)

Tamil Refugees migrating from Sri Lanka to Germany exchanged one minority status for another. Religion, and temple worship in particular, seems to be one of their smbolic resources to strengthen dignity and self-assurance. While in the last decade a great number of temples in the homeland Jaffna were restored, Tamil Hindu immigrants also invested much time and effort to construct their own places of worship in the midst of a foreign culture, even despite of poor financial resources. The paper deals with patterns of re-adjustment in the diaspora by focussing on two quite distinct goddess sites in Northern Germany, which were both established between the late 1980s and early 1990s. Whereas the "Hintu Cankarar Sri Kamaksi Ampal Alayam (Airoppa)" of Hamm(-Uentrop), Westphalia, has meanwhile grown to be the largest temple of Continental Europe, the close-by "Ohm Navasakthi Nayaki Ampal Alayam" of Münster is still a small place of worship in a basement. The two temples, their Goddesses, priests and visitors disclose competing and complementary discourses of self-assurance, and the intertwining of new possibilities and old constraints in reproducing cultural identity. In mapping such changes and continuities, attention must be paid, too, to strategies in procuring financial resources and to interaction with members of the host society.

Organized panel, English
Williams, Duncan

University of California, Irvine, USA

The Many Facets of Tokugawa Soto-shu; Zen(12P)

This paper will survey recent Western research on Soto-shu; Zen Buddhism during the Tokugawa period. Looking at Tokugawa Soto-shu; Zen through the lens of time (historicity), space (regionality), tradition, and themes, the paper will show how the best of Japanese research is being combined with new theoretical consideration from Western religious studies. The paper will also take up Annalist contributions of quantitative analysis and "imaginaire" in the study of religious history.

Organized panel, Japanese
Williams, Mark Bentley

University of Leeds, UK

Endo Shusaku and the Force of Paradox(05W)

During his lifetime, the author, Endo Shusaku, became accustomed to the sobriquet, 'Japan's foremost Christian novelist'. It goes without saying, however, that the concept of 'Christian literature' is far more complex than the mere treatment of Christian themes by an author baptised into the Christian faith: as I argued in my 1999 monograph, Endo Shusaku: A Literature of Reconciliation, the term is of value only insofar as it points to an author whose artistic world is born of a consideration of the dramatic tension that ensues when religion and literature are placed in opposition. In this presentation I shall be focusing on the way in which Endo established such tension, particularly in his later works, Scandal and Deep River, and the extent to which he succeeded in challenging his own earlier portrayal of Japan as a 'mudswamp' in which the roots of Christianity were destined to wither and die.

Organized panel, English
Williams-Hogan, Jane

Bryn Athyn College, USA

Theoretical Approaches to Conflict and Peace(1)(03V)

*chairperson

Organized panel
Williams-Hogan, Jane

Bryn Athyn College, USA

Religion, Conflict and Peace: The Swedenborgian Perspective(03V)

Our eyes cannot penetrate to the beginning of human life on earth, it would seem that conflict not peace has been integral to the human condition. This is so, despite the fact that many religions speak of a golden age of peace and harmony now lost in the far reaches of time. An important focus of these religions is to provide a way to recapture that peace for humanity in either its individual or collective manifestation whether here or in some hereafter. Swedish Revelator, Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) wrote down his understanding of these human concerns at the height of the Enlightenment. He imbedded his theory of the source of human conflict and peace within a broad history of human religious development. An examination of his perspective provides fresh analysis of the causes of conflict, the use of conflict, the connection of conflict to human freedom and the conditions of peace.

Organized panel, English
Winter, Franz

University of Vienna, Austria

The Use of European Esoteric Traditions and Their Function in Japanese New New Religions: The Case of Kofuku no Kagaku(16P)

The Use of European Esoteric Traditions and their Function in Japanese New New Religions: The Case of Kofuku no Kagaku One of the newest of the so-called "New New Religions" in Japan is Kofuku no Kagaku, which was founded by Okawa Ryuho (born Nakagawa Takashi) in 1986. With regard to the teachings of the group's master it is obvious that he is deeply influenced by European esoteric and theosophical traditions. In this paper some examples are given: the portray of Jesus Christ in Okawa's books, his position in the group's system and the story of his life told therein; the figure of the (Greek) God Hermes, who has a very high position in the differentiated cosmo-soteriological teaching. The question of the function of these traditions in a Japanese New New Religion is to be posed: In what way and why are these teachings used?

Organized panel, English
Witzel, Michael

Harvard University, USA

Scape Goats, Personal Ethics, and 'Just' Violence(06R)

In the section dealing with 'Hinduism,' a brief review is given of the evidence from its earliest texts, the Vedas, that indicates their rather ambiguous stance towards the problem. While violence and war were a matter of fact, personal violence, also in sacrifice, was viewed much more warily. The effects of hurting others, even plants, on the perpetrator were averted by substitution of intermediary agents. In the pre-Buddhist period, this trend led to the avoidance of any hurtful action as to avoid the effects of bad karma, thus opening the path for the rejection of violence in Buddhism and Jainism. However, the continuing advocating of violence in warriors' circles is briefly discussed, especially as seen in the Bhagavadgita. Finally, a brief look its taken at the anti- and post-Gandhian stance of the Hindutva movement that openly advocates the use of force for reasons of 'nation building.'

Organized panel
Woo, Hai Ran

Catholic Univercity of Korea, Korea

The New Age in South Korea(06M)

One of the recent cultural developments in South Korea is the rapid spreading of thoughts and practices that relate to the New Age. Following on from a brief discussion of the "New Age" terminology in general and specifically to the use of this term for non-western cultures, this paper reports on the activities and organizations of New Age providers and focuses especially on a new development, namely the "industrialization" of New Age business. With respect to the entire spectrum of the New Age meaning system, some criteria are sought, according to which thoughts and practices of foreign cultural origin as well as of traditional religious culture are selected and integrated in the New Age. Finally, ethnocentric messages the New Age comprises, as well as hostile attitudes of the majority of Korean Christian churches toward the New Age, are analyzed in the light of globalization and reactions relevant to the local culture.

Organized panel, English
Wright, Pablo

University of Buenos Aires, Argentina

The Time of Being in Toba Religion (Argentine Chaco)(06H)

In this paper I account for the emergence of current religious discourse and practice, usually called Evangelio, among the Takshek Toba of Eastern Formosa (Argentina), through a double historical and ethnographic perspective. I show the influence both Catholic and Protestant missions and the national state had in the constitution of indigenous churches, as well as their critical view of ancient culture, shamanism, and social life. In addition, I inquire into the way the Toba being-in-the-world is assessed today, and how this grounds and transforms the missionizing impulses of the state, and "world" religions. The latter, strongly anchored in what could be labelled "evangelical-being," synthesizes the historical processes already mentioned. Moreover, it illustrates an interesting case for comparative studies in the region and other areas of South America.

Symposium, English
Yagi, Ichio

Kyoto Women's Junior College, Japan

Some Aspects of Oracle Tanka (or the Thirty-one Syllable Japanese Verse)(07I)

Oracular messages in Japan are composed of words conferred to people by deities and Buddhas with a particular will or intent. In many cases they are given in a dream and may be either in the tanka form or in prose. The present paper takes up the former type: the so-called oracular tanka. With the oracular tanka which are extant today, we find no uniformity either in content or context. There are even cases where these works are confused by allusion and/or parody. Such extant messages defy any easy philological classification and, to understand them, require an introduction of the historical vantage point of the religious beliefs behind them. The present paper proposes certain ways by which some aspects of oracular tanka are to be classified.

Organized panel, Japanese
Yagi, Kumiko

Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan

Negotiating Inter-Religious Tentions and Conflicts(06O)

*chairperson

Organized panel, English
Yagi, Kumiko

Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan

Muslim Discourses on Otherness and Selfhood(10O)

The aim of this panel is to discuss images of the other in Muslim discourses, focusing on those intellectuals who acted as the leaders of public opinion. Four panelists discuss the cases of Turkey, Iran, and other parts of the Arab world. Islam is not static and Muslims are not monolithic; likewise, the images of the other envisioned by Muslims are not only various but also always changing. Generally, the other is a relational concept of the self and the image of the other is an important aspect regarding the construction of a self-image. The other in this sense is a metaphor which may also represent not only the non-Islamic other but also certain aspects of their own societies which those intellectuals would like to criticize. This panel discusses the images of the other portrayed by those Muslims both as a reflection of and a part of an ideological discourse.

Organized panel, * Session Abstract, English
Yagi, Kumiko

Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Japan

Islam as Reflected in Arab Muslim Discourses on Otherness(10O)

This presentation explores images of the other in modern Muslim discourses, focusing on those Arab Muslim intellectuals who were active in creative writings. Attention will be given not only to their essays but fictions as well. While the West, which used to embody the other, came to be replaced by America, their collective self-image, of which Islam always formed an integral if not central part, changed according to this shift. Otherness is always actively made rather than given: the image of the other is an important aspect regarding the construction of a self-image. This is true of the present case. The very effort involved in constructing the other as such indicates what the Muslim writers criticized and then portrayed as non-Islamic, consequently clarifying what they believed Islamic values were and what possibilities they could expect from Islam. It is important that their understandings of Islam are various and changing.

Organized panel, English
Yagi, Seiichi

Toin University of Yokohama, Japan

Conflict and Peace from a Christian Point of View(01N)

*chairperson

Organized panel
Yagi, Seiichi

Toin University of Yokohama, Japan

Impersonal God in the New Testament(02Q)

In Pauline epistles and Johannine literature there is a theology the keywords of which are oneness of divine-human activity, God working in us, mutual immanence of the divine and believers. God works in us and works up the will and working of us (Phil 2:13), I.e. love and the community of the loving. It is noteworthy that God does not work on the world and history from the outside to affect it. God works through human deed(cf. Rom 15:18b). Therefore there is no room for "theodicy". In the sense of "oneness of divine-human activity" peace is the matter of human activity and God is not responsible to the evil in the world.

Organized panel, English
Yahya, Muslih Tayo

University of Jos, Nigeria

The Demand for Shari'ah in 21st Century Nigeria: Causalities and Consequences for Interfaith Peaceful Coexistence.(11O)

Since the year 2000, some of the 36 states that constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria, have decided in their respective legislative assemblies to implement the Sharia Legal System. Virtually all the "Sharia states" so far are in the North, which is known to be predominantly Muslim but geographically includes the areas known as the Middle-Belt, where most Christians in Northern Nigeria are found. Suspicions and fears created by this development are seen as part of the reasons for bouts of violence and religious unrest experienced in parts of Northern Nigeria in recent times. Yet, vocal demands for Sharia are still heard from other states where it is not implemented. The paper discusses the causalities of this demand, its implications for interfaith peaceful coexistence in a democratic Nigeria of the 21st century, and the respective roles of the various actors.

Organized panel, English
Yamada, Keizou

Japan

(06D)

Violence in the name of God can never be justified. God is betrayed by terrorists who use the name of God:justice is betrayed by those who take revenge. A war to rectify the violation of human rights is beyond reason. In this age of nuclear weapons, a just war is no longer possible. There is no peace without justice, and no justice without forgiveness. War is death. Never again can one group fight against another in a war.

Organized panel
Yamada, Mamoru

Waseda University, Japan

Japanese Values Today(06U)

Volumes have been written on such characteristic Japanese values as deep trust in human relations and social institutions, obedience to authority, group orientation, filial piety, or a sense of duty and obligation. Many of these have been identified as traditional values that will inevitably decline as a result of the process of rationalization, and, indeed, they are often not held in high regard in contemporary Western societies. On the other hand, it is commonly acknowledged that even with these traditional values Japan has undergone a unique modernization process. What, then, is the state of Japanese values today? The purpose of this report is to attempt a re-examination of what are commonly assumed to be Japanese values through an evaluation of the results obtained on items concerning general attitudes included in a survey conducted in June and July 2001.

Organized panel
Yamada, Masamichi

Chuo University, Japan

The Zukru Festival in the Society of Emar(03N)

The Akkadian legal texts from Emar in Syria (the 13th and the early 12th centuries B.C.) reveal that there were two official authorities in its society, I.e., the royal palace and the urban community. Although it is known that the king of Carchemish, the substantial overlord of Emar, treated them as equally important authorities, we have little information on how they interrelated. In this respect, noteworthy is the Zukru (Emar VI 373): the grand New Year festival celebrated once every seven years by the people of Emar. The king of Emar did not participate in it, but appeared as the main provider of the offerings for the gods and the foods and drinks for the feast of the citizens. Taking into account this peaceful relationship between the royal palace and the urban community, I will discuss the social meaning of the Zukru festival in Emar.

Organized panel, English
Yamada, Shinya

National Museum of Japanese History, Japan

From Folklore to the Globalism of Funeral Rituals:The Development of the New Services in the Funeral Industry and the Cultural Concept of Death(04J)

The aim of this presentation is to report on the situation of the introduction of embalming and the rituals that corresponded to embalming. I will also cover new factors that have arisen in the funeral industry and the cultural concept of the deceased's body in Japan. Former funeral directors have offered their commercialized services based on local funeral customs. However, due to unpredictable demands in the future, some directors introduced embalming in 1988. Nowadays, the number of corpses that are embalmed is over 1% of the total deceased in Japan. Moreover, a professional school for embalmers was established and a viewing ritual, as well as an exclusive funeral home, was established. This is because the intentions of the funeral industry are global. On the other hand, based on the usual ritual of death, where treatment of the corpse is concerned, the bereaved accept embalming as a choice out of all the services offered in terms of treatment of the corpse. I will provide an overview of embalming in contemporary Japanese death.

Symposium, English
Yamada, Toshiaki

Toyo University, Japan

At the Forefront of Daoist Studies (2) Current Studies of Daoist Ritual(11H)

*chairperson

Organized panel, English
Yamaga, Tetsuo

Hokusei Gakuen Unversity, Japan

The Syro-Ephraimite War in the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles(02N)

Both the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles in the Old Testament, describe the history of Israel and Judah during the era of kingly rule. However, the two texts frequently differ in their depictions of the same events. In some cases, the accounts in the two books are almost diametrically opposed to each other. A good example of this is the way the Syro-Ephraimite War is covered in both texts (II Kings 16; II Chron. 28). In my opinion, these discrepancies or inconsistencies arise chiefly out of differences in the perception of war found in the two authors and in their different evaluation of alliances made by the kings of Israel and Judah. In this paper, I will attempt to prove this view through a detailed comparison of the two texts.

Organized panel
Yamaguchi, Aki

Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture, Japan

An Encounter Between Religious Universalism and Particularist Society: Unitarians as Mediating between the Japanese Modernizers and the Modern West(16V)

The Japanese were abruptly thrust into a tumultuous age at the latter half of the nineteenth century and awoke to the far more advanced civilization and the imperialism of the West, including its notion of 'religion,' which seemed to the Japanese as an essential part of the modern nation-state. The intellectuals of the early half of the Meiji period (1880s to 1890s) wooed the American Unitarians as a model for mediating what the Japanese took to be modern, I.e., the universal values of being rational and moral. The honeymoon was short lived, however, and soon as the Japanese opted for their own nationalist and imperialist path. In this presentation, I will focus on the birth of Religious Studies of Japan, which was prompted by the conflux of the Unitarian type of universalism, social Darwinism, and the then worldwide trend of religionwide ecumenism, as typified by the World Parliament of Religions.

Organized panel, English
Yamaguchi, Kojun

Taisho University, Japan

The Culture of Debate in the Tendai School and the Institutes for the Training of Study Monks (Dangisho) in Medieval Japan(09U)

In Medieval Japan, institutes called Dangisho for the training of study monks were established everywhere, and it was the same in the Tendai School. Mt. Hiei can be described as the central university of the Tendai School, while the numerous Dangisho were its local colleges. The purpose of the Dangisho was to train candidates for the Ryugi rongi (debates which were combined with examination) at Mt. Hiei, the passing of which was required for promotion in the hierarchy of the Tendai School. At the Dangisho, students were introduced teachers to Tendai doctrine, while also studying the records of previous debates in preparation for the examination. After practicing at minor debates at the Dangisho, candidates would proceed to take the main examination at Mt. Hiei. The activities of the Dangisho were limited to monks and the Dangisho are occasionally criticized for lacking a broader educational function, but we should not forget that it was thought that learning and debate themselves constituted activities for the salvation of the people.

Organized panel, Japanese
Yamaguchi, Masahiro

Kokugakuin University, Japan

How was the word shinko used?(08K)

In 1975, Bunkazaihogo-ho (the Cultural Properties Protection Law) was made a partial amendment. By this amendment, events related to shinko (belief or faith), such as Folk Performing Arts, was appointed as Cultural Assets. In this process of disputes for the amendment, the point at issue was whether the institution of protection was contrary to the principle of separation of government and religion or not. In other words, it was question on considers whether the state should give legal protection to religious events, such as folk performing arts of Shinto origin. On the occasion of problem solving, folklorist like HORI Miyasizu and HONDA Yasuji played a major part. I will take up their discussion and investigate how they used the word shinko. I will compare their concept of belief with that in religious studies and aim to bring up a new question.

Organized panel, Japanese